I've been sitting on a dilemma since I started this journey; too many miles, not enough days. I paced myself in France but now the crunch has come.
With only 16 walking days and 21 stages to go, I needed to choose. Skip the Messita? Walk as far as I can and miss Santiago? None of the above! I chose the route of the second class pilgrim.
There are many tribes of pilgrim; the biggest bag camper, the big bag albergue, the small bag albergue and the small bag hotel..... but lowest of all is the cyclist. Completely without shame, they roll down hills..ROLL!!! As if this were a holiday! They make the Messita look like a dull afternoon.
Facing the option of a bus or fizzling out somewhere short of Astorga, I headed to the Logrono megamall and bought the cheapest bike I could find.
Fanta is a bright orange single speed steel bike with a heavy duty rack. She cost less than $200 all up and carries my gear admirably. Together, we knocked off two stages in an afternoon... a tough one though!
The morality is difficult but the church is clear on the matter; the bike is kosher. Will I feel guilt as I whip past those poor saps trudging the messita? Probably... but God will not judge me and I will get a bottom bunk.
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