I just parted ways with Diana, and cried a couple tears. I am sad partially because I’ve gotten very fond of her, but also because tomorrow she will be walking again, and I won’t. It really hit me this morning as I clicked on the hip belt of my back; the weight that was familiar, like a hug, all the straps that I have just figured out (I like the weight low in the mornings and higher on my shoulders in the afternoon)… I really do like the walking and I miss it already, even after only 5 full days of it.

Now Im on a bus to Barcelona and it is so grey and dreary outside I won’t even get a proper view if the Pyrenees as we head south. But it’s not all bad. I have wanted to see Barcelona for awhile; I’ve been told I would like the feel of it, and looking at the map I realize the Arc d Triumph is just down the street from the bus station, and that crazy Gaudi cathedral that Brent from work was telling me I HAVE to go see. And Im not sure when else on this trip I would have been able to come and see it. I’m going to try to do absolutely nothing tomorrow except sleep, stretching, and trying to heal. There will be time for sight-seeing when I can walk more normally.

And on that note, Diana said something interesting; she was thinking about how she sees so many young, fit people getting injured on the Camino, while many older (and obviously fit, but maybe less athletic and muscular) people just clomp along with no problems. It made me remember a point in the last year or two that, while running, I realized that I don’t need to force and control each step; I could relax most of my muscles and the next foot would still fall in front of the other. And it really hasn’t made any sense to me why I have been running 5+miles and hiking 4,000 foot mountains with no problem, but just walking for 15 miles a day totally screws up my knees? Why are my kneecaps getting pulled around now when they’ve been mostly okay for the last 27 years? So while I was slowly wandering around Toulouse waiting for my bus to leave, I tried walking with as little muscle tension as possible, thinking really hard about a rag doll. And I could walk more normally with less pain! So that’s my plan in Spain, once everything in my knees calms down enough to walk without pain, is to train myself to walk loosely, with as little tension as possible.

It’s no surprise really; I’ve been dealing with jaw and neck trouble for the last few years, relating to my tense neck and back muscles. So it’s just one more thing to relax. And one more thing that has to get worse before it gets better.