Keys to Success - 2 Pounds of Nutella

If you are truly interested in making the entire Camino journey on foot, without the aid of a bus, taxi, or other motorized vehicle and completing your distance goal, I have a few suggestions based upon both my success and failure to complete the Camino.   The list is in order of importance based upon my experience walking in the summer months with my wife and two teenagers and could change based upon the time of year.

This subject is important to me because on our first Camino, we didn’t have enough time to complete the route from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.  Based upon some advice I received online, I was told to start wherever I felt and I could bus ahead if I didn’t like that part of Spain.  So we proceeded to jump around Spain and in the end, take a taxi into Santiago because of multiple injuries.  We felt like we had cheated and didn’t really accomplish what we had set out to do, even though we had walked more kilometers than most pilgrims.

We couldn’t get this thought out of our mind, and it led us to walking the Camino again, but with the goal of not taking any shortcuts.  We wanted the entire experience, no matter the consequences.  The advice below is based upon our feeling of incompletion and how best to prepare for completing the pilgrimage without any modern assistance.   Although we try not to judge other pilgrims, the standard of walking the entire Camino was our own self evaluation.  There will always be someone who walked farther and faster, but we wanted to walk the distance we set out for, from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compestella.

1.      Pack Light and Right – I cannot stress this enough as the most important key to completing the Camino.  Although I was in good shape going into my first Camino, the wear and tear of excess weight on my back caused a shoulder injury.  I thought that I was tough enough to carry the weight, why not bring the extra gear with me.  My body disagreed and eventually broke down.  Please go back to my blog post about what to bring and what to leave at home.  Your body will break down if you abuse it with too much weight.  Young and old, strong and weak, pack less than you think that you can survive with and make that a challenge.  It is easier to buy something once you are there than lose a day or more waiting for a post office to be open.

2.       Allow yourself enough time – One of the first few questions asked between pilgrims is when does your flight leave?  So often, the answer is sooner than the time allowed by the guidebooks to complete the pilgrimage.  It is the Camino de Santiago meaning that the point is to get to Santiago.  It is a walking or biking pilgrimage, so you should maintain those means during the entire pilgrimage. 

Where your pilgrimage starts is a personal choice based in part by how much time you have available.  The “American” or “English” complete pilgrimage typically starts in St. Jean Pied de Port, France, but for the Spanish, many start in Roncesvalles.  The French jumping point is Le Puy which is an additional 500 km.  Many people start in Leon or other major cities throughout Spain.  

A relatively common approach is to take a bus or train from Burgos to Leon to skip the “boring” meseta.  In my mind, this changes from the journey from a pilgrimage to a long walking trip.  The point of this point and the pilgrimage is to complete it entirely by walking or biking.   If you don’t have the time, start closer to Santiago and don’t skip sections.  This will lead to skipping ahead and taking short cuts.  Pick a starting point, allow for a couple extra days as “Murphy” will walk along with you and cause mishaps and delays.

3.      Walking partner or Solo - Although I don’t have any experience with walking alone, my thoughts are that this is the best way to complete the Camino successfully.   For me, we were a family of four and never split up while on the trail, so we could only walk as fast as the slowest walker.  The slowest walker actually changed throughout the course of the day which hindered our speed more.   We also ended up with 3 sick days between two different people.

      The downside to the solo walk is not having support or pressure from another person to help push you to finish.   That being said, my recommendation to complete the walk is to go at it alone.  People pair up, then separate if their paces differ, then get back together later down the trail.  Traveling solo does not mean that you will be alone.

4.        Listen to your body – Some days you feel great and can’t wait to get out on the trail.  Other days, you just want to roll over and sleep another couple hours and want the other pilgrims to stop making so much noise getting ready at an ungodly hour of the morning.  Toward the end of the day, you may feel like moving well beyond your anticipated town.  If this is the case, go for it and keep walking.  Other days, you can’t imagine how everyone else is making the 30km stage.  Stop short and rest up for the next day.  Pushing yourself too hard, especially early in the pilgrimage is the best way to get and injury or burned out.  The trip will seem unachievable and you will be tempted to give up.

5.        Have a purpose for walking – This pilgrimage is both a physical and spiritual or mental journey.  As Yogi Berra said, “it’s 90% mental and the other half is physical.”  If you have no reason or purpose for making the pilgrimage by foot, you probably won’t succeed.  It doesn’t have to be religious, but there should be a meaning for it.  For us, it was religious, and as my sister told me, I’m sure God isn’t going to punish you with an injury for trying to make this journey which gave me courage to continue on.

