Crazy things people do in the last 100 km

[isawtman]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

 

[Icacos]

Well, I thought it was crazy; still do. But the person in question thought otherwise.

 

[Purky]

Not so crazy (I think...) and not on a Camino, but my son tried to hike 100 km in 24 hours about a month and a half ago. He's 23, a real gym- and fitness freak and always looking for weird scenarios to test his physical (and probably mental) limits. So he just went for it. He actually made it to 70 km and was quite upbeat about it all. He said it was a good exercise performance, put forth some very sensible ideas on how to better prepare for something like this, and will most probably try it again in the not so distant future.

I kinda get it, I mean, I walk caminos for fun, but he's rather next level about it. I'm walking the Salvador and Primitivo with him next July and frankly can't wait for the hairbrained schemes he's going to come up with. It's nice to see him pushing boundaries, to be honest. And compared to the results of the Barkley Marathons 2024, which are bombarding my social media feeds at the moment, the crazy of my son isn't really that far out.

 

[Bradypus]

Not so crazy (I think...) and not on a Camino, but my son tried to hike 100 km in 24 hours about a month and a half ago.

When I was about half my present age I walked 111km in 24 hours as a fundraising exercise. That wasn't all that difficult. Moving anywhere at all the next day was the big challenge!

 

[trecile]

Crazy thing that people do on the last 100 km? Moan and complain that there are more pilgrims than before, when they are part of the "crowd."

 

[good_old_shoes]

I know someone who walked almost 80kms on the last day to Santiago. Met two who walked ~90. It's not that rare, apparently.

I've walked more than 60kms in one go twice. Not on a Camino, but with backpack and all, so I know I could do it on the Camino if I really wanted to or needed to.

Palas del Rey is 68 kms or so to Santiago, I think. It's a crazy long walk, but possible.

Walking such long distances is an interesting experience. I got a "runner's high" both times I did the 60kms, even though I only walked my Camino pace. Walking through all of the night, and then into the sunrise, was an amazing experience.

To get back on topic - I carried a cat in a carrier on the last 100kms and to Finisterre. I guess that might count as crazy for some.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Walking such long distances is an interesting experience. I got a "runner's high" both times I did the 60kms,

I've walked 35k a couple of times and I had a "walker's low" cuz I was dragging.
Now, quite a few years later I drag after only about 25k and I prefer to break up stages when possible to 20k.

 

[isawtman]

I know someone who walked almost 80kms on the last day to Santiago. Met two who walked ~90. It's not that rare, apparently.

I've walked more than 60kms in one go twice. Not on a Camino, but with backpack and all, so I know I could do it on the Camino if I really wanted to or needed to.

Palas del Rey is 68 kms or so to Santiago, I think. It's a crazy long walk, but possible.

Walking such long distances is an interesting experience. I got a "runner's high" both times I did the 60kms, even though I only walked my Camino pace. Walking through all of the night, and then into the sunrise, was an amazing experience.

To get back on topic - I carried a cat in a carrier on the last 100kms and to Finisterre. I guess that might count as crazy for some.

I want to hear more about the Cat. Did you find it while hiking or was it yours to begin with? Do you have any good Cat on the Camino stories?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I want to hear more about the Cat. Did you find it while hiking or was it yours to begin with? Do you have any good Cat on the Camino stories?

She does!

 

[CWBuff]

Not so crazy (I think...) and not on a Camino, but my son tried to hike 100 km in 24 hours about a month and a half ago.

When I was about half my present age I walked 111km in 24 hours as a fundraising exercise.

I know someone who walked almost 80kms on the last day to Santiago. Met two who walked ~90.

This eerily begins to remind me of The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (yeah yeah I know.... )

 

[CWBuff]

I want to hear more about the Cat. Did you find it while hiking or was it yours to begin with? Do you have any good Cat on the Camino stories?

Did you hear about a man, a donkey, a dog AND a cat?! (Heck if we had the rooster we'd have the whole cast of Town Musicians of Bremen

Perhaps we should query Lilian Jackson Braun if she could come up with the new "The Cat Who..." (walked the Camino) book!

