I finally made it. Portman to Santiago Spain 110l 6.5 hours

I actaully got a good start today. My goal is to get to Sandiago before 5 so I can go to the train station and figure out how to get to Portugal tomorrow, get a place to stay, get cleaned up, and go out for my birthday that will officially start at midnight...early in the night by Spainish time.

Looking at the map, I thought today was going to be remotely easy. No big mountains, no rain, and one straight shot all the way..with hardly any chances of detours-that is if I do not repeat what happened yesterday. About 50k into the ride I changed my mind. I guess I did not factor in the past 3 days I have spent 15 hours and 155 miles on my bicycle. Not only this, I have done it with 2o pounds strapped to my back, in the rain, winding up a mountain passes and foot hills, in a headwind, with my 2 smallest gears "not existent" because of a bent derailer hanger that I dare not touch in fear I would break it right off. Ya I am a stubborn optomist when it comes to most things, a Tarus. I just say I am dumb and tough. Dumb comes first.

However, if you think about it this the whole point of a pilgrimage-is to suffer a little, to have a drive to finish the goal, in attempts to slightly feel a very very small taste of what the ones that have come before you have done to make things better. In this case Christ and Saint James.

So when you are suffering and you cannot determine if your butt, knee, or back hurts more, you got tons of weight strapped to your back, you keep going in the wrong direction, your derailer is broken, and you are fighting every thought of hopping on a bus or hailing a taxi; go back to why you are doing what ever it is in your life that is uncomfortable,and remember the goal....do not give up. I try to live my life always like this, but it is usually not my body physically screaming at me. It can be my spirit, my ego, or my heart. This is much harder to overcome. Something I work to improve everyday.
So reaching Santiago what not only a physical challenge, but it has represented for me the struggles of my spirit, my heart, and my ego; I have had to overcome in the recient past..... It is only a small step of the journey I will continue to live everyday. My hope is it will become easier as time passes, I hope to become the stong woman that I want to be, I hope to inspire others, I hope to do it on my bicycle as much as possible.
Amore Always.
Katelyn