So let me thank you all for the encouragement from yesterday. It was definitely a challenge. And today was so much better.

Oh don’t get me wrong it was still a most challenging day. I’m tired and sore and feel GREAT.

Today’s route had a lot of ups and downs. Some were pretty tough both going up and coming down. And yet for the most part it was okay. Especially when you could get to the top and see the next vista…and a most amazing view. so today was a remarkable day for Noël…he had his first blister ever. There will be a tribute following.

The ups and downs remind me so much of life. The climb up may be difficult and challenging and the climb down may be difficult and challenging. But what are you experiencing along the way? What are you learning? What are the hard lessons that make you stronger and more resilient? Today that’s what I focused on. The hard lessons of life. More to come on that.

I also mentioned in my video today that I saw purple flowers everywhere and growing in the most difficult places…stones, hard earth, grass, dirt. All I could think is many of us land in tough situations. And the idea is to grow, bloom, flourish where you are planted.

My other observation for today came as a surprise near the end of the day. Today we met a woman and her daughter riding bikes across Europe. They started in Eastern Germany and are now in Spain. The daughter is 5. And has a baby doll on the back of her bike which is attached to her mom’s bike. When they left this little stop there was a bag of money. I told Noël “oh no they left their coin bag.” So he went running. They turned back. The mom said it’s hers. It seems she is teaching her the hard lessons of life…responsibility and perseverance. Then we saw them later and they were headed down the hill into where we are staying and the little girl’s head was bobbing…she couldn’t stay awake.

I think this is a beautiful way to share the world with your child. She doesn’t start school until next year so mom is making the most of it. And who knows she may shift and do something else about school.

We ended the day at an Albergue in Cardeñuela Rio Pico called Santa Fe. It’s fabulous. Tomorrow is 14 kms into Burgos. See you then.

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