Day 7: Home via 520 Trail to University of Washington and back

Day 7 Highlights:

Following a good suggestion from husband Don, at the end of every 7th day, I will show you how far I would have gone on a map of the real Camino. As below shows, I would have walked 101.1 miles from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Logrono, Spain.  For whatever reason, I have actually walked 110.8.  (I’m banking those extra miles in case I need them.)

 

Today, I would have traveled 17.1 miles from Los Arcos to Logrono, wandering through vineyards and fields of golden wheat, visiting medieval villages and (not) sampling the wine of la Rioja. I actually walked 20.54 miles for reasons you will find below.  According to my Apple watch, I covered 2 more miles than the Strava app recorded, so I’m going with Apple today.  According to my tracker, I am 20% done.


I was thinking that today’s views were not as exciting as some other days on my pilgrimage to date. I then had to give my head a shake and admit that I have become spoiled with the beauty that I get to see everyday in my neighborhood -- the views of Lake Washington from the Kirkland cross corridor trail; the panoramic views of Lake Washington from the wonderful trail that Seattle added to the 520 floating bridge when they rebuilt it two years ago.

From the bridge I captured a sampling of waterfront residences, a sole boater pulling a surfer dude, and the beautiful waterfront arboretum at the University of Washington where kayaks and  canoes meander most days while huge blue herons squawk and spread their enormous wings to fly. As you can see below, today I saw the Huskies football stadium from a different vantage point than yesterday.

When I got to the campus, my focus became (once again) finding facilities.  I started to notice that everyone was wearing masks (good) and that not one building was opened (good for pandemic, bad for my bladder).  I started (a bit desperately) asking kind strangers if they knew of an open public restroom. Nope, nope, and nope.

When real desperation set in, I entered the emergency door of the University of Washington Medical Center (ok, it WAS an emergency) and was not unsurprisingly told that they are on full lock down and only patients are allowed. I thanked them for doing the right thing but my bladder was not thanking anyone.  I next googled the closest Starbucks. Oh phew, only .7 miles away. Off I went, ordered my iced latte in advance and was told when I picked it up: “Oh sorry, our restrooms are closed.” ðŸ˜Ÿ

Then I remembered a construction site that had a porta potty that I would pass on the way back to the bridge and headed there posthaste.   As I was almost there, a policeman came towards me and started telling me no.  I pleaded with him to let me use the porta potty and he smiled and said, no problem, I just didn’t want you to walk into the construction zone.  I know, way too much information on this part of the day but I know that will be a reality I have to contend with on the real Camino.

All my extra wandering around wracked up more miles than I intended, and I was tired as I headed back over the bridge - 6.5 miles to home.  I succumbed to listening to some YouTube to take my mind off my sore feet and legs.

Day seven made me grateful for the beauty all around me that I am in danger of taking for granted.  

See you on Day 8.  ¡Buen Camino!






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