Stoked on the Camino

The Camino has stages.  Daily stages, geographic stages and for the walker's inner and physical stages too.  The inner physic gives the pilgrim elation the first day that they made it through that hurdle.  Then the day in and day out of walking takes a physical and mental toll causing hard times starting around the the fourth day and goes differently for each pilgrim.  During this stage doubt sets in, blisters and muscle aches dominate the pilgrim's daily life and conversations.  When the blisters clear, muscles get in better shape and the pilgrim realizes how far they've walked, life on the Camino lightens up.  This is when disappointing Albergues don't ruin the whole day.  This is when ol friends that have walked miles and miles checking in with each other are stoked on the Camino.

The people I've been following since St Jean have for the most part transitioned into the "stoked on the Camino" stage.  Sophie from Spokane first used the phrase this morning, every one at the table agreed, we are stoked on the Camino.  Since
Sophie powered ahead and I didn't pull out my camera at that moment here's the rest

of the crowd stoked on the Camino.

Just  before this conversation I walked enjoying the path, the birds and later when the sun came fully out the crickets that showed up almost the same time we entered Galicia clicked in the fields.  The path took us away from the road for  most of the day, leading us through forests, up and down hills, over streams.  What a great day.