6.       Talk to other pilgrims – I always received some form of inspiration by talking with other pilgrims.  Their stories and reason behind walking almost always seemed bigger and more important than mine.  Fellow pilgrims are you support along the trail and what makes the journey interesting.  I met a pilgrim who has walked the Camino every year for the last 20 some years and continues to enjoy it.  Each time is a new experience for him because of the different people that he meets.  Break out of your group and talk to someone new.  Learn about them, their culture and their reason for walking.

7.       2 Pounds of Nutella – The only reason why I was able to get my 16 year old daughter to complete the pilgrimage was Nutella.  She would buy and carry the 1 kilo jar of Nutella with her at all times.  Joy for her is chocolate, which melts in the hot sun of Spain.  Nutella does not melt and was her source of power on the long hot days.  Treat yourself and get the food, drink or whatever you need to nourish your body.  Enjoy the coffee and food of Spain.  Oddly enough, the most read blog post was Finding Burritos in Astorga (http://www.pilgrimoutfitters.com/2015/07/finding-burritos-in-astorga.html) which highlighted my satisfaction in finding my favorite food, burritos.

For those who have successfully walked the Camino, please leave comments about anything that enabled you to complete the entire 500 miles walking.

Packing List for a Successful Camino - 15 pound list

As I have now returned home and people have read the blog, I have realized that there is a lot of information that I simply left out of my writing as I wanted to have the reader live our experience.  Since the blog made the Camino sound like nothing but fun, everyone wants to do it now and are asking me lots of questions, since I'm now the expert after two Caminos.  I'm fairly black and white on packing since my first Camino was left uncompleted in part due to improper and over packing.  Here is my list, in order of importance:

1.  Backpack (35 - 40L)  On my first Camino, I selected the Gregory Baltero 65L which fit my body perfectly in the REI store.  The issue was that it weighed almost 6 pounds empty and was large enough to carry my entire family's equipment.  The old adage of it you have extra space, you will fill it up with stuff, was true on that first Camino.  At the start, my pack was around 30 pounds which wasn't a good fit for a mid 40's out of shape pilgrim.  I foolishly ignored all of the go light/pack light advice that I am now giving.  Less on your back, less pain and suffering, more Camino enjoyment.

The second Camino, I had learned my lesson and purchased another Gregory, but this time 40L that weighed less than 3 pounds and still had plenty of room for all my items and much more.  This time, I wasn't tempted with having the extra space and was content to have a "flat" pack.  The two other brands that seem to dominate the Camino are Osprey and Deuter, both of which have the 40L size and get great reviews.  Make sure that you try the pack on in a store, but you can always purchase them at an online discounter, such as Sierra Trading Post or check the REI Outlet to save on the budget.  Plan on spending around $200 for the right pack.  If it doesn’t come with a waterproof cover, make sure you purchase one.

2.  Sleeping Bag (600g)  Once again, we learned our lesson with our first Camino when we rolled out 3 pound plus sleeping bags while all these Europeans had thin and lightweight bags.  We mailed our bags home and purchased the lightweight bags in Europe.  Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a similar bag in the states and would recommend waiting until getting to Europe to purchase one.  We used 600g (roughly 1.3 pounds) that you can find for around $60 in Europe compared to over $300 for an ultralight bag at a high end specialty shop.

The reason why the sleeping bag is second in the order of importance is because it is the heaviest item in your bag, unless your carry 2 pounds of Nutella like my daughter Marion.

My experience is strictly based upon summer conditions, but given that albergues have heaters, together with a sleeping bag liner, you should be comfortable.  The sleeping bag liner which is a subset of the sleeping bag category is also a necessity.  On really hot nights, I would lay down the sleeping bag and sleep in just the liner.

3.  Footwear - Probably the biggest controversy on the Camino is footwear - running shoes, crosstrainers, trail running shoes, socks with sandals or hiking boots.   Although I looked with jealousy at pilgrims passing me with light weight shoes, when we hit the rocky paths, I was glad to have my Keen boots.  I'm sure that you can get by with a lighter weight shoe, but if you are carrying about 20 pounds, hiking boots are highly recommended.  After walking 500 miles, my feet were in perfect condition, without even a hint of a blister or callus.

My routine for foot care was to apply Vaseline in between my toes and on the bottom of my foot, followed by a liner and then a medium weight wool sock.  Occasionally, my feet (and the rest of my body) felt hot, but that was the extent of my discomfort.  Many pilgrims would take off their shoes and socks during the day, but I never felt the need to do this.  I think footwear is a very personal choice, but if you want to err on the side of caution, go with the hiking boot as it will provide the best protection for your feet.