 

[good_old_shoes]

I want to hear more about the Cat. Did you find it while hiking or was it yours to begin with? Do you have any good Cat on the Camino stories?

Found him on the way, just before O Cebreiro. That's him in Santiago, and later at home:





Made a poncho for his carrier from a garbage bag. Me in my giant tent-like poncho, and him with the garbage bag, looked ridiculous .

Bought him a plate with ham in the bars each morning... I'm a vegetarian.

After the Camino, we went for a beach vacation on the north coast. He also went with me to a tapas bar marathon in San Sebastian.

That cat has seen it all.

 

[good_old_shoes]

Did you hear about a man, a donkey, a dog AND a cat?! (Heck if we had the rooster we'd have the whole cast of Town Musicians of Bremen

Perhaps we should query Lilian Jackson Braun if she could come up with the new "The Cat Who..." (walked the Camino) book!

I did see two donkeys parked in front of the Burgos albergue / bar at the opposite. But no dog and cat!

 

[Bradypus]

Did you hear about a man, a donkey, a dog AND a cat?!

I met a man walking the Via de la Plata with three donkeys, five six goats and a dog. Unfortunately he was later arrested after a road accident involving one of his goats and a motorcyclist.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I met a man walking the Via de la Plata with three donkeys, five goats and a dog. Unfortunately he was later arrested after a road accident involving one of his goats and a motorcyclist.

View attachment 166708

That guy had quite the entourage. Too bad it ended badly.

 

[Purky]

I remember @Nomad Pack with two donkeys, two dogs and a cat.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Probably quite a few pilgrims/walkers have seen this man with his donkey, and cute dog.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I remember @Nomad Pack with two donkeys, two dogs and a cat.

Yes, he had a Youtube channel for awhile a couple of years ago, but it seemed to fizzle out. It was very interesting and he also added a falcon he trained; unfortunately the cat disappeared.

 

[Bradypus]

and he also added a falcon he trained; unfortunately the cat disappeared.

How large was the falcon?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

How large was the falcon?

Hilarious! I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Yes, he had a Youtube channel for awhile a couple of years ago, but it seemed to fizzle out. It was very interesting and he also added a falcon he trained; unfortunately the cat disappeared.

I just checked and see I was a subscriber so I see he last posted two years ago. He made a number of interesting videos.
@Purky mentioning him had me curious.
Here is a screenshot I just took. I don't mean to take this thread off topic, but many long term members will remember @Nomad Pack.

Edit...Ooops, apparently he had an eagle.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Found him on the way, just before O Cebreiro. That's him in Santiago, and later at home:

View attachment 166698

View attachment 166700

Made a poncho for his carrier from a garbage bag. Me in my giant tent-like poncho, and him with the garbage bag, looked ridiculous .

Bought him a plate with ham in the bars each morning... I'm a vegetarian.

After the Camino, we went for a beach vacation on the north coast. He also went with me to a tapas bar marathon in San Sebastian.

That cat has seen it all.

I could not love a post more than this one.

 

[alexwalker]

To get back on topic - I carried a cat in a carrier on the last 100kms and to Finisterre. I guess that might count as crazy for some.

Who am I to argue?

 

[Scott Sweeney]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

Skip it to avoid the mobs.

 

[lt56ny]

I've walked 35k a couple of times and I had a "walker's low" cuz I was dragging.
Now, quite a few years later I drag after only about 25k and I prefer to break up stages when possible to 20k.

