Arrival in Santiago de Compostela

Entering Santiago with Carla as Karen and Pam drink wine and wait

Long awaited destination

Camino buddies extraordinaire! We did it Pam!

Pam and I started our pilgrimage on September 3, 2016 in St. Jean Pied de Port, France. Our packs weighed 15-18 pounds and contained everything we needed for our 35 day walk from southern France to the capital of the Galicia region, Santiago de Compostela, in northwestern Spain.  We strolled, struggled, and laughed our way through beautiful countryside and busy cities via the 1,000+ year old pilgrimage route of Camino de Santiago.  I’ve been home for eight months and I think about our journey every day.

Before our arrival in Santiago I was emotional because I had conflicting feelings.  I knew it was a huge accomplishment but at the same time I was aware of how sad I would be knowing our wonderful journey was over.  On October 7, 2016 our amazing walk was complete.

Resting after receiving our Compostela

Waiting in line at the Pilgrim’s office with Karen, Carla, and Pam

It’s hard to stand still when we’re used to walking

Pam in front of the catheral

A gorgeous day

Pam receiving her Compostela

The Compostela is our certificate of completion

College besties/peregrinas on The Way

Santiago is a beautiful city.  We were there for three nights so we had time to celebrate with friends as they entered the square in front of the cathedral, share festive meals in tapas bars and outdoor cafes, and buy a couple of new pieces of clothing to supplement our pilgrim attire.

We attended the pilgrim’s mass and were able to see the dramatic swinging of the huge incense burner, the botafumeiro.  Try to imagine a huge pipe organ playing as sweet-smelling incense fills the cathedral.  This moving experience was the true culmination of our pilgrimage.

A rooftop tour of the cathedral offered amazing views of the city and new friends to help Pam with the vertigo she experienced. I loved this tour but I’m not sure my walking buddy would agree.  I have to thank Pam for supporting and putting up with me and for her contribution of many lovely photos for our blog.  I miss you PamAla!

Hollie with Johnny, the owner of Malak which is a wonderful vegetarian/vegan restaurant

Judy on the rooftop tour

Pilgrim House

Hollie walked in to Santiago a day later so we were there to greet her with open arms

Judy and Pam on the rooftop tour of the cathedral

One more pic in front of the cathedral

Another celebration dinner

Tapas

This Camino thing could become an addiction.

Camino Cast of Characters

Tunnel near the wine fountain with Pam, Susan from Colorado, Tim from Australia, and a fellow from Tasmania.

The people.  I’m often asked why I loved the Camino so much and my answer is always the same, “The people”.  We met pilgrims from 45 countries on our 35 day trek.  The main languages spoken were English, Spanish, and of course when all else failed, sign language.  When someone would come up beside us on the trail we’d greet them with “Hola, buenas dias”.  After a smile we’d decide if we were going to engage in a conversation or say, “Buen Camino” and be on our way.  There were a few things to think about if we decided to chat such as whether or not the person even spoke our language (English for me, Spanish AND English for Pam), if we were in the mood for conversation or a quiet, reflective walk, and if our paces seemed compatible.  Those encounters on the trail led to brief interactions and friendships that lasted for days and maybe even lifetimes. Even now, eight months post-Camino, I think of my adventure and the friends I made EVERY SINGLE DAY!

 

Jacque gave me the first stamp in my Pilgrim’s Passport in St.Jean Pied de Port, France.

Joseph and Elizabeth at Beilari in St. Jean Pied de Port

Peregrinas out on the town in Pamplona.  Pictured:  Hollie (Maine) Susan (Colorado) a fun group from Seattle

At Orisson Refuge after our first day walking in the Pyrenees.  We were grateful for a communal dinner and bed at this beautiful spot in the Pyrenees.  I’m with the Linda (and her Oregon 5) and  Susan in this shot.

The beginning of beautiful friendships.

Time for a cafe con leche and ice cream on a 95 degree day.

