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Recent content by Northern Laurie

  1. Northern Laurie

    Minimum Cycling Distances in Portugal

    Hi all I am considering cycling the coastal route but wondered if any / many albergues have minimum cycling distances. Eg do I have to ride a minimum amount per day to be able to stay in an albergue. I overheard conversations between hospitaleros and cycle pilgrims on the Norte that made me...
  2. Northern Laurie

    Walking solo and staying in hotels - share your experience of solitude

    “You may find you are never alone”. There is both a literal truth and metaphorical truth in that phrase. The Camino is a social activity through populated areas. You will never be literally alone. You may have a sense of G-d with you on some days and discover you are not alone in that sense...
  3. Northern Laurie

    What “baggage” do you wish you had not brought on your second Camino?

    I appreciate that - I chose to do a different route this time, partly because of time constraints and a lingering desire for “completing” the pilgrimage, partly to avoid expectations of places and people. The world has changed so much, i have to assume the Camino has as well. But I am not sure...
  4. Northern Laurie

    What “baggage” do you wish you had not brought on your second Camino?

    I did the Norte in 2017. This set off a wild ride of changes in life - shifting many things. I am now at a new plateau and it feels like the right time to do Camino #2, this time the Portuguese. The last time, I met many people doing their second Camino that brought the expectations from...
  5. Northern Laurie

    Skirts and wool leggings

    I wore the Makabi skirt - loved it! Its quite long, but can be cinched into a short skirt. I had the skirt, a pair of convertible pants, a pair of leggings, and a very large scarf I could use as a wrap skirt/pillow case/privacy screen/scarf. This combination worked extremely well for me as I...
  6. Northern Laurie

    Were the pilgrim tips or packing list from books useful?

    I read a selection of different pilgrims books as well as this forum. Most of them repeated the same information and yes, it was generally useful. The most important message that was clearly transmitted was “keep the weight down”and “you don’t need as much as you think you do”. Some ideas on...
  7. Northern Laurie

    This is a very Negative Post. A Vent.

    Have you thought of setting up an anti-Refugio? Sit on a porch with a paint gun and a BIG bowl of ice cream and terrorize the beastly pilgrim. I am so sorry this has become your experience. I can see the attraction to helping groups of people, particularly when the group is immersed in their...
  8. Northern Laurie

    Best Blister Prevention Method - Vote!

    I had funny little micro blisters near the edge of my toe nail at around 750km. I think from fritction of the toe nail bed inside the toe (not against the skin if that makes any sense). Not a problem of shoe or sock, and not a problem of long toe nails. It didn’t hurt but if I had to walk...
  9. Northern Laurie

    Primitio or Norther Camino advice

    From Villaviciosa to Gijon, about half to 3/4 of the distance is through beautiful pastoral land and Forest with a mixture paved, gravel, and trail type surfaces. The rest of it is through suburbs and into a large city. From Gijon to Aviles about 1/4 to 1/2 is through farmland but the rest...
  10. Northern Laurie

    The Comfort Zone

    I don’t believe it related to “being out of my comfort zone”... there are many things in life that I’ve found far less comfortable and less profound-like presenting to groups of 100 plus angry building owners. But in taking on something that was a challenge and successfully completing it did...
  11. Northern Laurie

    Can we please talk kilometres, litres, Celsius, right-side driving, etc.?

    I’m a Canuck and work in building engineering. Our building codes are metric. Our construction materials in imperial. The only place I know you can buy 10m rebar (10mm) in 9 foot lengths. Why? Because the great construction market to our south. And I know exactly how big a metre is and how...
  12. Northern Laurie

    If you only had two weeks...

    Oh yes indeed, I remember the culture shock of meeting up with the Frances at Arzua (I think? Or o Pino? It’s all a blur). In particular I remember going into overdrive trying to find a place on the trail that wasn’t overcrowded with pilgrims. I was almost running trying to just get ahead of...
  13. Northern Laurie

    If you only had two weeks...

    If you only had two weeks, what stretch would you do and why (on the Frances). I Walked the Norte a year ago. I can’t stop thinking about going again and would really like the experience of the Frances likely in the fall (September or October). Alas I won’t be able to take substantial amounts...
  14. Northern Laurie

    Does having a half-full pack affect the weight distribution in a pack?

    I used a 68l pack with exterior compression straps and one inadvertently genius move: a travel cube I was worried about load distribution, so I bought a light weight packing cube about 4”x12”x16” (100mm x 300mm x 400mm). All my clothes went inside. It made packing and unpacking a breeze- I...
  15. Northern Laurie

    My first time - ALONE

    Time difference from Toronto isn’t too significant, but you might still feel a bit of jet lag. I am a lazy bones so any excuse to do a short day works for me. The better shape you are in and the shorter days you walk, the more your body will forgive cheaper equipment. I met up with one woman...
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