Today was a day. It was challenging. It was beautiful. It was rewarding. Mother Nature acted in our favor – it was absolutely the perfect weather for the 15+ miles we walked. My Fitbit says I’m closer to 18 miles….it’s usually a mile or so over the actual distance though. Either way, my feet know they got a work out. 
I walked all day with Eva from Germany. She was on my shuttle from the airport and one of my roommates in St. Jean. We were both anxious to get going so left at 6:45am. On the walk, we met people from all over Europe and the United States. We powered through the day and arrived at Roncesvalles around 2:30pm.

We walked through sheep and horse fields. Even saw a few new baby horses! 

The albergue I’m in is definitely not as “family” style as the one last night but it has everything I need. Here is my “house”for tonight…

I paid the 3.50 euro to have my clothes washed and dried for me – worth every penny! Dinner is at 7 and then there’s a pilgrim’s mass after. We will see if can stay awake that! 

I’m sitting outside my albergue using wifi from the pilgrim’s office. Today has been a great day of easy travel and beautiful sights. This town is about as charming as it gets and makes for the perfect jumping off point for the Camino. It has everything you need – not that I didn’t overpack already. 

My albergue came highly recommended and I can see why. I don’t have to sleep in bunk bed tonight! I’m sharing my room with two other pilgrims that I met at the airport. We were picked up by the same shuttle service and by chance we all ended up at the same albergue. 

I walked around the town exploring, found a geocache and tried a local Basque beer. 

I also checked in at the pigrim’s office and got my credential stamped. I’ll be getting this stamped at most of the places I stop along the way. Luckily I got to the office before the line formed. Our shuttle driver said about 500-600 pigrim’s leave from St. Jean a day. No matter where you walk in this town, you see pilgrims – all ages, from all over the world. 

Tomorrow will be one of the hardest days, with almost 4,000 feet elevation gain and 15 miles. It’s forecast to rain. At least I’m prepared for rain. Though the countryside is so beautiful that I’d like to enjoy the views! 

Tomorrow this is the bridge I’ll cross to start my journey…

I made it to Paris…though I spent about 4 hours waiting in painfully long lines and traffic between the time I left the plane and finally reaching downtown. But with the limited time I had, I made the most of it. And I got my last 13 mile training walk logged in the process! 

I’ll definitely need to return to Paris someday for a proper visit but loved everything I saw. 

Tomorrow I take off for Biarritz. Then a shuttle service will take me to St. Jean. Wednesday, I start walking. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. 

If my life were a Dr. Seuss book, it would be “Oh The Places You’ll Go.” I’m always looking for that next adventure. Today is the start of that next adventure. My friend is picking me up to take me to the airport soon and then it’s off to Paris!

I’m so incredibly thankful for all the people who have encouraged me and cheered me on along the way. So many have been or are playing a role in this adventure, whether it’s feeding my fish, covering my work or just following my blog. This is not my journey – it’s our journey. I’m just the one walking it.

For now I leave you with an excerpt (with one minor edit) from one of the most inspirational books of my life.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself 
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the gal who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, 
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

-Dr. Seuss

I officially have all of the stuff. The clothes, toiletries and other gear below will be my only possessions for six weeks starting Sunday. While it’s probably actually more than I’ll need, these are the items I feel like I have to have to be prepared for my trip.

A few of the items are extra special to me. I nearly started crying the moment when I saw my backpack on the hanging on the wall in the Arcteryx outlet a few months ago. Not only was the pack a smaller version of my favorite backpacking pack that I took up Mt. Rainier, but the name on the pack is Kea. This is the same name, same spelling, as one of my family’s beloved border collies. Last Fall I had probably the worst experience of my life – an experience that still haunts me today. Going for a typical ATV ride through the family woods in Idaho, just as I do every time I go home, our three dogs followed me running through the woods just as they always do. Before I knew it, I was watching our neighbor dogs viciously attack my “Little Miss” aka Kea on our property. Though we tried to get her help, her wounds were too deep and my parents and I could only watch her suffer and pass away. They say the Camino takes care of you. I know on this trip, my Kea will be taking care of me.

I also have the scallop shell that my friend and coworker Jenn brought back from her own Camino last year. The knowledge of her experience she’s shared with me has helped me to be better prepared and that much much excited for my journey.

While I was home this past weekend, my mom packed up some ginger leaves and a photo of my “puppies” for me to take along. I also picked up a rock from Idaho to leave at Cruz de Ferro. My friend Melinda sent me a wonderful Pilgrim’s journal so I can write down thoughts along the way.