A kind man escorted us to a wonderful pinchos bar in Viana during a busy festival.

Family dinner at Beilari in St. Jean Pied de Port, France.  We shared our intention for walking the Camino and introduced ourselves to people that would soon become friends.

This kind woman escorted us for several blocks to the market in Santo Domingo.

Cruz de Ferro

Marjolein (the Netherlands) taking a break in Galicia

Santiago de Compestela Cathedral

We made it to our destination after 35 days of walking

With Pam and Denis in Barcelona.

La Sagrada Familia Cathedral tour in Barcelona the day before we flew home

Pam and Anna having a Pilgrim’s Menu lunch in Viana on our rest day

Bill and Katie

Paula from Texas took this pic on one of our fun days hiking together

Pam, Judy, and Tracey from Australia having pinchos in Pamplona

Our last full day of celebration in Santiago.  Pictured is a Danish woman, me, Trish (Australia), Eamon (Ireland), HP (the Netherlands), Pam, Maureen (Australia)

Leaving a rock at Cruz de Ferro symbolizes dropping a burden that no longer serves a purpose in your life.

 

Tim (Australia) and Richard (Germany) at our celebration dinner at Malak in Santiago.

Hollie, Judy, and Aurora feeling jubilant!

Seamus, Pam, and Colleen made a pact

Pam had some help with her vertigo on our rooftop tour of the cathedral in Santiago.

Our Italian cooking buddies

In Santiago with Pam and Katie (England/Barcelona)

Greeting Hollie when she walked into Santiago one day after we did

One of our last days hiking in Galicia with Bill (Los Angeles), Katie (Barcelona), Carla and Karen (Vancouver) and Pam

Pam and I having dinner with Kitty (U.S.) in O’Ceibrero

Pam and I with Martina (Germany)

Pam, Jochen (Germany), and me at Burgos Cathedral

Fun in the sun with Pam and Sole (Spain/Austin)

A nice, long lunch with Pam, Tim, Maria, and Susan

Maria (Florida) at the famous wine fountain

It felt like we were back in the dorms staying at Casa Ibarrola in Pamplona.

Pam, Tracey, Hollie touring Pamplona

Liam and Anton from Belfast

A toast to our pilgrimage the night before we begin in southern France

Chonee (Spain) and Pam having lunch in Madrid.  They walked the Camino together in 2004.

New and old friends

Nick from L.A. via Boston

Latham from Israel

Sole from Texas via Spain

Tunnel near the wine fountain with Pam, Susan from Colorado, Tim from Australia, and a fellow from Tasmania.

Judy, struggling  up a steep hill on a very hot (95ish) day.

Hollie, Colleen, Pam

Judy and Melinda (South Africa)

Pam with Bruno from Belgium via Rwanda. He started walking at his home in Belgium two months before we met him in Spain.

Susanne (Denmark) and Judy

Lucas (Poland) and Pam

Second Breakfast

Ietje and friends taking a break

Pam and a Brazilian Pilgrim

Craig and Jacquie (from Scotland/Australia) and more Beilari friends

Waymarkers

 

Hola amigos!  We’ve been home from our Camino for almost two weeks and I’m finally getting back to working on our blog.  I had good intentions of regular blog updates but then our rigorous Camino schedule of walk, eat, sleep, repeat got the better of me.  I have additions and revisions to make because I took over 2,500 photos and I have to do something with them don’t I?

On the morning of my departure I walked out of the front door only to see an arrow glowing in the predawn moonlight.  After blinking back tears at the miracle I thought had occurred, I took a closer look and realized it had been drawn in yellow chalk.  I knew right away that it was the handiwork of my dear friends as a sweet goodbye.

On our pilgrimage we averaged 24 kilometers (15 miles) a day and didn’t get lost once because of frequent Waymarkers on the Camino Frances.  Last week I took a stroll on our neighborhood trail and ended up making a wrong turn and walked a mile out of my way.  I guess I was Camino dreamin’ and can no longer to make my way around without yellow arrows or scallop shells to point me in the right direction!

