The Pilgrimage Begins Today

I had always wanted to do a through-hike, but it just was never in the cards for me. With six weeks of vacation during the year, it ended up being used for family events, tactical matters like home projects, or moving. One or two weeks was left that would cover only a small section of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or the Camino de Santiago. The time on the trail seemed to be insufficient compared to the prep time that would be needed for each section in order to complete a trail. And so, a through-hike stayed on the backburner.

Fast forward to the Spring of 2021 when I started hiking again to build up my fitness and strength. It also gave me an excuse to get out of the house during the COVID-19 pandemic and meet new people. One of those people was Catherine, a retired French teacher. We learned that we both loved to travel, hike, and explore new places. When she mentioned that she was looking into a month long trip to Spain and France, and spending the first week hiking on the Camino, it reminded me of my through-hike dreams. A week after she introduced me to the idea, I had spent hours researching and decided I wanted to do the full El Camino, taking the Camino Frances route. We'd walk together until Burgos - she would spend a few more weeks around Northern Spain and hiking the French Pyrenees, and I would continue on.

They say the journey and pilgrimage starts the day you decide to go. With two months to get ready, I have to say that "the Camino provides". So much information online to help with planning and you'll find some of my favorite books, websites and tools under Resources.

The Camino Frances is one of about 20 routes to Santiago de Compostela. It starts in St. Jean Pied de Port in France through the French Pyrenees, goes through four of Spain's Regions, and ends after 780km at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compestela. This pilgrim's route is said to be over 1000 years old. Some do it for religious or spiritual reasons, for the solitude, or the community, and others for the sense of adventure. From the stories and blogs I've come across, the Camino Pilgrims find it life-changing and some have done it multiple times.

What draws me to the El Camino is that it can be done by a solo traveler, the trail is well marked, and is basically a string of day hikes between towns. No technical backpacking skills needed, no tents, no freeze-dried food! Of course, exploring the towns, culture, food, and wine in Spain are also a huge draw for me.


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