The edge of consciousness

I rolled out of bed at 6:45, piecing together another night of broken sleep. Today was my longest yet—23 miles from Villafranca to Burgos, with my bag tagged for transport to ease the load. The forecast called for upper 70s, the warmest day so far. Two climbs were waiting: a 200-meter haul right out of Villafranca and a 175-meter climb out of Atapuerca, 12 miles in.

That first hill hit like a sledgehammer. I powered up without a break, legs screaming. From there, it was a 10-mile downhill cruise to Atapuerca. My sunburned calves burned under my pants, the skin-tight fabric absorbing heat. I taped a washcloth to my left calf to block the sun’s sting and kept moving.

In Atapuerca, I stopped for water and a quick rest, then tackled the second climb. Reaching the plateau, Burgos sprawled in the distance, and beyond it, the meseta—endless, flat farmland stretching into the haze 115 miles to Leon.

Today marked the end of the Camino’s hilly first third. From here, part two begins, and that wide-open view, with little to no cover, was my first taste of it.

The 10-mile descent to Burgos had a McDonald’s along the way. Seven hours and 21 miles in, the heat was brutal. I staggered into the restaurant, craving AC, but got hit with warm air instead. I ordered at a kiosk, but as I finished, the world began to spin. Exhaustion nearly dropped me. No hospital for me—I sank into a booth, willing myself to stay conscious.

Food came quick. I chugged a Coke Zero, the cold yanking me back from the edge. I stayed there an hour, rounding out a quarter-pounder meal with a KitKat McFlurry that felt like heaven.

A bus for the last two miles tempted me, but stubbornness won. The 50-minute walk to the hostel had me overheating again. When I arrived, air conditioning was my savior. The desk clerk, sensing my discomfort, led me to the elevator, and on the fifth floor, I located my pack, threw paper sheets on the mattress, and crashed. My body continued to dump heat for nearly an hour. Once cooled, I showered and hit a Burger King, ravenous after a 6,000-calorie day.