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve Passed The Halfway Mark

The photos taken above were at the official halfway point of the Camino de Santiago (aka Way of St. James, El Camino, or The Way) just before Sahagun.  Our feet have carried us over 250 miles or 400+kilometers already! We recently learned, interestingly enough, that we are not always walking on the original pilgrimage route.  When property is bought and sold or if villages expand, “The Way” is repositioned.  We’re pretty sure that many times we are led directly through the city and village streets to direct the flow of commerce like after an attraction at Disneyland guides you through the gift shop as you exit.  We’re grateful though because we are almost always ready for a snack, wifi, cafe con leche, bathroom, or just a chair to sit on so we can remove our boots and socks to air out our feet. The locals LOVE the pilgrims and are gracious and welcoming.  In Pamploma when we stepped off the path a HALF A BLOCK to buy fruit, four locals waved and tried to point us in the right direction!

Wifi is not always that great so I thought I’d take advantage of a quiet Sunday rest day in Leon to add some photos of some of the landscapes we’ve tromped through so far in no particular order.  This is an incredible journey for Pam and me and we’re grateful our bodies are allowing us to see this beautiful country along The Way of Saint James.

Amazing sky in between Santo Domingo and Belorado. Weather was brewing….

Days 12 and 13 Camino de Santiago

Pilgrims come to Spain to walk The Way of Saint James for every imaginable reason.

Amazing sky in between Santo Domingo and Belorado. Weather was brewing….

Church in Santo Domingo

Bethany in a fantastic municipal albergue in Santo Domingo.

They serve wine like water with the Pilgrim menus along The Way.

Nick in the hills before Santo Domingo.

An awesome and much needed rest stop.

As always, follow the arrows.

We walked through vineyards for days in the Navarra and Rioja provinces.

Najera

Way markers

We begin our walks between 6:30 and 7:45 each morning. On day 12 we caught this pretty sunrise.

I love the doors and windows. It’s fun to picture people living in these villages a thousand years ago.

Joyous friends traveling the Camino together.

Holy Mother of God Are You Walking the Camino de Santiago?

• 

When we flew into Madrid we told a shopkeeper about our Camino plans and this blog title was his reaction.  We’ve had trouble getting strong wifi so I haven’t been able to work on the blog as expected.

We have about a month left to walk and I fluctuate between being thrilled and flabbergasted.  This pilgrimage is physically and emotionally demanding plus it’s SO much FUN!  Today’s walk was our longest so far, 16.5 miles from Navarette to Najera by way of Logrona.  Our favorite part so far is the people!  We were fortunate to trudge into the village of Viana during their five day Festival of the Virgin.  It was an honor to share in the celebration so we ended up staying for two nights.

I will post a few pictures so you can see where we’ve been and try to find better access to wifi so I can keep posting.

 

Training for the Camino In My Outdoor Playground

Hiking on the PCT- Donner Lake, California 40 minutes from Reno

Training for this Camino has allowed me to get out and explore the beautiful area I live in even more than usual.  I live in the high desert of Reno, Nevada in the middle of an amazing outdoor playground!  After college in Michigan I moved out west to be close to ski resorts and my family in California.  Now that I’m not a full-time elementary school teacher anymore I have a flexible schedule and more time to explore.

Next Saturday I will start the walk up the Pyrenees Mountains in southwestern France in the village of St. Jean Pied de Port.  Luckily, the summit I will be climbing is approximately the same elevation as my neighborhood in Reno.  Granted, it’s going to be a steep climb but I hope since I’ve been training at elevation (and above) my cardio strength will be there.

In addition to hiking, I’ve cross-trained by going to my local Jazzercise studio.  Dancing my way to become strong for the Camino has been the highlight of my training.  I feel like the core strength and flexibility I’ve gained will help me carry my eighteen pound pack for hours a day for almost six weeks.