Now for the list:

• Arcteryx 37 liter backpack
• Backpack rain cover
• Brooks Ghost 8 trail runner shoes – goretex
• Flip flops
• Black Diamond trekking poles
• Camelbak water bottle
• Platypus foldable water bottle
• Cocoon sleeping bag liner
• Expander sleeping bag liner
• Lightweight blow up pillow
• REI rain jacket
• Quick dry hoodie
• Fleece vest
• 2 pairs of exercise pants
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 skirt
• 3 pairs of Darn Tough wool socks
• 1 pair of liner socks
• 2 quick dry shirts
• 1 quick dry long sleeve shirt
• 1 tank top
• Ball cap
• Lightweight poncho
• 3-4 pairs of undies
• Backpacking towel
• Toiletries including mini shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
• Fingernail clippers
• First aid kit including band-aids, moleskin and compeed
• Advil, Advil PM, Vitamins
• Mini toilet paper roll
• Two needles with thread
• Two safety pins
• Extra chapstick
• Mini sunscreen
• Headlamp
• IPhone
• Fitbit
• Battery charger for iPhone
• Charging cables for iPhone, Fitbit and battery charger
• International plug-ins
• Camino guidebook
• Pilgrim’s Journal
• Dry bag for valuables in the shower
• Carabiners to hang things from backpack
• Lightweight purse with passport, cards and euros
• Mini roll of duct tape
• Clothes pins for drying clothes
• Two packages of Jelly Belly Sport Beans
• Scallop shell

I’m guessing some of these items may go before I leave and others will get ditched along the way. But the nice thing is my backpack didn’t feel unbearable when I tried it on with everything in it. However, I’m sure on day one when I’m walking the 24km with 3900+ elevation gain, I may feel like my pack is a dead weight. 🙂

 

It’s crazy to think I’m only a week and a half away from leaving on my big adventure. I’m stressed – not about starting the Camino, but about preparing everything for being gone. Training coworkers to cover for me, making sure all the bills are paid, getting mail stopped, etc. I know everything will come together, but I can’t help but stress about it anyway. 🙂

What I’m not stressed about is being prepared for the walk. I’ve been training with long urban walks (10+ miles), hiking every weekend including a 13 mile hike with friends this past weekend. My body feels ready. I’m guessing this based on the fact that I can feel great while walking 25 miles in a weekend and still get out of bed on Monday. 🙂

I also feel prepared gear wise. I’ll add my packing list in another post, but I feel like I have the things I need for five weeks of walking – and they all fit in one 37 liter backpack. In fact, I’m actually trying to take things out of that pack now to keep the overall weight down.

Probably the best part of my preparation is all the support I’ve received from family and friends. It’s hard not to be excited about a big journey when people all around are cheering you on, sharing good resources or simply excited to hear about your upcoming adventure.

I know I will endure pain on my walk. I know I will get annoyed by having to listen to other people snore in the alburgues. I know I will have moments where I wonder why I’m there. But as one friend told me recently “Amazing thing to do that relatively few amongst humanity get to do….savor every minute of it.” And that I will.

Yo hablo solo un poco de español. The major part of my preparations for the Camino de Santiago have been physical training and acquiring gear. But to help make the journey even better, I’ve been trying to learn at least a little Spanish. Occasionally using the DuoLingo app is helpful…that is, if you remember to use it regularly. I’ll be downloading a ‘Spanish on tape’ book to take with me while I walk. I’ll have plenty of time, so why not try learn something new along the way? 🙂

A few months ago I saw that one of the local American Pilgrims was offering to teach a Spanish class. He is a retired Spanish teacher with Camino experience and the class would be geared toward words and phrases that would be helpful when walking.

It’s a six week course and is based off the material in the book Camino Lingo. As they speak Castilian along The Way, we’re getting used to pronouncing words with a TH sound. Each week, a handful of us sit around our instructor’s table working on the next chapter from the book. We take a break for refreshments and talk of our upcoming treks. Last night even included a homemade Tarte de Santiago. Very tasty!

At the end of each class, we sing songs commonly sung in Alburgues along the Camino. While my Spanish is still very limited, these classes have been a great experience and a big help in my preparations.

This is my first test post out in the “field.” I got the WordPress app for my phone and needed to test it out. So where better than from the top of a mountain!

I took the Cable Line hike up Tiger Mountain. This hike got all too familiar with back when I was training to climb Mt. Rainier. It’s a great training hike because it’s close to Seattle and provides just over 2000 feet elevation gain in just 3 miles round trip. Let’s just say, that’s pretty steep!

I’m hoping to get at least a few more hikes in along with several long urban walks before I leave for the Camino. Can’t believe it’s just over a month away now!

Well, time to head back down the mountain!