You and I are on the same wavelength, and probably about the same age! (very general term). In 2015 I got lost on the Le Puy Camino. It happened alot as those little stripes on poles were easy for me to miss as I was pretty lost in unconsciousness loving the peace, beauty and (then) solitude of that camino. I ended up walking 38 kilometers that day and the last 8 kilometers was walking up a very hilly road, after I made the wrong turn of walking down said road. I was about dead. Maybe I was dead and I still haven't realized yet.
Now as I just turned 70, I train much less than 10 or 12 years ago. I know how to walk and try to do 20K and under for the first 7-8 days. Now my happy sweet spot is walking 20-25K a day. I get bold sometimes and do 26 or 27. I can take more time to walk now and will break up some days doing just 12-15k so I can keep to my maximum daily distances. Walking less traveled caminos like the Vasco and the VDLP can make it challenging but I always figure it out. So keep on truckin" your 20K and walk those blues away.

 

[Rodo549]

You and I are on the same wavelength, and probably about the same age! (very general term). In 2015 I got lost on the Le Puy Camino. It happened alot as those little stripes on poles were easy for me to miss as I was pretty lost in unconsciousness loving the peace, beauty and (then) solitude of that camino. I ended up walking 38 kilometers that day and the last 8 kilometers was walking up a very hilly road, after I made the wrong turn of walking down said road. I was about dead. Maybe I was dead and I still haven't realized yet.
Now as I just turned 70, I train much less than 10 or 12 years ago. I know how to walk and try to do 20K and under for the first 7-8 days. Now my happy sweet spot is walking 20-25K a day. I get bold sometimes and do 26 or 27. I can take more time to walk now and will break up some days doing just 12-15k so I can keep to my maximum daily distances. Walking less traveled caminos like the Vasco and the VDLP can make it challenging but I always figure it out. So keep on truckin" your 20K and walk those blues away.

When I walk longer distances, I go into "mission mode" and neglect all around me which defeats the purpose of the Camino. Thus, I try to force myself to shorten the length and increase the experience.

 

[t2andreo]

Crazy thing that people do on the last 100 km? Moan and complain that there are more pilgrims than before, when they are part of the "crowd."

Don't you wish someone would develop a parallel path from Sarria to Santiago, so we could bypass all the inanity in the final 100 km? I sometimes do. Then,I realize that both paths would become saturated over time.

At some point, we will reach "peak pilgrim" along that stretch of the Camino Frances. That is the point beyond which there are no services or accommodations for arriving pilgrims, as the volume is simply too great.

Somehow, room is always found for "one more." But the mathematical certainty still exists. It WILL happen at some point in future.

As an alternative, perhaps all the ancillary routes that feed into the last segments of the Camino Frances might, instead proceed on separate routing into Santiago? The Primitivo and the Norte come to mind. There may be a couple more routes. Surely, there are secondary and tertiary roads that culd be used to arrive at Santiago? Of course, this is but a 'band aid," not a cure.

Just thinking out loud.

Tom

 

[mazzarina]

I walked the last few km into Santiago barefoot both times. It was nicely refreshing on the feet.

 

[Silencio Por Favor]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

They are obviously not seeking a Compostela. It would be hard to get a stamp at 3AM.

 

[CWBuff]

Mazzarina - The Barefoot Contesss...er...Peregrina!

 

[alexwalker]

I walked the last few km into Santiago barefoot both times. It was nicely refreshing on the feet.

I once met a young man from Hungary on the CF: He walked 60-70 kms/day. Barefoot. Slept outside in the bush/donativos. He started (barefoot) from his home. His feet had "elephant skin"...

 

[CWBuff]

They are obviously not seeking a Compostela. It would be hard to get a stamp at 3AM.

I'm thinking providing that one got his prerequisite number of stamps through the daylight time - it would be no problem (We all know - what it takes to acquire 2 stamps at 2 bars while stopping for Cafe con Leche? Nada!)

 

[Drifter]

In the world of hiking, 100km days aren't THAT unusual.
FKT (Fastest Known Time) hikers will walk 65 - 80 km EVERY DAY for a month.
Off the top of my head, I know of one hiker that walked 188km in 24 hours.