My selection was the Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking boot from REI.  I selected a full size larger than my normal size to allow for the swelling in my feet and multiple layers of socks.  Also, although waterproof will cause the boot to be heavier and stiffer, I recommend it due to the wet weather in Spain almost all of the year.

Not as important, but still crucial for an enjoyable Camino are the afternoon sandals or shoes.  The sandals are critical as it is highly recommended to shower with sandals and you will want to “air” out your feet in the afternoon.  There is also many opportunities to enjoy rivers at the end of the day that are best with sandals. 

I originally packed a pair of Tevo sandals with a full sole until I realized that they weighed almost two pounds!  It was a mad dash at the last minute to find a light weight pair of sandals, but with enough support for my feet for the walking around town at the end of the day.  I ended up with a pair of Crocs that were incredible light weight, around ½ pound, but with great support.

As for a second pair of shoes, I highly discourage carrying an extra pair.  With the appropriate pair of sandals, it just isn’t necessary.   This packing list is intended for minimal weight so you can enjoy the Camino, and the weight/benefit ratio, doesn’t support a second pair of shoes.

4.  Clothing – Regular Wear – First of all, your entire wardrobe should be ultra light, moister wicking, and quick dry.  Speaking as a man traveling in summer, my entire wardrobe was two button down shirts, one t-shirt, two shorts, one pair of long pants, and three pairs of underwear.  I could have been able to survive with just one pair of shorts and two pairs of underwear, but you never know what might happen.  On cold days, which we had at the higher elevations, I would wear the t-shirt, button down shirt and rain jacket with the long pants and I was comfortable.  We had several mornings in which the temperature dropped into the low 40’s, but your body heats up with the activity.

5.  Outerwear – Being that I am almost completely bald, a hat was a necessity for me and highly recommended by any reputable dermatologist.  I decided to go with the wide brim Tilley hat which after 3 years has proven to be incredibly durable and protective, although greatly lacking in style.   There is no way around it, you look like a tourist, but that is alright as anyone can spot a pilgrim in Spain.  It should be warn as a badge of honor.

In addition to my wide brim hat, I wore a bandana around my neck for further sun protection.  This also looked ridiculous, but prevented any sun exposure.  On really hot days, I would dip the bandana in water to keep cool.  Sunglasses are also a necessity.

Another great debate is poncho or rain jacket and rain pants.  I’d call this a personal preference, but I would go with the rain jacket to eliminate carrying another jacket and using it as an additional layer.  I opted not to take rain pants due to the weight and bulk for relatively little use.  During our Camino, we only had two days of rain and were able to walk in shorts.  If the weather gets really bad, you can find a poncho and buy it in Spain.

6.  Misc. Equipment – Flashlight or headlamp is a necessity in the summer as you will want to start walking prior to daybreak.  My preference is the headlamp so that you can still use walking sticks. 

Walking sticks is another personal preference item that I opted for and came in handy when my tendinitis acted up.  Anit-shock and light weight is the way to go with the sticks.  Make sure that they are comfortable in your hands.

First aid kit should consist of only a needle and lighter.  Any other first aid items can be purchased as needed in Spain.

A 1 liter water bottle is all that you need for drinking.  On long hot days with few water stops between towns, we would purchase additional water bottles.  There is only a couple days where this happens.  A 3 liter bladder is complete overkill.

Collapsible Day Pack – I used the Sea to Summit day pack that is light and packs up really small, yet can handle quite a bit of weight for afternoon walks around town with plenty of water.   For those who ship their packs on occasion, this would be a necessity.  I found this at REI as well.

Guidebook – there are now many online versions of the guidebook.  I used a camino app and consulted other pilgrim’s guidebooks.  Just remember, the guidebooks have errors.  Do not count on cafes or other facilities being open or still in business.  Also, albergues are being opened continuously and are often not listed.  The most common error is the price as it can fluctuate throughout the season.

Ziplock Bags – Pack everything in zip lock bags and bring extra as they will get holes and fail in other ways.   I always kept my passport, pilgrim credential and map in a ziplock in case my pack cover failed.

7.  Toiletries – Bare necessities here and all travel size:   Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, razor, comb, sunscreen, chapstick, quick dry towel (full size).  Toilet paper and tissue paper as some restroom or albergues don’t resupply very often.

8.  Electronics – I survived with just a smart phone and was able to write this blog using it.   A tablet or computer is just too heavy and really unnecessary for the Camino.  Yes, we need to stay in touch, but we also need to unplug and actually talk to our fellow pilgrims.  This is a time to step back in time with the simplicity of just getting up in the morning and walking.  I understand those who like to take a camera, but you really should consider the weight and time to recharge batteries.  The more electronic equipment, the more chargers are necessary and making sure that everything has a charge.  My phone easily lasted throughout the day without any additional battery or ridiculous solar charger.

