This morning, for lack of adequate waymarkers, I missed a turn and by the time I discovered it, it was easier just to press on. The road I was traveling would get me where I wanted to go, probably quicker than the trails. The big problem: it was dangerous. it was hilly and curvy and there was precious little shoulder on the country road. Speeders and bad drivers made life interesting for about 5 km. The lack of waymarking has been very frustrating for the first 2 days. In Spain, they take thus Camino stuff pretty seriously and signs marking the way are huge and plentiful. I saw on clear waymarker on day one and it was smaller than my hand on trunk of a tree. On day 2 I saw more. Fortunately, I had good maps and directions that kept me moving in the right direction. This morning I had a confluence if tragic circumstances that contributed to a dangerous situation for me: No map or directions, no waymarkers, no internet connection and a missed turn. A nice man in one town gave me great directions to the next town and there, everything turned around. Just as I was mentally working up a post about bad waymarking on the French Camino, I apparently entered a new zone or something. Because all of a sudden, everything was clearly marked. And remained so for the rest of the day. Both systems, the international red and white waymarkers for hikers, and the blue and yellow scallop-shell markets were abundant and accurate. Every intersection and junction was clear - and it is a good thing, because I was on backroads and country trails.
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The Pilgrim PriestFr. Bart Hutcherson, OP is a priest of the Dominican Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus in the Western USA. From April 20 - June 1, 2015 he walked from Lourdes, France to Santiago de Compostella, Spain. This page contains observations, images and reflections from the Way of St. James. Archives
October 2015
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