Yup, that's what I did need today after walking 38K in 100F degree heat. We left at 6:36am and I didn't arrive until 4:30pm. I say "I" because the others arrived earlier -by cab! on their first day as pilgrims, Mary and Margie disappear. As we walked out of Leon at dawn, they started chatting away and soon were well over 400 yards ahead of me as I slowed to wait a bit for Mia and Cecelia. Did they know which town they were walking to? Did they have a map? Did they have a clue? Decidedly "no" to all questions. So when they came to a fork in the road with two camino options (going in very different directions) they walked right on by. In fact they walked 3.5 hours before they decided to stop and maybe look over their shoulders. It was only then that the troglodyte Margie decided to turn on her mobile phone to discover an almost two hour old text from me telling them that "I hope they went to Mazarife." And then....oh, and then....when I tell her to keep walking west, she doesn't listen. When I tell her a second and third time to continue in the same direction, she doesn't listen. What do they do!? They walk an hour and a half backwards only to reach the fork in the road where we were three hours before. Again I tell her to get back on the other road and to take a bus or a cab to Hospital de Orbigo. Silence. Meanwhile, I have cajoled poor Cecelia and Mia into walking an extraordinarily long way -23 miles In the heat of the day- in order to meet up with Mary and Margie where I had instructed them to go. I tell the girls that I am going to try to walk quickly ahead, in hopes of finding a fountain or a cab at the next village. Unlike most sections of the Camino, there are NO fountains between villages here. Mia and Cecelia are way behind me soon. I've run out of water and I'm getting dizzy. My phone dings. Its a text from Cecelia. She says that they "took a break in a patch of shade. Moo is very hot, there is sweat dripping between her basoomas". Basically they have collapsed. They have no water either. I finally reach the village of Villavante. It is practically deserted. Well, actually, from my perspective, it IS deserted. I cannot see or hear a soul. I did, however, find a fountain. I literally suck down an entire bottle of water. My phone dings again. Its a text from Margie saying that they've found a taxi. There's barely room for 4 passengers in the taxi so I tell them to find Mia and Cecelia. They do. On a dirt road between East Podunk and West Bumfart. They're all safely deposited at the albergue. I however, am traipsing alone along a deserted railroadtrack. Its the first and only time on the Camino that I am afraid. Afraid of being very, very alone out here. There's nothing and no one around. And afraid of collapsing myself. Once again I'm short on water and I'm noticing some amazing heat rash appearing on my legs. The kind you see on women at the Pine Street Inn or on Carson Beach. I keep going because I have no other choice, unless I want to sleep next to an irrigation ditch. I reach the highway and walk up and over it. I'm on the outskirts of Hopital de Orbigo. I keep plodding and following the arrows. Every step is excruciating. I cross the medieval bridge that leads into the old town and I fall into the albergue. I have a headache and I'm nauseous. They all end up walking around 32K (21 miles). I walked 38K (24 miles) the last 3 hours in +100F degree heat. Everyone is exhausted. Not everyone is talking however! Beer helps. (this was actually confirmed by a Belgian man in the hostel. Apparently the Belgians know their beer and their heat stroke.) We make dinner in the lovely Albergue San Miguel. Pasta and wine, lots of it. I'm happy to be upright. Praise Jesus.
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