Always remember, take less, not more.  There are stores throughout Spain that sell items just for El Camino and will have what you need.  You will enjoy your pilgrimage with less weight.  I have never heard a pilgrim say “I wish I had brought more.”

So, do yourself a favor and join REI and get ready to receive a big dividend check the year after your camino.

Santiago! and Finesstere

We decided to walk the last 32 miles to Santiago in two days.  So, once again,  we put in a 20 mile day, but this time with more ease.  It was still close to a 10 hour day, but we started out by 5 a.m and arrived by 3:00pm.  This section of the Camino is beautiful with paths through wooded areas most of the day.

We stopped at small villages along the Camino and really tried to enjoy the day.  We collected about 5 different stamps to make sure we wouldn't be denied a Compestella.  This day was the most crowded with pilgrims that we had seen, even though we started fron a smaller town.  We had decided not to make a reservation with an albergue as there are many large ones with well over 1,000 beds in town.  I was sure that we wouldn't have trouble as the previous days were half full at best.

As we arrived at 3pm, we were greeted with "completo" signs at the first few albergues.   As we looked for a bed, it was clear every albergue and pension We're was sold out.  We left the girls in town as Marion couldn't walk any extra steps,  later to be picked up by car.

We followed some signs to a new casa rural, a type of pension with a private room, but shared bathroom.   We secured the last two room, 10 minutes before the owner received a call asking for a reservation.   Our last night on the Camino would be spent in "luxury" with real beds, sheets, towels and soap in the bathroom.   Juliana couldn't believe that there were 6 extra rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom.

We skipped laundry for once and walked into town for dinner.  We ate at a nice cafe with a very funny waitress.  I ordered my favorite,  grilled chicken sandwich,  the first time seeing it in Spain.   We were catching all the breaks today.  As pilgrims were still arriving in town, they were looking for non-existent beds.  I'm not sure where they slept or what happens during the busiest times on the Camino.   Resources were obviously stretched beyond capacity.

We woke up at 4:30 the next morning so we could arrive in Santiago by 11am and attend the noon pilgrims mass at the Cathedral.   I had thought the last day would be our easiest and we would be skipping and dancing into Santiago.  But the stress of having to be somewhere by a certain time wad foreign to us for the last month.  We had walked with a general idea of where we would go for the day, but were free to make changes.   We had no reservations or time commitments. ..we had been free.

I snapped at Gisela to pick up the pace and said we could only stop once for food.  This was the best fuel for a mutiny and the three girls plotted against me.  Clearly,  I had forgotten what this pilgrimage was about and what is most important in life.  I gathered the family for a group hug, prayer and apology,  and we were back on track.

We held hands together and our pace quickened.  The Camino was filled with pilgrims and tourists who get dropped off by buses to walk into Santiago.   We hit the town, but still had aways to walk to the Cathedral.   Our pace slowed again as we were feeling the effects of the previous day's 20 miles and the past 475 miles.

We arrived at the Cathedral at 11am, and a great sense of joy and relief immediately came over me.  I was walking ahead with Juliana and we had a quick hug and shout of celebration.  Then we were off to get our compostela at the pilgrims office and mass at the Cathedral.   We saw some friends from the Camino and shared celebration hugs.  Since taking two days off for illness in Ponferrada,  we lost track of most of the pilgrims we were walking with.  We had made uo a day by walking 70 miles in 4 days, so those that stayed an extra day were still around.

Celebrating In Front of the Cathedral

Although I speak some Spanish,  it isn't good enough to understand the mass.  The church is truly remarkable and it was moving to see so many pilgrims.  There was a group of 10 nuns who had walked the camino and were at the service with us.  The expression on their faces showed how much their pilgrimage had meant to them.

I'm not sure of the look on my face,  but this was very special to me as well.  With Juliana turning 18 and starting college,  we don't know if we will ever have a family trip like this again.  The simplicity of the Camino is so calming to the soul, but will be lost once we return to our normal lives.  Our first Camino turned us into minimalists already, but there are a few changes that we talked about changing, including walking and hiking more, and more volunteer work.

We bought a few souvenirs then headed to pick up our rental car to drive out to Finisterre.   We had contemplated walking ti Finisterre,  but with my tendinitis and the group's general condition,  we decided to drive it.  I didn't want to walk it as it is the Camino de Santiago,  not Finisterre,  but wouldn't fault anyone who wanted to continue.  Walking is addictive and as much as we were ready to stop,  a small part of me wanted to wake up the next morning,  throw my pack on, and walk anywhere.

