ON THE BRINK

As I got back on the road, I was aware that I was, in a word, pooped.  It had been a long,hot  and sunny day, but at this time, I was usually resting my feet and doing laundry.  Instead, I  had nearly half a normal day's walk yet to go.  The sun had gone in and the wind was up.  I could see a front of angry cloud  coming in from the mountains to the south, and the temperature had cooled considerably. 

 

Still, the route, high above the highway, was very pretty.  I could see Llanes up ahead, which was comforting.  What I didn't take into account was that this view came with a price.  The trail followed the contours of a large hill, on the top of which was a golf course.  The trail wound around the hill, with some hills within the general climb,  adding all kinds of distance, while the road below went straight and flat.   If I'd had a piece of cardboard, I'd have been tempted to slide down those grassy slopes to the road.  How fickle and contrary I was!

At the head of one punishing, nearly vertical downhill I paused to give myself a talking to.  I was ready to stop.  My legs were so tired, and I was pretty near tears.  A couple who passed by looked at me with some curiosity.  My emotions were, evidently, showing on my face. There was nothing to do but to keep on.
It felt like a miracle, when at the base of the hill, there was a handwritten sign which said "ALBERGUE 200 m".  I felt a burst of energy.

When I arrived at what turned out to be a hotel, I was worried.  What if, as in Comillas, it was completo?
As it turned out, I was the first and only guest in the albergue part of the hotel.  I could see why.  It was tiny, and expensive,  and basic, and a bit damp, a sort of shed of poor quality materials tacked onto the main building.  Still, it was clean, and I could lie down.  What more could a pilgrim want?  There was a sidreria on the premises but I knew I'd be asleep long before it was ever open.
I had a bath in one of those crazy sitting-up half baths favoured in Spanish hotels.  The hot water felt wonderful on my legs, but when it came time to get up, I could barely move.  Suddenly, I was chilled.  I put on all my layers, and socks, and grabbed an extra blanket from one of the other bunks.  I crashed.

When I regained consciousness.....it was to the sound of pounding rain.  The front had arrived.  I sank back into the blackness.