There are a lot of things I’ve done or am doing to get ready for my Camino walk. Though I know no how much I prepare, there will be things that come up that I haven’t thought of along the way. There will be aches and pains I never thought possible. There will be bad weather and hopefully even more good.

Learning

I spent the last few years learning everything I could about the Camino. Sure, I heard about it and knew I wanted to do it “someday.” But when the realization that I didn’t have to wait until I retired came, I had to get more serious. What would it take to do something like this? How many days should the French route take me? How much do I need to save for it? What kind of training should I do?

Resources

There are countless online sources for the Camino. Informational websites, forums, maps, etc. Many people have written books on the Camino – from personal experience stories to day by day guides. The local American Pilgrims group has a website, hosts regular walks with experienced pilgrims and those planning for their pilgrimage. They also host annual talks at the local REI where various speakers give you the quick how-to on planning your journey. Since my friend/coworker Jenn and I both wanted to walk the Camino, we attended these REI talks and a couple walks with the Pilgrims group. Add the fact that Jenn completed the Camino last year and other friends had their own experiences walking, I’ve had access to some very helpful information.

Booking Travel

Because I’m addicted to the Alaska Airlines mileage program, I do whatever I can to acquire miles. Mostly I travel to acquire more miles to earn “free” travel. So that trip to Hawaii and that trip to Nashville last Fall helped put my accrued miles over the edge of getting a “free” trip. So it wasn’t exactly free, but when it came time to book my flights for this trip, I used about 60k miles and $200 dollars. Flying into Paris and out of London – which means I get to visit two major cities I’ve always wanted to visit!

Then I had to figure out a plan to get from Paris to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. So a flight was booked from Paris to Biarritz. Then I get to take a bus to Bayonne. Then a train to somewhere else and then a bus to St-Jean. I think. 🙂 Still working on the final plans.

I have yet to figure out how I’m getting from Santiago to London. Since I don’t know what day I’m finishing the Camino, I can’t make firm plans just yet. If I get done quickly, I might want to visit Portugal after. If I don’t, I might need to head straight to London. I guess I’ll figure this out on the way.

My Lists

A couple months ago I started a list of the things I need or think I’ll need for the Camino. These are the things I’ll be wearing or carrying in my backpack. I’ve slowly been acquiring these items over the last several months. A backpack, sleeping bag, poncho, new shoes, etc. More recently, I’ve started a list of the things I need to organize before I go. Bills still have to get paid, my plant still needs water and my fish still needs food. So I’ve been making plans for my Seattle logistics while I’m away.

Training

Walking, then walking some more. I’ve been doing a lot of walking and trying to get hikes in whenever I can. I’ll be stepping this up even more than I already have over the next month. Carrying more and more weight in my pack as I go. I walked 22 miles over the weekend and am still feeling good today, so hopefully I’m on the right track.

 

The dates are set. Flights are booked. Most of the gear has been purchased. Now it’s time to start walking to train for…walking. At the end of May I’ll start a journey that will fill in a major checkbox on my bucket list. Ever since I first heard about El Camino de Santiago, I’ve wanted to walk it. I’ve often thought the best way to see the world is on foot. So this pilgrimage is a perfect fit for me.

I have a job that I love and with that job I’ve been given some amazing benefits. One includes a 4 week sabbatical. The moment this was announced to the company, I knew the Camino de Santiago was one of my top options for my first sabbatical. I’ll be adding an additional two weeks on to that sabbatical for my journey. This will be the longest “vacation” I’ve had since summer breaks in college. Though I love my job, it will be nice to step away and clear my head for a bit.

El Camino de Santiago

Also known as The Way of St. James, the Camino is a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. There’s an extensive trail system all over Europe that leads to Santiago. You can walk for as little as a week, or for several months depending on where you start from.

I will be walking the Camino Frances (The French Way). This is the most popular route. I will start in St-Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees mountains and walk the 790 km (490 miles) to Santiago. You may know about this popular route through the Martin Sheen movie The Way.

I’ll begin walking on May 25th and will need to find my way from Spain to London by July 1st. So that gives me up to 37 days to walk the 790 km. Many people average the walk in 30-35 days by walking about 15 miles a day. So that will be my goal.

I’m a pretty active person, averaging about 5+ miles of walking a day, going for runs, playing soccer or kickball, swimming, hiking, etc. But this will surely be a new challenge for my body. I’ll be carrying everything I need for the journey in my backpack.

I’ll be in a country where I don’t really speak the language and sharing sleeping quarters with people from all over the world and likely wearing basically the same clothes for 30+ days straight. It will be an adventure of a lifetime!

I’m hoping to be able to use this blog to share my journey. So welcome to my adventure!