Gisela and Joe Cooper at KM 0.0

As we arrived in Finisterre,  I was glad we hadn't walked.  Finisterre is a nice beach town with a peninsula jetting out into the ocean with a lighthouse,  but it isn't the same as arriving at the Cathedral and attending mass.  We slept in a nice hotel by the beach again with the luxury of towels, a private bath, blankets, etc.  The next morning was Juliana's 18th birthday and we are celebrating by flying to London.   She is thrilled to complete a Camino before turning 18 and be in 2 different countries on her birthday.   London has always been the goal and carrot for Marion as she has recently fallen in love with British culture.

Julie at KM 0.0

So, thus ends our Camino for now.   We have talked about what we have learned, how we have grown,  and how this pilgrimage will change our lives.  I ask Juliana and Marion if they will someday walk the Camino with their kids.  As I asked the question,  I came to realize how out there we really are.  Who tells their two teenage daughters we are walking 500 miles this summer?...Joe and Gisela Cooper.

I hope that you have enjoyed our story.  I'm humbled at the number of people who have been reading this blog.  I encourage you to leave comments and share this with you friends.  If anyone is considering walking the Camino with their family,  I highly recommend it.  It may not be easy,  but it will be days that you will never forget for the rest of your life.

God Bless.

The girls before the Pilgrim's mass at noon.

The path into Santiago

Inside the church at pilgrim's mass

One of the countless arrow markers

Julie - last day of walking

The Final Stretch

After the big 20 mile day, we were spent.  We were slow to get going in the morning and walked at a slow turtle's pace.  Most of the time we can manage the turtle pace, but not after a 20 mile day.

We walked through some beautiful countryside.  It was cool again with mist and light rain for most of the day, so I wasn't able to take many pictures.  By noon,  we had only managed to walk 10 miles.

We found a cafe, sat down,  and planned the rest of our day.  We talked with some bikers from Canada, who felt they were missing too much by riding.   They wanted to come back again and walk.  I always wonder if there are many people who do a part, say they want to come back, and actually follow through.  These girls seemed like they would.   The question is always about making the time to do it.  The time rarely appears,  you have to make it.

After assessing our physical and mental condition,  we decided three more miles is all we could manage.  There were hills and we were just walking slow.   It was our shortest distance day in weeks, and we still walked for 8 hours. I guess we over extended ourselves with 20 miles.  The owner of the cafe called ahead and booked a room for us. It was almost 4 by the time we arrived.   The albergue was split between two buildings and ee had one building yo ourselves.

Despite this being the busy section of the Camino,  it isn't that crowded.   We are staying in the smaller towns and the albergues have plenty of room.  The trail is crowded in the morning,  but empty after 12pm.  We  dreading this section after our last Camino,  but this section has been very enjoyable.  The weather is also the best of the Camino.

Since we had a room to ourselves,  we decided to wake up early the next day and try to walk another 20 miles so we could arrive in Santiago in 3 days.  The kids fell asleep at 6pm, so woke up at 4:30 the next morning for the first time in awhile.

Ww knocked out the 20 miles with more ease this time.   As we get closer to Santiago,  we want to finish.   It's not that we want the pilgrimage over,  but there is a draw to Santiago.   I almost feel like walking the entire 30 miles tomorrow.  Santiago draws us like a giant magnet.   We all have aches and pains (except Juliana), but we walk more than ever before.

Two more days....

Gisela in the early morning on the Camino

Crossing a bridge

Painted shells at a local shop

Marion using her balancing technique to cross a stream

Marion...on the trail

Portomarin

Less than 100 kilometers to go

Despite a late start at 7am and immediately going the wrong direction,  we had our longest day in terms of duration and distance.   We knocked out 20 miles over 10 hours of walking and stopping for lunch.

Leaving Triacastela, there are two options:  long and flat or short and over a hill.  Surprisingly,  we took the over the mountain route, something we would never had done at the beginning of the Camino.  It wasn't too hard and we kept a steady pace throughout the morning.

Around 9am, we ran into some old friends and walked with them for awhile catching up on things.  They stopped for breakfast and we said we would see them later on the Camino. 

The trail was nice, going through wooded areas and small towns.  As we approached Sarria, we wanted to continue past this main stop.  Sarria is the starting for many pilgrims as you can earn a compostela for walking the final 100 kilometers.   As such, the Camino explodes wiyh pilgrims after this point.  We stopped at a cafe and made a reservation for an albergue 8 miles after Sarria.  We were committed.