 

[Bogong]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

Told to me by a German pilgrim I met somewhere after Sarria in 2014. You could still see the terror in his eyes at the memory. He was my age, about 70. He had years earlier walked from Sarria in August, the Spanish holiday period. It was wall to wall people all seemingly having a very good time. A very good time. A very noisy full 24 hour a day Bacchanalian orgy. He was propositioned by girls young enough to be his granddaughters. He still shuddered at the memory. They could all get absolution on reaching the Cathedral!
De colores
Bogong

 

[starrysky]

Found him on the way, just before O Cebreiro. That's him in Santiago, and later at home:

View attachment 166698

View attachment 166700

Made a poncho for his carrier from a garbage bag. Me in my giant tent-like poncho, and him with the garbage bag, looked ridiculous .

Bought him a plate with ham in the bars each morning... I'm a vegetarian.

After the Camino, we went for a beach vacation on the north coast. He also went with me to a tapas bar marathon in San Sebastian.

That cat has seen it all.

so cute! how wonderful you adopted him!

 

[David Tallan]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

For some people, as they get closer to Santiago it starts to have some sort of mysterious magnetic pull on them. It is not uncommon for people to pull extra long days to get to Santiago. I think a fair number of people will walk up to 40km on their last day into Santiago. Walking another 40km after a regular day's walk is somewhat unusual, though.

But I don't think it has anything to do with 100km. Just the pull of Santiago that seems stronger for some, the closer they get.

 

[dougfitz]

At some point, we will reach "peak pilgrim" along that stretch of the Camino Frances. That is the point beyond which there are no services or accommodations for arriving pilgrims, as the volume is simply too great.

I am inclined to the view that, while this might be a possibility, it is a remote one. It appears to me that this is one of those matters where ordinary market dynamics will take over. On the supply side, either or both of availability and price will increase. On the demand side, a new equilibrium will be reached where any increase in numbers is slowed by the unwillingness of that last individual to pay the increased price.

I am sure that someone with greater understanding of micro-economics would give a mure erudite explanation than I might. The seasonal nature of the camino, non-monetary price signals, the transparency or otherwise of price and capacity signalling mechanisms, and no doubt many other factors go to the way this market works.

It is unlikely that any of us want to see prices increase, or see more and more pilgrims packed into albergue dormitories to the point some have been in the past. But for someone entering this market to supply accommodation or other services, there is a point where they need to at least recover the costs of operating in a highly seasonal marketplace by demanding a premium for services provided in the peak season. While they might operate in a spirit of Christian charity, that relies on us responding in an equally charitable way, something I suspect we are not particularly good at doing.

Of course, it is far more complicated than this, but I think it is a reasonable outline of why a combination of supply and demand factors will operate so that ever increasing numbers can be supported, not only on the CF but on the other routes as well. Perhaps it will only be when the paths and roads themselves get so crowded that there is a continual stream of pilgrims could we say we have reached 'peak pilgrims' at that particular time.

 

[Itsnever2late]

Made a poncho for his carrier from a garbage bag. Me in my giant tent-like poncho, and him with the garbage bag, looked ridiculous .

Forget about the for a moment
there definitely needs to be some clarification as to what is under the Poncho, and what appears to be one leg, a monkeys tail and a hiking pole appearing from underneath

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Forget about the for a moment
there definitely needs to be some clarify as to what is under the Poncho, and what appears to be one leg, a monkeys tail and a hiking pole appearing from underneath

You are right...upon a closer look it is exactly what you say!

 

[good_old_shoes]

Forget about the for a moment
there definitely needs to be some clarification as to what is under the Poncho, and what appears to be one leg, a monkeys tail and a hiking pole appearing from underneath

I just realized that there's only one leg in the photo. Where's my second leg?

But it's hilarious because I had a really bad injury on that Camino and basically only had one working leg / foot for many weeks. So that photo is symbolic for that injury.

Now I can claim that I hopped on only one leg towards Finisterre! I HAVE PHOTO PROOF.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Now I can claim that I hopped on only one leg towards Finisterre! I HAVE PHOTO PROOF.

And that you had a "hopper's high" when you hopped 60k that day.

