Day 45 – Ambulating to Arzua

Leaving Carlos 96, our hotel in Melide.

It was fine, but no air conditioning.

Great walk through the eucalyptus trees.

Bikers trying to run over us.

Shoes on a rail, no feet to love them.

Super snack shack deluxe.

Mike is in a fowl mood.

Even worse, he is using fowl language.

Robert and Jacqueline escaping crazy Mike.

(aka The Chicken King)

Baby blue hydrangeas, growing wild by the road.

This marker quotes one of Mike's favorite

scriptures: "For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also."

Dave crossing the Rio Iso in Arzua. The

 pink lady is trying to get some blog space.

Cute old town on the outskirts of Arzua.

It's fun having friends at every bar in Spain.

Meet Santa Fe's Jacqueline and Robert, along

with Ireland's top docs, lads, and lasses.

The Irish midriff squad. Hot day!

Nice lunch skillet of Paella.

Tomorrow we head for Amenal, 14.3 miles

from here and 10 miles from Santiago.

We have two extra days if we need them

to accommodate Dave's hamstring injury.

Keep those prayers coming, please!

A story from Dave:

It was another tough day of hiking, but I have been helped by some great people on the Camino who have been very generous with their time and expertise. I certainly couldn't continue if I were on my own, which brings me to Mike. He is a great traveling companion, and with my recent troubles he has been so supportive...always asking and doing things for me and trying to lighten my load. Mike loves people and is quick to start up a conversation with those we meet on the Camino, as well as the people he meets that live in the towns. There is no language barrier with Mike. Hola! Buenos Dias! Buen Camino! Where are you from? Why are you walking the Camino? He really brightens everyone's day, mine included. During our entire hike, I haven't met anyone as friendly as Mike. Not even close.

Those who know Mike personally understand what I'm talking about, so this is no surprise to you. I mention this trait of his today because all of the Camino friends who have reached out to help me were initially brought into our sphere by Mike befriending them. We first met Marg and Linda (my voluntary Camino PT) for a brief time at dinner and were inspired by their determination. Mike stayed in touch with them by email, and at one point they let him know Marg was struggling. A couple of mornings later, he happened to see her across the street. Mike being Mike, he ran over and gave her a big hug of encouragement. A strong connection was formed, and the next time we met, I was the one in need. (That's kind of the way it goes on this pilgrimage.) I have seen over and over again how infectious this happy outreach to people has been. Today, for example, we were leaving a trailside restaurant filled with five groups of people (including my Camino docs), totaling about 30 all together. Mike was able to walk to each table and tease and say goodbye to every individual in every group, because he already knew them well. They loved it.

So thank you, Mike, on behalf of all of  us, for making the journey far more enjoyable. Everyone wants to be like Mike. Me too! 

P.S. He even reached out to a chicken today who seemed a little down. The chicken immediately buck-buck-bucked up! (watch video above)

A story from Mike:

Today's story is about miracles. It's always amazing when you get to experience them firsthand. Sometimes you find yourself asking, "Was that a miracle, or was it just a coincidence?" Dave tore his hamstring about a week ago; it had been bothering him off and on for three weeks. It's a major event for the body when that sort of tear happens, so everything inside you jumps into action to fix it. That's why Dave's legs and backside are in so much pain as he walks every day and tries to sleep at night. It's been a major burden for him to bear, but what inspires me is this: Dave's injury could have happened anywhere on the Camino, but it happened in Sarria, a place with many resources, on our rest day. One day after it began to hurt badly, we were visited by a wonderful Irish scout (in charge of scouting the next bar). His name was Tom, and he introduced us to this group of three couples from Ireland. We became fast friends, teasing and bantering all day long. Later, they brought electrolytes to relieve Dave's leg. When it felt worse on the trail the next morning, the Irish group stopped and gave him an exam, pain medication, and advice. Equally or even more of a marvel was that five weeks earlier we met and loved Marg and Linda from New Zealand. Linda, a physical therapist specializing in sports medicine, came to our room after dinner to give Dave a deep massage on his hamstring and calf––not just last night, but tonight. Furthermore, she has told Dave she will give him one tomorrow and the next night, too. This is quite a sacrifice, because she will have met up with her husband by then and probably has lots better things to do. When Dave tried to tell her she had already done too much, she insisted she wanted to help him. No arguments! The leg still hurts a lot, only time and rest will heal that, but every time Linda works on it he gets some relief.

So how does all of this happen? Can you explain how we met the doctors on the trail, how they were willing to perform an exam and treat Dave, how we then happened to run into Marg and Linda, how Linda agreed with the diagnosis and eased Dave's mind about further injury, then started doing physical therapy for him and continues to do so on a nightly basis in the middle of her vacation? Can you explain it? I know from my blog that many of you have said you were praying for Dave. I know that I have prayed for Dave every morning and every night. I know that Dave's family and my family have prayed for David as well. Some would say these fortuitous happenings were no more than a grand coincidence, a wonderful turn of events. But I could not agree. My heart tells me that every piece of this equation has been a tender mercy from the Lord, the kind of miracle that happens more times than we consciously notice and acknowledge. Tonight I do acknowledge it, with gratitude and no small amount of reverence.

  

"...I know in whom I have trusted. God hath been my support; he hath led me through my afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love..." (2 Nephi:19-21). 

Buen Camino, friends, and thank you so much for taking this journey with us.

Click below to support mental health and

suicide prevention, the causes Mike and Dave

are championing with their walk.