March 8 2023 Caldas De Reis to Padron

To call today anything less than a slog would be a gross under call.  In fact it was a way more than a simple slog it was more of an endurance test.  How long can you hold your breath under water?  When we left the hotel this morning at about 8:30 this morning it was pouring rain.  And I mean pouring rain.  The Weather Network had it at 0.3 inches per hour which is 7.2 inches per day.  Add to this there was a 15-25 mph wind.   Yes it wasn't blowing this hard all the time nor was it pouring this hard all the time however there would be a wave of rain sweep in coupled with much stronger winds.  The only good part was that the wind was out of the south west and we were headed almost directly north.  When  you had to make a left or right the wind and rain nearly cut you in half.

At the 6 kms point we stopped for lunch which turned out to be a beer.  As we drank our beer we watched the pilgrims dragging themselves in looking like drowned rats.  I suppose we looked about the same. The weather radar showed the rain moving off about 12:00 so an other hour or so but it never did even though we kept saying " I think it looks lighter off to the west"

By the time we got to the hotel about 2:30 I was totally soaked.  The rain had pernitrated the cheap nylon rain shell on my day pack, I had sweated my clothes dripping wet inside my rain coat and pants.  My feet were the only dry thing thanks to the hiking boots David A had fixed me up with at REI.  Thanks David!

We hurried down to the hotel restaurant to catch last call for lunch as supper would not be until 8:00 pm and we doubted we would be able to stay up that late.  Lunch was definitely the highlight of the day.   It was a hearty bowl of beef stew for first course, fried pork slices with French fries and a salad for second course and a huge slice of cake for desert.  There was also two bottles of wine on the table and beer was served with first course.  A great finish to the day.

The Camino markers count the distance to Santiago de Compostella down.  We are currently at marker 23 kms.  so a couple of shorter days.  Although more rain is forecast.  

Terry