In the course of our lives, we will lose many who are precious to us. We have both lost all our parents, and many other dear friends and relatives. Two years ago, we lost Diane’s brother and our friend, Don Baker.

Don Baker loved exercising, conversation, controversy, cycle racing, meeting new people, eating new foods, etc. It seems every step we take along this Camino is another reminder of what Don enjoyed.

Don would faithfully watch the tour de france every day during July. Because of injuries, many of the biggest stars of cycling were unable to complete the tour this year. So, they showed up for Spain Vuelta de Espana.  This year, the Vuelta followed the Camino at pretty much the same time-frame that we were hiking. We saw, or met, several of the big boys of cycling. Don would have gone crazy with this.

The Vuelta is now over, and the world championships of cycling is taking place, you guessed it, right in our path over the next few days! We have met or seen many more cyclists and will see a whole bunch more in these next couple days. Again, Don would love this.

Every day we have conversations with people from many different countries. Don always excelled at starting conversations with new people, then finding entertaining controversies that all could join in.  Hey, he was a pirate after all!

The food: No end of exotic foods for Don to have sampled. And they never use “fat free” here!

And, you have to mention all the religious significance. Don would appreciate the sublime and also find an opportunity to find a controversy or two.

And the hiking through so much varied and beautiful countryside. If Don weren’t in heaven, he would be in heaven on this Camino.

We miss you, Don Baker. Be at peace.