As we walked through Sarria,  pilgrims were already waiting outside of albergues for them to open.  The streets were relatively empty as many businesses were closed for the festival of St. James.   We stopped for a quick lunch, almost an hour which is good by Spanish standards,  and had the Camino to ourselves.   Everyone had left town early in the morning and most pilgrims were stopping at Sarria.

It was incredibly peaceful to walk in the afternoon and have nature to ourselves.   For one of the few times,  the afternoon was cool and pleasant,  and we had the luxury of shade.  We passed through quiet farm villages and a few small towns.

The miles were taking their toll on us and we slowed.  My tendinitis came back along with a bad case of heartburn.   Marion's ankle started hurting again and it was clear 20 miles is her limit.  We watched the kilometer markers slowly count down to the magic 100km.  Our albergue was at 98km.  They were still holding our beds for us.  We were thrilled to arrive.

The meaning of walking the Camino is really starting to sink in as we only have 4 more days of walking, having completed 90% of the distance.   We want to get to Santiago,  but don't want it to end either.  It has been a special time together as a family and with fellow pilgrims.

Julie and Marion

Only 100 Km to go!

Julie

Julie and Marion on the Camino

Gisela and Marion with a herd of sheep in the background

Festival of St. James

The noise of 50 people was less than the four old Frenchmen from the previous night.   I did have to tell my neighbor to be quiet as four Spanish teenagers were whispering loudly within 12 inches of my ear.  They quieted down and I slept soundly throughout the night.  Gisela was not as fortunate and tossed and turned for most of the night.  At 5am, a chorus of alarms sounded and the room slowly came to life.

We were out by 6am and the visibility was maybe 20 yards with a thick fog that soon turned to a mist and a light rain.  It was cold, probably in the upper 40's, but we were comfortable with all of our rain gear.  While stopping for a quick coffee, we outfitted our packs with the rain gear and Gisela sported her poncho.

We climbed up and down for most of the morning and were slow going.  We stopped at each small town alobg the way either for a snack or just to get out of the rain for awhile.   We took our time, with options as to how far we could go.  The hot sun would not make us stop early.  

The clouds cleared at times to amazing views into steep canyons with hills spotted with houses and tiny villages.  We descended close to 2,000 feet during the day,  but we still had plenty of climbing, passing over San Roque peak.  With the rain, I was unable to take many pictures,  but the views were great throughout the day.

After almost 14 miles we hit Triacastle which is a small town,  but with a market and 5 albergues.   It was already 1pm, so we decided to call it a day.   The next albergue was 6 miles away anf Marion had a stomach ache and Juliana had some foot pain.

We were able to get a room in an albergue for just the 4 of us.  We all needed a little peace and privacy,  and hopefully a good night of sleep.

Tomorrow we arrive to the mark where pilgrims can start walking and still receive an official certificate for a pilgrimage.   The population of pilgrims will explode starting tomorrow and we will have to stop early to find an albergue.

Statue of a pilgrim

Mount of San Roque

Back on the Camino

After two days of rest, we were all anxious to get back to walking the camino.  We weren't sure how Julie would respond after the food poisoning and having eaten almost no food for three days, so we didn't set our expectations on getting too far. 

It shouldn't have been a surprise,  but we were able to walk 19 miles on our first day back!  My pack felt heavy, but my legs were full of energy. We took some time getting ready as we were out of practice wjich was probably best since Ponferrada isn't the best marked city.  It was almost daylight as we left the city.

Ponferrada is another one of our favorites on the camino.  It's not too big with a population of 75,000, but has everything a pilgrim needs.  The castle pictured in my last post was impressive.   It has a few nice town squares in the middle of the old city.   Best of all, we stayed at an albergue that had just opened a month ago.

If there is such a thing as a 5 star albergue,  Guiana is it!  Each room only has 6 beds and its own private bath and shower.  But this isn't your typical Camino shower, granite with a shower head that pours water over you.  The hospitalero was the nicest, making rice for Juliana and making sure that no one else was assigned to our room.  She even offered for Juliana to spend a month with her next summer.

All in all, it was a relaxing few days and it seemed like we were staying in a hotel.  Luxury.

After leaving Ponferrada in the morning,  we walked through the suburbs of Ponferrada that was lined with nice, new houses.   A long stream of cars passed us from 7 to 8 am, most likely people commuting into Ponferrada for work.  This is the first time we have seen this type of activity that early in the morning.   The rest of Spain seems to casually roll out of bed and start working around 9 or 10.  In other parts of Spain, we pass restaurants that advertise breakfast, but aren't open by 9am.

