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I've been hiking for a little over 50 years, all over the world. I'm 70 years old and there's one thing I've leaned during the 13 years I spent studying in various universities, including John Hopkins University, get advice from experts. If you read anything other than take advice from...
My brother-in-law also owned and ran a sporting goods store for over 20 years. He sold tens of thousands of shoes, skates, ski boots plus lots of other foot related footwear. He served tens of thousands of clients and fitted lots of them with custom made or adjusted footwear. Don't discount...
This is the official French Dos-d âne (speed bump) sign. Doucement means slowly or gently. The donkey and slowly are a great artistic portrayal of a play of words, meaning slow down for speed bumps. The French language is full of play on words of daily expressions. I'm a French Canadian who...
The topic heading " Of shoes and shoelaces" implies any advice input. My advice is get a podiatrist's advice and not take unprofessional advice. Sorry if you think someone is trolling you. I hope you feel better and that your feet don't distract what you read in opinions.
My brother-in-law was a podiatrist. An appointment to get the best advice from a podiatrist will cost you less than a quality pair of shoes, insoles and laces. Don't mess around fumbling with iffy opinions from self proclaimed trekkers, because their feet are never like yours. A podiatrist has...
They are signs that are a play on words. A street or road speed bump (these are bumps that are laid perpendicular to the road and are intended to slow down speeding vehicles) is called " un dos d'âne" in French. That translates as a donkey's back.
I walked the Del Norte up to the Primitivo then took that route in late April. I can't remember exactly where, but on one of the hundreds of mountains, I (we, because I walked with 3 others) was caught in a snow blizzard with winds of 110 kilometers per hour. The storm only lasted 3 hours but we...
I've walked two Caminos back to back in '16 and '17. There will be hundreds of opportunities where you will potentially get lost, twist an ankle, make a blister, unable to find the next trail marker, gite, alberque, water source, or food store; if you are not incessantly "in the moment" you will...
As long as it can carry what you absolutely need and it weighs as little as possible, it doesnt really matter. I've used 5 different packs that were rated at either 40 or 50 litres. They all did well. Just make sure there's always enough room left withought squishing fresh bread, fruit, and...
You are about to embark on an adventure and create memories that you will cherish for the rest of your life. I promise you that for sure. I walked the Primitivo in 2017. Take a look at my posts about the Caminos and you might learn something. 😉
I've been using 30cm x 30cm micro fiber shop rags. They're cheap and last forever. I noticed shop towel vary in softness and absorbency. Those sold at autobody shops tend to be softer and dry faster. One does the job for me, but you can alway use two if you're looking to get dryer than an...
I walked the GR70 in 2018. There are not as many gites as on the GR65 and many of the villages no longer have any stores restaurants or cafés, so make sure you carry a couple of extra meals with you at all times. There are also a few stretches where potable tap water is not found, so a small...
I've completed the GR65 Compostelle, the Norte and Primitivo Caminos and the GR70 Stevenson Route. I had to camp out when I had no other options but I did stay at well over 120 albergues and gites. Roughly 75% of the alberque or gite managers had adopted dogs that had to be abandoned by their...
I never saw or heard of anyone seeing wild boar along the Norte and Primitivo. I did cross paths with boar hunters twice and neither had bagged any. They use the Camino paths to return home as they have for centuries. There are millions of wild mountainous acres where I suspect wild boars do...
You nailed it. I used a Sea to Summit poncho that doubled at a tarp and at times for a dry spot to have picnics on, and a 48 inch 8 ounce Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite air mattress and a 8 ounce bivy that's no longer sold made by Katabaticgear and their quilt. With hiking poles it all worked out...
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