I would like to thank my family, friends, and Jazzercise instructors for helping me prepare for this trip.  Here are a few pictures from my training hikes this past year:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and “The Road to Hana”

Hunter Creek Trail to the waterfall in Reno

Cross Peak above Reno with my boys

 Yosemite National Park

Chico, California

San Francisco

Our Neighborhood, Steamboat Ditch Trail, and Downtown Reno

Lake Tahoe

Mt. Rose (Elevation 10, 776 ft) and Jones-Whites Creek in Reno

Donner Trail Tunnels

So in less than 24 hours I’m going to click my heels and be off to Madrid.  I’m feeling beyond blessed and fortunate right now.  It just hit me a couple of days ago that being away from my husband and boys for a month and a half may be difficult.  My parents have a new tablet so they can follow this blog and we can stay in touch via Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp when we have wifi (pronounced weefee in Spain).  I’ve chosen not to pay AT&T the big bucks for an international plan.  If we REALLY need a phone, my walking buddy Pam will have one that is activated.

I will update this blog as often as I can because I want to share with you as well as have a journal to look back on for myself.  There will be times I won’t have wifi or when I’m too busy recovering from the day or living in the moment to post updates.  If you click the little blue “Follow” button and enter your email address you will get an email notification when I make a post and it is FREE.

I hope you enjoy reading!  Hasta luego.

This Ain’t No Ordinary Vaca

As I train for the Camino de Santiago in my neighborhood in Reno I have found myself comparing my pilgrimage in Spain to Burning Man right here close to home.  Burning Man is an annual event that takes place about 100 miles north of Reno in the Black Rock Desert. It is a week long arts festival filled with theme camps, art vehicles, and a barter system economy.  It culminates in the burning of a 70 foot tall wooden man.  This year it begins on August 28th.  You can read more about the event at http://burningman.org/.

I’ve never been to Burning Man but I’ve heard so much about it just because of our proximity to “The Playa”.  As I watch my neighbors pack and prep their vehicles and see my Facebook friends post about their preparations and excitement I’ve come to this conclusion:

Camino de Santiago and Burning Man:  A Comparison

• The sense of community is the highlight of the trip.  In Spain we have our “camino families” and in the Black Rock Desert it’s all about the Theme Camps.
• People from all over the world travel to participate in the Camino and Burning Man.
• The preparation is similar because on the Camino we have to wear everything we need on our backs.  On the playa, attendees are quite a distance from stores where they can purchase necessities so they too have to mindfully shop and plan ahead of time.
• There are spiritual components to the Camino de Santiago and Burning Man if that is what you are looking for.
• Many people return and describe the experience they had as life changing.

Someday I’ll make it to Burning Man, it’s right here in my backyard.  For now though, I’m counting down the days until I embark on my first Camino.  Only six more days…….

Peace and Love

 

***Edited Camino Packing List

See the packing list below for the post-Camino version.  For my next Camino I’d like my pack to be at least three or four pounds lighter than the eighteen and a half pounds (with water and snacks) that I carried in 2016.

Planning, details, obsessing, more details.  Do you mind if I tell you about all of the detailed planning, and obsessing that have gone into prepping for this pilgrimage?

Since the beginning of the year I’ve been hiking, shopping, and reading about the Camino.  There is SO much information out there to help prepare for this trek that people have been making for over 1300 years.  I’m sure it was simpler before the internet age because pilgrims just had to throw what they thought they’d need for a six week trip in a backpack and go! For my trip, REI, Sierra Trading Post, Amazon Prime, APOC (American Pilgrims On the Camino), and Camigas (Amigas on the  Camino) have been my best friends.  All of these places have been wonderful resources to learn and obtain what I will need.  In fact I probably have MORE than I need because I leave in seven days and my pack weight is still at nineteen pounds, water and snacks included.  My goal was fifteen but I can tell you right now, that’s not going to happen. If you take a look at my list and have input please contact me very soon.