We continued on our scenic walk and arrived at Villafranca del Bierzo.  For the first time, I was confused which way to go.  There were arrows pointing in all different directions.   At the information booth, a guy told us a completely different direction to go.  We walked for awhile without seeing any shells or yellow arrows that mark the Camino,  and we knew we were in trouble.   We asked an old man on the street, he looked at us in bewilderment,  the shouted some directions.   It took us to a busy highway, but from the guidebook,  I could tell where to pick up the Camino again.

At the next town,  we decided to call it a day.  The albergue wasn't bad, single beds instead of bunks, but about 6 inches apart.  To our dismay, our fellow bedmates were a bunch of old Frenchmen.  One thing old guys do well, smell and snore, and this group held up that reputation.  I slept with headphones listening to a book on tape.  Marion and Gisela barely slept.

Because of the poor night of sleep,  I decided to delay waking up until 5:15.  We had a big day ahead of us,  but we also needed rest.  The morning was cold as we left at 5:45 and being in a narrow canyon kept the day dark untik almost 7am.  The first 9 miles were flat and we knocked it out by 10am with a couple of stops for breakfast.

The next 5 miles had a 2,000 foot elevation gain.  It took the next three hours to get uo the hill to O'Cebreiro.  Marion was sustained with wild blackberries from the side of the trail.   Juliana didn't need any fuel as she charged up the hill.  Gisela probably could have used one of the horses for rent at the bottom of the hill, but she is determined to walk every last mile.

We decided to stop as the next few towns were small with limited accommodations.  We saw the Frenchmen at our albergue,  but eere happy to see that they were in a different room.  Our room has 56 beds and is completely full, but I think we will be able to get a better night of sleep.  The Camino is crowded now mainly with college aged Spaniards.  I didn't see another American in our 104 person albergue that is completely full.

O'Cebreiro is a very small but nice mountain town.  There are a few restaurants and stores.  The held a Pilgrim's mass at the church which we attended.   A nice way to finish off a day of walking.

Julie and Marion on the trail

Our albergue with 56 beds...all full.

You can pay to ride a horse up the mountain.

Walking through a small Camino town

Marker that we are entering Galacia - the Western province of Spain

A day of rest

We made it to the iron cross early on Sunday morning to find a Spanish family reunion taking place at the cross.  They were singing and shouting,  taking pictures and had completely taken over the site.  Kids as young as five to older adults.   They were having the time of their life.

So for us, it was not the quite reflective time we were expecting.  That is life on the camino and you need to take everything in stride.  We placed our rocks on the pile, took a few quick pictures,  then headed down the trail.  This section is the highest altitude on the Camino.  It would be all downhill for the rest of the day.

As it turned out,  Juliana's food poisoning was just starting.   She continued to feel bad for the resy of the day.  We decided to take a rest day in Ponferrada.   After a visit to the doctor,  he recommended another rest day until we started walking again.   So we are here resting for one more day.  It is also good for my tendinitis.

Fortunately,  we are staying in a very nice albergue with staff that have helped us out tremendously.  Enjoying a day off, but anxious to get back walking.

The Castle at Ponferrada

Camino statue

Julie and Marion in front of the iron cross

The "Hippie" Albergue

Family reunion at the Iron Cross

Finding Burritos in Astorga

Any change from the typical Spanish meal is a welcome change,  but finding a burrito,  is heavenly.  Astorga vaulted to the top of my favorite cities in Spain.   It's relatively small at a population of 20,000, yet has everything,  including burritos.

We arrived just after 12pm and were tempted to keep going after only 15 miles, but I had heard too many nice things about Astorga snd we had promised Marion that we would visit the museum of chocolate.  Astorga is the chocolate capital of Spain.

After settling in to the albergue that serves 160 pilgrims,  we were ready for lunch.  As we walked toward the main plaza, Gisela saw a fellow Mexican that we had met earlier on the Camino.   She pointed us ti thd burrito restaurant.   Granted, it wasn't quite California style,  but it sure tasted good after so many days of similar flavors.

Like all Spanish towns, all the shops close between 2 and 5pm in the afternoon.   Marion and I had scheduled free foot massages at the albergue at 5:00, so we would hit the museum and errands after the massages.   As it turned out, we had signed up for only one massage and they were running late.

I found a priest from Lafayette,  Louisiana who I had spoken with earlier in the day on the trail.   He was really struggling and had just started in Leon a couple days prior and was still trying to get his Camino legs.  I offered for him to take my place for the massage and he was elated.
We dropped Juliana and Marion at the chocolate museum and left to find a shoe repair shop to sew up and fix Marion's that were starting to deteriorate rapidly.   For 8 Euros, the boots looked like the start of the trip with holes sewn and new inserts.  Spain has sone excellent craftsmen.

