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Recent content by glennb

  1. glennb

    Aarn Backpack and training advice

    Don't overtrain. The aerobic challenge is significant but not great. The real challenge of the Camino is the wear and tear on your feet, along with the general fatigue of walking day after day after day. It's hard to train for that, and the training that you do can just add to the troubles...
  2. glennb

    Sunglasses?

    Poles are a matter of preference. Try them at home and see how you like them. I carry an aluminum single pole with a cane-shaped handle which helps in balance and negotiating slippery spots and makes me feel a little more secure agaisnt the occassional dog, and also takes a little weight off...
  3. glennb

    Sunglasses?

    I strongly disagree with the idea that sunglasses are not necessary. And I'll bet an optomitrist or opthamologist would too. Being out in the sun all day for a month requires sunglasses, period. Don't spend a fortune, inexpensive plastic ones are fine. They need to be durable, because they...
  4. glennb

    Should I start from Leon or closer to Santiago? Can do 130 m

    I agree wih the posters who've recommended starting a little closer. Walking 15 miles is one thing, doing it every day for two weeks is a whole different thing. And the Camino is much more enjoyable if you don't feel time-pressured.
  5. glennb

    Backpack Taxis?

    I saw a reference to "backpack taxis". Is that what I think it might be? A van that ferrys backpacks to the next stop for a fee so that the Pilgrim can walk without his pack? Not that I would ever stoop so low, mind you, but just curious as an academic matter.... Are they reliable and...
  6. glennb

    Opinions on my loadout? Pretty sure I'm taking too much..

    I think you're a bit heavy on clothes. For example, four pair of shorts, and a pair of jeans, is a lot. I'm going in April, and for my legs will have only two pair underwear, lightwieght nylon hiking pants and a single pair of shorts. (I will also have a superlightweight down jacket (about 14...
  7. glennb

    do I need a phone?

    I'm considering whether to bring my iphone on the Frances route this April. I'd like not to. To the extent I need to communicate with home, I can do it from villages along the way at internet cafes. I suppose my biggest concern is that I may need it to call ahead for reservations each day...
  8. glennb

    How busy will the camino be this year?

    Like you perhaps, I assumed that the Camino would be mobbed this year due to the release of The Way. (After all, if it inspired me won't it inspire everyone?) But that seems not to be the case. The movie was only modestly successful as an offbeat film. And not that many people have the...
  9. glennb

    Gear/training

    I'm an experience hiker and climber and I think you have the right idea. You want to walk 5-6 times a week, but not distances that are so exhausting that you have to take three days off. And mix in some long sessions once or twice a week.
  10. glennb

    No room in the Inn

    Then you sleep in a manger.
  11. glennb

    Where are all the Americans???

    It seems logical that there would be many more Europeans than Americans simply because the Camino is in their backyard and has been for a thousand years. I don't think the paucity of Americans is necessarily a bad reflection on them. Another factor is undoubtedly the difference in vacation...
  12. glennb

    :-(

    By leaving what you know you know, you may find what you didn't know you know. Buon camino and bon courage. And then you'll turn that frown upside down.
  13. glennb

    Copyright on camino photos?

    I happened to practice intellectual property law in another life. The "fair use" question of copyright law has no certain answer. In general, however, if you are not making money from a use, it will not be in violation of copyright law. That's a gross over-simplification, but not an...
  14. glennb

    walking camino with the dog

    I think perhaps you should consider cleaning up after the dog, especially if it does it's thing on the path. And PLEASE be sure that the dog doesn't bark at, or jump on, or otherwise menace the pilgrims. I know that you think all that is harmless, but a person who doesn't know your dog will not.
  15. glennb

    Five tips for the novice pilgrim

    I got my pack down to about 18 pounds. i'm a strong hiker and climber, and I'll be walking in April when I need a bit more clothing and a sleeping bag. It's in a good-sized daypack, not a backpacking pack. If I were walking in midsummer, I think I could do it with 12-13 pounds. A common...
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