I started off early today, at 7:45. Yes, that was early because it was still a little dim outside. It's a bit foggy on my way out of the town but I thought the weather was perfect. About 12 kilometers away from Carrion, I met a farmer who seemed to be having a problem with his truck. He asked me how far the nearest town was, at least that's how I understood him. But I couldn't help much. I could only say that I was 12 kilometers away from Carrion at that point. A car appeared nearby and the man ran after it, trying to catch the driver's attention. I could have helped go after the car but it was going uphill on a road in a private property. Based on my expertise, that's one of those things I could not do-- pedal up a rocky hill.
So I peacefully went on my way. An hour later, it's the strong wind again. This will be the longest segment of my journey, 110 kilometers. With the strong wind, I was worried if I'd reach Leon on time. By that I mean it's not dark yet. So I decided to take the asphalt road to be sure. I kept pedaling the whole day. It was a fair, sunny day but really windy. It was already past 4 in the afternoon and I was still far from reaching Leon. My perseverance was again tested. I thought I would give in and cut my trip.
From the rocky walk path to the peaceful asphalt road to the busy highway, after 10 hours of exhausting cycling, I finally arrived in Leon just as it was about to get dark. The hotel I chose was great. It was not a five star hotel but its historical ambiance made me think it was classy. It was also a few steps to the cathedral. The problem was, my ankle was hurting so bad that I couldn't walk up. It's a little embarrassing to use the what seemed to be like a manually operated elevator because my room was only above the lobby. Putting on my okay face and smile, I took the stairs so slowly that I imagined my self getting old and having knee arthritis. Maybe that's how it would feel.
I took my time, making one small step up at a time until I reached the door of my assigned room. When I pushed the door open, I was instantly satisfied. My room was great. The window was actually above the main entrance. After changing into a more decent garb, I bought pain reliever tablets from a nearby pharmacy and with my novice medical assessment ability, I decided to take a rest day in this city.
Even with a hurt ankle, I couldn't resist to venture the city. I took a walk around the cathedral that night, ate at a McDonald's and bought some food from the supermarket. It was almost midnight when I got back to the hotel. But the neighborhood was still so alive. Anyway, I massaged my legs and feet before going to bed.
The view from my room was good but the noise was not. Some young people were having fun just outside my hotel room. Maybe I also wanted to savor the city's energy because I had my windows open overnight, letting those vibrant voices fill my room.
I fell asleep, smiling.
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