 

[lt56ny]

I walked the last few km into Santiago barefoot both times. It was nicely refreshing on the feet.

I think that is cool that you did that. I stay in albergues and donativos and do try to walk the simpliest of caminos but I have to draw the line and a prima donna like me would never do that hahaha.

 

[CWBuff]

I just realized that there's only one leg in the photo. Where's my second leg?

Now I can claim that I hopped on only one leg towards Finisterre! I HAVE PHOTO PROOF.

Forget about the for a moment
there definitely needs to be some clarification as to what is under the Poncho, and what appears to be one leg, a monkeys tail and a hiking pole appearing from underneath

Unless I am totally blind (but then that begs a question on how did i ascended and descended Pyrenees, Alto Pedron and O Cebreiro) I just don't see legs, poles and a tail....

BTW - did you hear about a man with a wooden leg named Smith?
what is the name of his other leg?

 

[Itsnever2late]

Unless I am totally blind I just don't see legs, poles and a tail....

@CWBuff
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/attachments/img20220816091503-jpg.166706/

 

[CWBuff]

Ah yes - thanks. I see what happened - 2 attachments are sort of hidden on my page.
this is one of them

 

[Silvermomma]

So many issues would be resolved if they stopped giving out that diploma thing.

 

[freespirit]

Well, I thought it was crazy; still do. But the person in question thought otherwise.

On my first Camino back in 2010, believe it or not, i met one guy walking from SJPDP to Santiago bare feet,

 

[Bradypus]

On my first Camino back in 2010, believe it or not, i met one guy walking from SJPDP to Santiago bare feet,

I first learned about the Caminos through my mother-in-law. Barbara walked the Camino Frances in 1985 as part of a group assembled and led by a man who had walked barefoot from Paris to Santiago after a religious experience in Lourdes. Fortunately Kosti didn't insist that everyone follow his example!

 

[storiestellr]

I did the “100 km in 24 hours”, and i’m kind of glad that I’m not the only one, apparently. I did it for a mundane reason, but it turns out i did because I needed to lean an essential Camino lesson. But it took a while for the shoe to drop.

I recorded a few thoughts on the Sarria to Santiago pilgrims, and I should’ve been a little less judgmental; but I was, so: why hide it? it’s part of the Camino, too.
I think what bugs people about it is that the fellowship of pilgrims gets kind of broken up, but then again, everyone has their own reasons to walk.

i documented my 24 hours, for those interested. This was in May 2023.
100 km in 24 hours

 

[WGroleau]

Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

Longest walk I ever did was 66 kilometers. But that took all day and it wasn’t in crowds.

 

[Chelo]

Don't you wish someone would develop a parallel path from Sarria to Santiago, so we could bypass all the inanity in the final 100 km? I sometimes do. Then,I realize that both paths would become saturated over time.

At some point, we will reach "peak pilgrim" along that stretch of the Camino Frances. That is the point beyond which there are no services or accommodations for arriving pilgrims, as the volume is simply too great.

Somehow, room is always found for "one more." But the mathematical certainty still exists. It WILL happen at some point in future.

As an alternative, perhaps all the ancillary routes that feed into the last segments of the Camino Frances might, instead proceed on separate routing into Santiago? The Primitivo and the Norte come to mind. There may be a couple more routes. Surely, there are secondary and tertiary roads that culd be used to arrive at Santiago? Of course, this is but a 'band aid," not a cure.

Just thinking out loud.

Tom

There already are some alternative routes from Ambasmestas ( near Villafranca )you can take the via Kuning , very little known yet for those we prefer to walk alone .

 

[Itsnever2late]

I did the “100 km in 24 hours”, and i’m kind of glad that I’m not the only one, apparently. I did it for a mundane reason, but it turns out i did because I needed to lean an essential Camino lesson. But it took a while for the shoe to drop.

