Several days ago I got what I thought was a cramp or a muscle pull in the arch of my left foot. I tried walking through it, but could not get it to go away. I was able to put up with it by favoring that foot until the last few kilometers of yesterday’s walk when the pain got really severe. There was no way I would be able to walk any distance today. This morning we took an ALSA bus to León, the equivalent of two days of walking. The view from the bus confirmed that the terrain in this area is very flat with mountains along the horizon to our right (north). We went through Mansilla where there is a historic bridge only wide enough for a single lane, so there is a traffic light to let vehicles over, first one way then the other. How different from the U.S. – we would tear down the old bridge and replace it with a nice wide one so no one would have to wait. From the León bus station we headed toward the central part of the city and got directions to an urgent care clinic. The doctor diagnosed my condition as planter fascitis and prescribed an anti-inflammatory (stronger than ibuprofen). I was told that I cannot continue walking 20 to 25 km a day, but have to cut back to no more than 10 per day. We decided to take a train in the morning to Sarria to give us more than 12 days to walk the final 100 km to officially complete the Camino and earn the Compostela (certificate of completion of the pilgrimage to Santiago). Needless to say, this is not the way we planned or expected things to go, but all we can do at this point is to make the best of things. After checking in at the Santa Maria de Carbajal albergue we attended evening vespers and mass with the Benedictine nuns and received the pilgrim blessing. I am giving thanks that I am not having to give up the Camino and should be able to complete it.
Day #19
León
Population 130,000 / Elevation 840 meters
Albergue Santa Maria de Carbaja
Distance traveled today 44.8 km (bus)
Weather sunny and warm.