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Debbye Jean,
Here's a video... my opinion (as a guy, of course) on what worked and what did't for me. I think my pack was around 14 lbs, counting the hiking poles:
Dan
Ps Again speaking as a guy, as a pilgrim it's OK to go au naturel. It's the inner beauty and outer sweat that count!
pps...
Definitely start in Roncesvalles... or somewhere on the Spanish side. It's nuts to climb 1000 meters (or whatever) on your first day, even if you're in great shape.
Just do it. I met an overweight guy on the Appalachian Trail who was up to 3 miles a day who had started at less than a mile a couple of weeks before. With villages, coffee shops and albergues every few miles on the Camino Frances you should be fine. Just take it easy and don't try to prove...
I'll be walking west from Bilbao for a month beginning around April 19 and only expect to do 20 km or so a day, so I'll probably see you blast past me. I'll say Buen Camino to you now, since there won't be that many other pilgrims on the path to say it to you next month!
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