I recorded a few thoughts on the Sarria to Santiago pilgrims, and I should’ve been a little less judgmental; but I was, so: why hide it? it’s part of the Camino, too.
I think what bugs people about it is that the fellowship of pilgrims gets kind of broken up, but then again, everyone has their own reasons to walk.

i documented my 24 hours, for those interested. This was in May 2023.
100 km in 24 hours

After undertaking a monumental adventure, there is such a reward in sharing with friends and fellow pilgrims in Santiago. Jumping ahead a day, means you arrive in Santiago on your own with no one to share the memories and experiences with. Understand the reasons behind your decision, but it's a big loss. Thanks for sharing, and I love the video and insights

 

[storiestellr]

After undertaking a monumental adventure, there is such a reward in sharing with friends and fellow pilgrims in Santiago. Jumping ahead a day, means you arrive in Santiago on your own with no one to share the memories and experiences with. Understand the reasons behind your decision, but it's a big loss. Thanks for sharing, and I love the video and insights

thank you!
yes, it was a hard lesson to learn, and a huge void that I felt in the Plaza de Obradeiro.

 

[Rita Flower]

For some people, as they get closer to Santiago it starts to have some sort of mysterious magnetic pull on them. It is not uncommon for people to pull extra long days to get to Santiago. I think a fair number of people will walk up to 40km on their last day into Santiago. Walking another 40km after a regular day's walk is somewhat unusual, though.

But I don't think it has anything to do with 100km. Just the pull of Santiago that seems stronger for some, the closer they get.

Agree. Last Camino I really felt that pull a few days before I got to Santiago. And arrived at least a day earlier than planned. However the previous Camino was the complete opposite- on the Portuguese. I stopped about 8 km out of Santiago and had the most beautiful slow sunrise walk to the cathedral. Exquisite.

 

[KevinWilcox]

There’s an annual event here in Sussex, England, called the South Downs Gurkha Challenge. The challenge is to walk 100kms of the South Downs trail in less than 24hrs. This is mostly very beautiful gentle hill walking, with a few steep bits but mostly just rolling hills. It’s done in teams of 4 and there are about 200 teams each year, iirc. The teams have support teams who meet them at various checkpoints to provide encouragement, dry socks, extra snacks etc. My wife did it last year (I think she still doesn’t realise how proud of her I am for completing this in time) and surprisingly few teams drop out. It’s usually early on and due to injury, as there is obviously quite a bit of camaraderie and mutual encouragement. The fastest teams will inevitably be the Gurkha A & B teams, who jog the entire thing in about 14 hours and barely break a sweat.

None of which has the slightest thing to do with caminos!

And nor does this, though it is in keeping with the theme of craziest things I’ve seen on the trail. Mine dates back to the mid-90’s, when I met a young Japanese guy carrying his very heavy looking mountain bicycle, sobbing all the while, through thigh deep snow near Everest BC. Apparently he had thought it would be a good lark to cycle to Everest ans no-one seemed to have ever done that. (There’s a clue here… a lot of seriously hard men and women, including the toughest of them all, Sherpas, had climbed Everest, but for some strange reason none of these challenge seekers had sought to cycle to the foot of the hill).

Anyway, having proclaimed his intention far and wide back home, he was utterly determined to see it through. I think he had been carrying the damned thing, on top of his 15kg backpack, for the last week, during a season with particularly heavy snowfall. I don’t think I ever saw anyone less enjoy being in that place. Even people with acute mountain sickness, who were heaving their guts up every 10 minutes, seemed to be having a better time.

On the bright side, he was headed down and only had another 10 miles before the trail would clear, but that didn’t seem to cheer him up too much. Maybe because he’d realised by then why none of the Nepalese had taken to bicycles on that trail, and there were still another 10 days below the snow line of up, and up, and up, and up….. and then down, followed by yet more up .

 

[Zordmot]

I wish I'd taken a photo but I met a fellow pilgrim in the final 100 km in 2022. He and his dog had walked all the way from his home in Ukraine. The two of them left the day that the Russians invaded their town. When he heard the explosions he realized that he would now be creating a new life for himself somewhere else. He quickly gathered up some things and about $100 and they left that day. He wasn't sure where they would end up or what he would do with himself but he was convinced that walking to Santiago was the first stage of the journey. They had camped each evening along the way.