The girls enjoyed the chocolate museum that had an informative video on how to make chocolate from scratch.   They had a new appreciation for chocolate after learning the multi step process involved in making a simple bar.  The highlight was the free tasting at the end of the tour.

We finished the day with stocking up on much needed supplies.   We go through sunscreen,  vasoline, and snacks for the trail at a furious pace.  In all, it was a fantastic day in Astorga.

The next morning,  we were up early and out the door by 5:30, the earliest we were allowed to leave.   We had a big decision to make, an easy 13 miles with 1,000 feet of climb or 16 miles with 2,000 feet of climb.  We would make our decision at the 13 mile town.

Just outside of Astorga,  a restaurant was advertising gluten free and organic breakfast.   Since Marion cannot eat gluten or dairy, it seemed like the perfect place for us.  There were giant sandwiches premade on the counter.   Marion asked which were gluten free.  None were replied the owner,  we don't have any gluten free items today.

Marion reluctantly ordered tortilla - Spanish for Eggs and potatoes and a rice milk mocha.   The owner refused to open the chocolate rice milk for Marion and would only prepare a rice latte.   Juliana ordered meatballs, which she would regret shortly.

The meatballs sat like a rock in Juliana's stomach and she would suffer for the rest of the day.  The trail was nice with a gradual uphill for most of the day.  We were back in the wilderness,  away from busy highways that connect Burgos to Astorga.   It was nice scenery and pleasant walking.  Now, we are starting to see a lot more pilgrims on the trail as many start in Leon or Astorga.

Despite Juliana's trouble and the uphill,  we made good time arriving at the 13 mile mark by 11am.  We rested for 30 minutes and decided to continue.   It was relatively cool for us at around 80 degrees.   It took another 2 hours for the additional 3.5 miles and climb, but we made it, earlier than most pilgrims.   We had a real sense of accomplishment as this was probably our hardest day yet between the distance and climb.

Tomorrow we look forward to the Iron Cross.

Cathedral in Astorga before sunrise

Pilgrim Statue

Free food  and drink (donation) for pilgrims in the middle of nowhere.  The Camino provides.

Marion getting her coffee.

Marion, Julie and Gisela ready for the day

Marion in a Spanish version of Medieval Times.  A giant steak followed. 

We "have to" walk to San Martin

It is a relief to get out of the big city and back to the small Camino towns.  It seemed like we walked forever before leaving Leon as the city has stretched into neighboring towns as suburbs.   Crossing the bridge out of Leon,  the rule thd bigger the river, the bigger the city held true.

Once again,  we were plagued with slow packing and multiple early morning stops for coffee, then food,  then drinks.  Believe me,  all were necessary to keep us going, especially Marion who needs snacks or coffee to give her a little boost of energy.   By mid morning,  we hit our stride and were knocking out miles at a decent pace, ending the day by 12:30 after 16 miles.

On deck for tomorrow is 15 miles into Astorga,  the chocolate capital of Spain.  For some reason, our guidebook recommended stopping in a town after 13 miles followed by 18 the following day to get to Astorga.   It makes no sense to split the days and is just one of the many frustrations I have with the guidebook.   Although the layest edition,  it is terribly out of date with many new albergues and cafes opening recently.   On the positive side, the guidebook author does add thoughtful insight that helped me today.

One of his questions that he poses to the reader is if this is just a long walk or a pilgrimage.   The answer is a long walk to many, but to us, it is a pilgramage.  With severe pain in my right ankle from tendinitis,  I would simply rest a day to recover, but the pilgrimage aspect keeps me going.  I honestly thought that I wouldn't be able to walk at all today.  Those were some of my first words to my wife, Gisela,  this morning.   Her response was a simple,  we have to walk.

This reminds me of a homily our priest once gave as why we attend mass, bevause we have, because we have to or because we have to.  The first "have to" is because a parent makes a child go to church.   The second "have to" is because it is a sin not to go to mass...a comandment to keep the Sabbath holy.  The final "have to" is because our soul seeks the nourishment that mass provides.   We all need to discern which "have to" drives us to church and for me it is the final one.

Walking the Camino is the same.  We met a brother who "had to" walk the Camino with his sister as an escort.  Many are on a long walk through Spain.  But many simply have to complete the pilgrimage.   We "have to" walk.

Leon

Back in the big city.  Made it by noon after 15 miles.  It's an adjustment getting back into a big city with all the cars, noise and people.

Leon has a beautiful cathedral and is filled with shops.  Once again,  we are stocking up on supplies.   My tendinitis is worse, but there is no cure but rest.  We have about 200 miles to go and the end actually seems close.

No real insights today.   It is ss of our pilgrimage is on hold for a day as we pass through Leon.