Day 3: Tres Equis to Atirro (Casa Bambú), Stages 5, 6, and part of 7. 18.9 trail miles plus two bonus miles (21 miles) 3,251 feet gain, 3,505 feet descent (plus more of both with the bonus miles). The first 10 miles of the day were all uphill. At first, gentle, and then we were really climbing all the way up to 4,000 feet. Crazy to think we were just at sea level two days ago! The sunrise was beautiful coming over the mountains. We had quite a bit of road walking on pavement to start the day...

There is a difference between feeling pain and hauling it around with me wherever I go. In my ever persistent practice to shed that which I don’t need to carry (both physcially and emotionally), I strive to leave some heavy emotional weight behind while on El Camino de Costa Rica. I’ve backpacked and lived long enough to know that moving through life minimally, with levity and lightness is always best. This trail can be travelled lightly (literally). This trail will teach me to receive and...

Day 3: 20.2 miles. Marina-ish to Reavis creek Not all miles are created equally. Today kicked my booty! I took my time packing up (over an hour). Bid farewell to Dungadin, and continued on. The rain was on and off all morning. I kept stopping to put my rain jacket on just to then take it off 20 mins later. It was too hot to keep it on if not needed, but too cold to get soaked. I was climbing a super steep and long climb out of the valley, so I was working up a sweat. Hiking in cold rain is a...