Introducing myself--hello from Philadelphia!

[JGardner]

Hi!

I'm planning my first Camino in June-July 2025. I'm a married father of 3 looking forward to my first solo hiking trip in 25 years. (Maybe when the kids are older, we'll do the Camino as a family). I'm tacking my Camino on at the end of a family vacation in Europe. We'll be ending by visiting my wife's cousin in Lisbon, then they'll fly home and I'll get 8-9 days on the Camino.

Because I'll be in Lisbon, and I'll have about 8 days, I'm looking at possibly starting in Valenca and taking the Spiritual Variant as well. I haven't ruled out taking a train to pick up the Camino Frances. So it's between these two routes.

Philly is a great place to train as far as cities go--there are a lot of green spaces and two very good, long trails. I have a lot of time to plan and train, and I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can here.

 

[ThreeWishes]

Welcome to the forum, neighbor! I'm in Delco.

Happy learning and planning!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@JGardner , welcome to the forum!

There's loads of great information on here, and a bunch of interesting personalities to boot. A thousand and one rabbit holes to go down, and many, many hours of reading.

If, after a little research, you can't find an answer to a Camino related question, ask away - it's not often someone on here doesn't know the answer.

Happy reading!

 

[CWBuff]

Jim, Jim Gardner is that you?!?!?
(Heck if it is him Id be slightly giddy)

Anyways welcome to the Forum! Aside a ton of totally awesome advice you'll get here I strongly sugest for you to join our local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino
The Philadelphia chapter can be reached by joining here: APotC - Phila Chapter
We do meetings and schedule various hikes to help you train.
hope to see you one of these days.

Good luck with preparations!!!!

 

[JGardner]

Jim, Jim Gardner is that you?!?!?
(Heck if it is him Id be slightly giddy)

Anyways welcome to the Forum! Aside a ton of totally awesome advice you'll get here I strongly sugest for you to join our local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino
The Philadelphia chapter can be reached by joining here: APotC - Phila Chapter
We do meetings and schedule various hikes to help you train.
hope to see you one of these days.

Good luck with preparations!!!!

Sorry--John, not Jim.

Thanks for alerting me to the Philadelphia chapter--I'll look into it!

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Jim, Jim Gardner is that you?!?!?
(Heck if it is him Id be slightly giddy)

Anyways welcome to the Forum! Aside a ton of totally awesome advice you'll get here I strongly sugest for you to join our local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino
The Philadelphia chapter can be reached by joining here: APotC - Phila Chapter
We do meetings and schedule various hikes to help you train.
hope to see you one of these days.

Good luck with preparations!!!!

Was going to post the same thing! (Sorry I’ll miss you all tomorrow).

 

[mdibo324]

Hi John,

Welcome to the Forum neighbor. I’m in South Philly. I will leaving for my first Camino in less than two weeks. The Forum provides a lot of great information and advice. I would also recommend You on the Camino podcast. It’s geared toward the Camino Francés but has good information about what is useful for first time Pilgrims. I also found Camino Tellers on YouTube is be very helpful as well.

Buen Camino

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Hi John,

Welcome to the Forum neighbor. I’m in South Philly. I will leaving for my first Camino in less than two weeks. The Forum provides a lot of great information and advice. I would also recommend You on the Camino podcast. It’s geared toward the Camino Francés but has good information about what is useful for first time Pilgrims. I also found Camino Tellers on YouTube is be very helpful as well.

Buen Camino

We are close neighbors - I’m in Queen Village!

 

[mdibo324]

We are close neighbors - I’m in Queen Village!

Hi,

Fantastic. Nice to meet you .

 

[CWBuff]

And speaking of resources - let me highlight one of the members of Phila chapter - @NadineK - who's got a neat website Nadine Walks which takes you to her blog, youTube videos and more!