When I was in the midst of that struggle with back pain some 30-odd years ago that I mentioned a few posts back, I tried all sorts of physical exercises, but I also tried a technique called, back then at least, creative visualization. I was skeptical and frankly it sounded kind of silly to me, but I thought hey what harm can it possibly do? So I chose four words--"strong, healthy, vigorous, successful"--and made it my mantra. As I repeated the words, usually as I walked, I tried to visualize my vertebrae, discs, and muscles in proper alignment. I got better and still remained skeptical as to whether this had much or anything to do with my recovery. But I never stopped using this as my mantra. As years passed I've visualized whatever needed fixing in my life and where I've wanted to be, both physical and metaphorical. In fact in recent years with the word "successful" I've pictured myself walking across the planet.

And that phrase has played a definite role in this walk. But like the proverbial meditator who has uninvited chatter invading his hoped-for empty mind, unwanted thoughts have a way of sneaking in. Today the volume of my internal dialogue was particularly loud.

What were you thinking? You've bitten off more than you can chew, you can't possibly walk this whole thing. But I've already walked something close to 250 miles. Yeah but you have over 200 to go. Strong, healthy... It's a journey of self-discovery and there are bound to be obstacles and difficulties. Self-discovery? Haven't you discovered enough about yourself in these nearly 62 years? It's not like you lead the unexamined life, in fact you probably lead the OVER examined life. Ow, my feet hurt. ...vigorous, successful. You always rant about how unhealthy and out of touch sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours a day is, but maybe walking like an obsessive madman is just as unhealthy? Oh great, now it's raining and my feet are gonna get wet. Just give in, you know you like your comfort. But I really do believe a lot of the best things in life come when I'm out of my comfort zone.

And blah blah blah...well you get the picture.

Meanwhile I kept putting one foot in front of the other and I chipped off another 11.5 miles. I was planning to stop after 7 miles in Bercianos del Real Camino but I got there at noon and I still felt pretty good, so I stopped for some food, reserved a room in a cheap hotel in the next town, and headed on for another 4.5 miles to El Burgo Ranero. Turns out the hotel, just a couple hundred yards off the path, is about as far from the Camino stereotype as it could be. It's a truck stop hotel, with semis in the parking lot, a big cafeteria, and a trinket shop. I kinda love it, it reminds me of a cheap hotel in the middle of the American West. The folks here, at first glance, seem to be a combo of truckers and pilgrims. Fellini couldn't have come up with anything better than this.