Drum roll please……here is my Camino Packing List **edited post-Camino:

Gear:

Gregory Jade 38Liter Backpack (almost 3 pounds)

Cascade Trekking Poles HIKING POLES ARE A MUST

Small Jansport waist pack for Euros/passport/debit&credit card

String daypack for evening and valuables

Keen Trail Runners, Croc Lightweight Sandals, **Chaco Hiking Sandals  I loved these sandals but they weigh  TWO pounds.  Now that I know my Keen Trail runners work perfectly I can afford to leave Chacos at home.

---

Clothing for a early September to mid-October Camino:

2  Sleeveless Tops-quick dry or merino wool

**1 short sleeve Smartwool Top (merino wool doesn’t smell and dries quickly)

1 lightweight cotton long sleeved shirt for sun protection

1 North Face ultra lightweight windbreaker

1 Frogg Toggs rain jacket ultra lightweight

2 only 1 hiking skirts

1 Sleeveless or merino or cotton dress for sleeping/hiking/dress-up

2 only 1 leggings, capri and OR long Icebreaker merino wool

1 boy short for under skirt

Sarong for multiple uses: post shower wrap, towel, hang between lower bunk beds for privacy, picnic blanket, scarf, extra layer for warmth

2  only 1 small, lightweight scarves and Buff

2 bras, 2 Exofficio quick-drying underwear

2 pair merino socks, Darn Tough/Smartwool 2 Injinji toe socks to wear with sandals

Sun Hat

Sun gloves by Outdoor Research to use with poles

Toiletries:

Lush soap bar for shampoo and laundry(thanks Pam)/conditioner

Japanese washcloth (thanks Ann)/Arctic Cool Towel(thanks Rebecca)

Toothpaste/brush/floss

Burt’s Bees Colored Lip Gloss

Razor, Q-Tips, Hair Ties

6 Rust-Free Brass Pins for laundry -bring extra, they disappear easily

Tiny Blister Prevention Kit-Body Glide, Vaseline, Paper Tape, Tiny Scissors/Clippers, Small Alcohol and Antibiotic Lotion Packs (see picture below)

Technology:

iPhone 5 with Portable Charger Block, cords, and headphones

Small flashlight

Miscellaneous:

Smart Tube for lightweight water bottles-bring bottles from home OR buy and reuse large Seltzer bottles in St. Jean Pied de Port

1.75 lb. homemade down sleeping quilt ***Possibly just a silk liner

Whistle and small caribiners

K T Kinesiology Tape for a recent knee injury

Sturdy Sunglasses/Croakies/Reading/Distance Glasses

Phone Lasso/Coil

Duct Tape wrapped around poles

Extra ziplock baggies

Tiny notepad for journal

Nuts/protein bar/Spork and empty water bottles to refill along the way

Spiceologist spices in small baggies to share

Copies of important documents on phone and hard copy

Pilgrim’s Passport from American Pilgrims On the Camino **or get one in SJPdP

 

This Is Really Happening Isn’t It?

Now that our flight to Madrid where we will begin our pilgrimage is exactly a month away,  a tad bit of nervousness is setting in all of a sudden.  I’ve been training, shopping, and doing trial packing runs with my awesome Gregory Jade 38L pack.  My goal pack weight is 13-14 lbs. before water and snacks and I tell you, it’s not easy to achieve. Then I have my “mom” jobs of back-to-school shopping for shoes and supplies, making haircut appointments, and quizzing my youngest for his driving permit. I feel like I’m nesting just like I did before my babies were born.

Training with my pack on the Steamboat Ditch Trail in our neighborhood.

When Pam and I starting planning this adventure in January I felt excited and fortunate to have the gift of time and a supportive family.  I still feel that way but now my thoughts lean more toward wondering how much I’ll miss them and if my body can really walk an average of fourteen miles a day for almost forty days.

I’m not sure why the tug to take this ancient path with an international community in France and Spain is so strong but for now, this is my best explanation: