May Your Burdens be Lifted

It is a big day on the trail. Today we crest the highest point of the Camino Frances and we leave our burdens behind. The day starts gloomy but the sun rises to shine on our backs for a ways to lighten our spirit as we climb. The trail is wet, sometimes even a full running stream of snow melt. As we hike into Rabanal del Camino taking pictures of the doors of the Camino I am reminded that the bread man delivers. Hope the occupants take their loafs in before it gets wet. The rain forecast is 50% today which means it is raining 50% of the time and just windy the other 50%. Last nights Albergue only had instant coffee so I pull into a nice bar and grab a coffee americano grande. Just about satisfying. Still haven’t seen a Starbucks. At the bar I collect my last stamp in the American Pilgrims credentials booklet and purchase a Spanish booklet. On our way out of the village we stop and see where the Bavarian Monks live and pray and hold service. We just missed their morning service. On up the hill we climb to the next village, Foncebadon, trying to avoid the streams and puddles. There we stop and prepare for the final climb to the summit. I order a vegetarian bocadillo and get a tuna fish sandwich. Oh well it is Spain. Guess someone thought I needed protein. We climb out of the village and head up the hill. Wait what is this. This is nothing. Wehave climbed two or three hills steeper than this. True it is cold, windy and wet with now snow on the ground, but the remaining climb to get to the first crest of 1505 M is not bad. The view even though restricted by clouds and fog is amazing. We reach La Cruz de Ferro and pause to think upon the burdens we carry in our lives and then release them by pulling the stone or token from our pack that we have carried fri St. Jean Pied De Port and place it on the mound where pilgrims have been doing so for decades. Thanks to Sue for making my stone one that will stand out until it is covered by other pilgrims years from now. Moving on the trail is so covered with snow we are forced to walk on the road that crosses over the mountain. When we get to the final climb of the day we decide to go a bit higher than the 1515 M shown on the map to see what that is that sits at the top of the hill. The signs clearly don’t want us to be here but the station is abandoned. The map says it was some kind of military post and I would believe that based on the fence, the buildings, the vantage point and the fact that we found a helicopter landing pad nearby. Enough exploring for the day. We trek through the snow and let gravity take us down the hill to Acebo. The parochial Albergue seems to be closed so I convince the kids to spend a couple more bucks and join me at the fairly new Albergue on the edge of town. A welcome relief after finishing the day soak and cold. A hot shower and clean clothes are magic. Should be a nice pilgrim dinner tonight and a chance to plan our adventure tomorrow.