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I arrive in sjpdp on the 16th of June. I've noticed that not as many pilgrims listed in June. Does the Camino slow down during this time. Just wondering if I'll have people to walk with during this time. It's my first camino.
Fred
Please add me to your list
Starting at St Jean on 2nd June (2o16) to Santiago and Finisterre
Bon Camino
Older guy..my bones ache just reading your story.Your lucky it was just bruises . Hope youve dried up by now. Great story .Today I am in Azura. I have 40 km to go to reach Santiago. I am confident I will make it, by Wednesday and my Fight out isn't until Saturday.
I took the trail with my Mountain bike from Pamplona to just past Cirauqui. I crashed big time on a Roman road with my bike and bruised my hip. Then the washed out bridge, which was more like 3-foot block steps down a gulley and the block steps up made getting my bike up really hard. After I got up, I found more Roman road and walked the bike until I got to a park next to the N-111. It was a no-brainer to take the road into Estella. That is when I first abandoned MTB-riding the trail.
Then the weather started to go bad. I tried a short stretch, but the mud was bad. So in the rain I stayed with roads rather than muddy paths. I had a limited amount of Flex/weather/recovery/tourist days. I kept up my schedule (usually 40 to 60 km/day) until I got to Sahagun. At that point the weather just got to me. I took my bike on the train from Sahagun to Leon and took a break to recover and be a tourist in Leon. That really emotionally helped.
I checked the weather forecast, a lot more days of rain. So I did some soul searching as to what I wanted to do. I opted for plan B, another train ticket, but from Leon to Ponferrada. I get my 200+km bike Compestela and I broke the remaining rainy days into much shorter rides, that gave me time to recover, get dry, wash clothes, talk to people, see churches and towns and again enjoy myself.
The weather has recently turned nice again, but I know I made the right decision for me. I understand the Catholic concept of a veil of tears, I can do endurance events, but I wanted something else from my Camino. I wanted "a balance" of religious experiences, physical challenge, comradery and tourism. I think I found it.
Buen Camino!
If your starting in April, May or June on the CF and would like to have me add your name and starting place to the calendar below let me know . If your unsure of your start date I will add your name to the "Unsure" list . This exercise will help you meet others that are going to be on the Camino Frances on or near the date your going.
Joe ( aka DeadFred)
June 10- LindaS(St Jean)
June 11- Merry Hiker ( St Jean)