Fonsagrada to O Cadavo Baleira
15.2 miles
5/18/2019

Another rainy, chilly day full of muck and mud. I experimented to see if newspaper smashed into shoes would really dry them out because I didn't want both sets of boots to be wet. It worked fairly well, but didn't dry out completely overnight. 

Either way NO EXCUSES, I must do the entire stage, and what do you know, it was my best time yet for completion - just under 1 hour past the estimated time.

I have developed a system for checking in on all my peeps along the trail. I leave by 8 AM at the latest, eventually they catch up with me. We chat together for awhile and then another group checks in. Because this stage was not as brutal as previous ones, I only stopped at Paradavella for a coffee and a massive ham sandwich that could have fed a family of four. I was still trying to finish it the next day.
  

The Moneda Cadavo Baleira Hotel was one of the worst hotels so far. When I arrived a creepy old man was blocking the doorway so I went through the restaurant. Then I had to figure out who was going to check me in. I had already lugged my suitcase up one floor at some of the other hotels, but at this one it had to be dragged up and down two flights of stairs. Then the guy who finally checked me in, just left me hanging at front desk - wondering if I was checked in or not.

At 8 PM they packed Hetty, Matthew, Micheline, Andreas, John Pierre and me into a crowded corner of their so-called ballroom while they set up for some kind of party that was starting at 10 PM. We knew we were in for a very long and late night/early morning when we saw the DJ bringing in all sorts of equipment. Thankfully I always travel with ear plugs, but since I didn't hear much by 1:30 AM I didn't worry.


Apparently, when I was finally in a deep sleep at about 3:30 AM, the DJ was going full throttle. Andreas had had enough so he came downstairs in his boxers and t-shirt to complain. They also said they couldn't open their room's window because all these old women were outside smoking and yelling (oh, and if that wasn't enough, dogs were barking as well). 

They did not look too rested the following morning.