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I recall a situation where a pilgrim dropped her passport along the way. Word was spread going back towards her previous stop for a break. Someone found it and it was passed along for several kilometers to where she sat waiting. Another Camino miracle.
Yes. At 69 and after a nine hour walk from SJPP I really appreciated my own room. There was a blood moon that night. I watched it rise over the mountain and flood the courtyard with light. So grateful and then onwards.
I was 69 when I hiked from SJPP to Roncesvalles. I reached Orisson in just over two hours and, having started early in the am on a lovely Sept morning I was glad I had decided to continue I reached my destination in just a bit over nine hours after I left SJPP. A lovely walk. I had trained a...
There really is no need for a GPS app on the Camino Frances. Well marked and a look at Brierley provides an idea of the Kms covered in a given day of walking. What a relief to put away the phone. Only used to text with Hubby every couple of days and take a photo on occasion.
As always, everyone's Camino is their own. That said I saw many pilgrims walking with poles incorrectly adjusted for height. Makes a huge difference. I do know, however that I never could not have made it from SJPP to Roncevalles without them. And I think that going downhill with them and...
Yes,you can have your luggage transported from SJPP to Roncevalles. And yes, do not feel any guilt about it. I used adaypack for my cross Pyrenees day and at the age of 70 I felt that was fair enough! I had a lovely 9 hour walk and know that it would have diminished my joy at starting off...
So. After four trips on the Camino and keeping in mind that everyone has their own Camino, I have to think that bicycling just doesn’t provide the access to fellow pilgrims and the time to reflect that walking does. If interested in bicycling in Spain there must be other options. If you cant...
I have used my cellphone without a SIM insert for years. I just upgrade my plan for a month to include global coverage. I have TMobile which connects with pretty much all of Europe immediately after departing the plane from the US. I know other phone carriers are just as easily connected. Cost...
I started in SJPdP at 7:30 or so and made it to Orisson by mid morning. The weather was perfect (September) and I just had a coffee visited with some fellow pilgrims and headed off. Made Roncevalles about 5 p.m. I walked at a steady but not crazy pace. Looking back I felt that if...
I walked my first Camino from Sarria to Finesterre at the age of 69 four years ago. Since then I've walked from SJPP to Logrono over two different trips. Heading back this May to walk from Ponferrada to Sarria. I find that doing it in stages helped me. My goal is to finish before I am 75. I...
One of my main worries when I first hiked the Camino was loose dogs. A bad experience years ago has made them a huge problem for me. I quickly realized that most of the dogs I saw were apparently very used to passing pilgrims. Most times they did not bother to bark or even get up to check us out!
Take th advice from the folks in th Pilgrim Office and in Orisson. Also, if caught in thunder and lightening in th open, you should curl up in a ball close to the ground. As to rain, if it is raining on the Napoleon route it is raining on the Valcarlos Route. Embrace your Camino
I started hiking the Camino at 65. I’ve made several trips including hiking the Napoleon route at 69. I’m 71 and still have a bit to go. I found that hiking religiously four to five miles three times a week, including some steep uphill climbs, for about a month was adequate preparation. I diD...
On my third Camino I lost four toenails. After analysis of the situation I believe that my toe box on my trusty Merrills was too large. I should have put in new insoles to prevent toes from sliding forward and hitting when going down hill. Bigger boots not the answer. A good fit where the feet...
I walked from St. Jean to Roncevalles via the Napoleon Route in late September 2016. I started out at 8:30 on a cool sunny day and hit Orisson by 11:00 a.m. It seemed a lovely place but I had planned to get to Roncevalles so I ate a nice lunch on the terrace and headed out. Arrived in...
Hello Pilgrim Mom,
I'm a Pilgrim Grandma (68 years old with daughters a bit older than she must be) and this is my second walk. This year I will be departing from SJPP on the morning of September 27. Is your daughter leaving then? I would love company on that particularly challenging day if...
This is my second Camino walk. Walked from Sarria to Santiago in 2014. Will be leaving SJPP early on the 27th and would love a buddy for the first day only. I am a bit apprehensive but only about that first day! Anyone interested in company. I am a quiet person so not into chatting! Thanks.
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