"... throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:30
On numerous occasions, Jesus followed a parable about the Kingdom of God with a comparison of what the alternative looks like. As we departed Leòn, I couldn’t help but think of “outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth”. The city of Leòn is so majestic, yet the stage just outside of the city limits quickly felt like we were walking along the shoulder of the 405. Cars literally sped past us @ 100+ km. per hr. and trash was strewn all about.
It is no wonder one of the Camino guidebooks I read describes this part of the stage as follows: “This route is only recommended for pronounced masochists, hardcore car enthusiasts, and people who want to purge themselves of especially severe sins, which is why due to time constraints, it is just briefly described.”
Not only that, but a rather large thunderstorm was bearing down on us. One would have been challenged to find a more inhospitable start to a pilgrimage.
Fortunately, the path drifted away from the speeding cars and the thunderstorm broke apart and headed to the South.
Four hours later, we were crossing the bridge of Hospital de Obrigo, no worse for the wear and happy to have logged our first day.