 

[sreevesjc]

Not so crazy (I think...) and not on a Camino, but my son tried to hike 100 km in 24 hours about a month and a half ago. He's 23, a real gym- and fitness freak and always looking for weird scenarios to test his physical (and probably mental) limits. So he just went for it. He actually made it to 70 km and was quite upbeat about it all. He said it was a good exercise performance, put forth some very sensible ideas on how to better prepare for something like this, and will most probably try it again in the not so distant future.

I kinda get it, I mean, I walk caminos for fun, but he's rather next level about it. I'm walking the Salvador and Primitivo with him next July and frankly can't wait for the hairbrained schemes he's going to come up with. It's nice to see him pushing boundaries, to be honest. And compared to the results of the Barkley Marathons 2024, which are bombarding my social media feeds at the moment, the crazy of my son isn't really that far out.

Night time walks are not such a big deal. Here at the LDWA (Long Distance Walkers Association), we have an annual 100 mile (161km), that has been going for 50 years. The cut off time is 48 hours although people can and do run it in less than half that time. It is very popular with the entry limited to 500 and a qualifying 50 mile walk in 24 hours is required in the preceeding year. It is a great event held in different parts of the UK, this year in Scotland, with fully supported checkpoints every seven or eight miles.
On the Camino last year, I met several people who unable to find a bed for the night, just carried on walking by head torch. I had prepared myself for that possibility by having sufficient food and water, although it wasn't needed. J C Sreeves.

 

[JMac TO]

When I hiked the Frances Route this happened. I was hiking in the afternoon just east of Arzua.
I was reserved a bed at an albergue in Arzua, so I had already hiked all the way from San Xulien
near Palas Del Rei. I met a couple from my home state and of course we talked for a while.
Then during the conversation I asked them where they would be staying for the night. I
was expecting them to say someplace in Arzua. But they said they would be going all
the way to Santiago. Not sure if they did so, because I didn't get their contact information.
I have seen videos of people walking through the night so they could be the first people
at the Pilgrims Office. Or maybe people just want to get the last 100 km over with so they
don't have to deal with the crowds, etc. So, tell me, what craziness have you heard of in the last 100

On my first Camino I walked 58km into Santiago. It wasn’t bad, I was 49 and needed the rest afterwards. In October I met a young man who walked 65Km to santiago after 55km the day before. That’s a bit much.
But the craziest thing is the guy who miked the Frances with a chicken on the back of his bike in October ‘23.

 

[Owen Duguay]

While I was walking from Le Puy to Santiago a young German who was running the Camino stopped and said hello. He runs 50 km a day for the whole Camino I asked him if I could take his picture to show others of this incredible feat and he said yes. I still have the photo.

 

[BeatriceKarjalainen]

Found him on the way, just before O Cebreiro. That's him in Santiago, and later at home:

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Made a poncho for his carrier from a garbage bag. Me in my giant tent-like poncho, and him with the garbage bag, looked ridiculous .

Bought him a plate with ham in the bars each morning... I'm a vegetarian.

After the Camino, we went for a beach vacation on the north coast. He also went with me to a tapas bar marathon in San Sebastian.

That cat has seen it all.

Oh he is adorable.

 

[CWBuff]

While I was walking from Le Puy to Santiago a young German who was running the Camino stopped and said hello. He runs 50 km a day for the whole Camino I asked him if I could take his picture to show others of this incredible feat and he said yes. I still have the photo.

On the approach of Villafranca de Bierzo I met a peregrina from Guatemala. Quite a little lady she was - perhaps all of 5'2". We shared a lunch-time together and, among other things, she told me that she is a runner and (although loving The Camino) was not "too happy" about plain walking. So, when she hit the Meseta, she started transporting her backpack forward and ran it from one waypoint to another.
And that made her very happy