And Yet So Unprepared

Meaningful Moment

Got my second Covid booster yesterday. Feeling a bit wiped-out which is a well-known possible side effect. What it does mean is that I am taking a day off from training. 

Last Saturday I did a strenuous 2 hour / 5-mile hike in 91F and sun with full backpack. Lots of hills. Kicked my rear end.

Then last Sunday I did a 1.5 hour / 4-mile strenuous hike (due to pace), again in backpack. 

Although they both went well, by Monday I was feeling a bit fatigued.

These things always make me wonder if I am ready for two and one half weeks of 12 - 13 mile days.

Random Thought of the Day

The song "The World Is Not Enough" comes to my mind today. 

First there is the verse from Garbage's song above.

"I feel safe

I feel scared

I feel ready

And yet unprepared."

I've got six years of backpacking / hiking western Europe under my belt (over 1400 miles in five countries) and yet because of Covid and now going on three years since I've hiked, I don't know what I feel. Like the song says, it is a mixture of feelings.

At the same time, I will have company on this camino. My Partner and I have been planning this for quite some time. The most important things that we have discussed allow for each to be on their own camino while we walk together, and  include:

where to sleep (sometimes in community albergue, or private hostel or upscale room)

when to get up and go to bed

when to start and stop hiking, and to leave in the morning

how far to walk 

They seem pretty obvious, but I suspect that many couples approach these decisions on a catch as catch can, or on a basis of fear of disagreement. The latter, it seems to me, is more rooted in lack of communication.

I am fortunate to have a partner with superb communication skills. She often knows so much better than I how to raise a topic, or continue a discussion that has not yet resolved itself. I consider myself lucky to have her in my life. 

Notable memories

Right now I am sitting in Equal Grounds coffee shop with an au lait and biscotti. Two things that always seem to make the world brighter.

Just checked the weather forecasts for Madrid and Segovia Spain in the month of June. If true, it will not be as hot as I feared. I certainly hope it is true. The difference between 95F and 75F is exponentially more challenging than just thinking of it as a mere 20F difference.

Courtesy of WeatherSpark.com

Average High and Low Temperature in Madrid

The daily average high (red line) and low (blue line) temperature, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted lines are the corresponding average perceived temperatures.