LIVE from the Camino 2 recent SMU grads on the camino

[sillydoll]

Each with 40 LB (18kg) packs. Yikes!!


http://pherrellandjoy.blogspot.com/2010 ... books.html

 

[goonerpilgrim]

:shock: Unbelievable! I'm trying to keep my backpack below 7 kgs so my knees and back won't suffer through the Pyrenees. I'll keep on checking their progress throughout the days...

¡Buen Camino! :arrow:

 

[nellpilgrim]

40lbs packs :cry: Good lord I was about to ask "what have they got in their packs".......but perhaps "what haven't they got" is the more salient question? I hope they're OK and dump/give away some stuff before their knees/feet are impacted by that weight.
N

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I am sure they will adapt and give stuff away...post stuff ahead etc.....
We met a lovely young American student who started with a pack like that- her luggage included a very large Bible. But she soon began sending stuff ahead.... amazing how walking with a pack gives you that idea. In Santiago she had three large boxes to collect from the Post Office, and I don't think she was the only one...
Margaret

 

[johnie99]

Come on people, open your minds up a bit!!

We each carried in excess of 20kg (thats about 44lbs, one third of body weight) and had no problems what so ever and had a really enjoyable 6 weeks. Not all of believe in Catholic pain and suffering!! It is notable that all the miserable people we met on the Camino were the ones that didn't have their little comforts, or were freezing cold because to minimise wgt they left that big heavy coat at home, or they had loads of blisters because they had only one pair of walking shoes. Not to mention the people begging for food or medical supplies, etc. I could go on.
We had everything we wanted and almost everything we needed.

This obsession with carrying only 10% of body wgt is verging on the ridiculous and whatever "expert" came up with that figure was probably referring to some very unfit people who have never walked a signicant distance in their lives.

Its all about knowing your body and your mind. Be in tune with both of these and ignore what's happening with other pilgrims. A few years ago I used to get severe knee problems when hiking. So bad that I couldn't physically walk at times it was so excruciating. After a bit of research, I learned to do some very basic exercises before long walks. Haven't had a problem since then. I had expected a flare up on the Camino, but to my surprise I had no problems at all. My left ankle had occasional swelling which was resolved by changing footwear. Luckily, I had a change!!

Its not the wgt, its how you carry it.

So to conclude,
Stop trying to package everyone as being the same. There is no right way and there is no wrong way. We all have our own journey.

 

[sillydoll]

Expert backpackers suggest that you do not carry more than 1/5 of your bodyweight.
For me that would be about 11kg. I never carry more than 6kg - with water - and even that feels heavy for the first few days until my body gets used to carrying the weight. I have all my little luxuries including an extra little black number and chiffon shrug for evenings out - and I have never had to beg for anything!
10% - 15% of body weight is about right - for me - when walking the camino in summer. If I carried 1/3 of my body weight I would buckle under the pressure no matter how I carried it!

 

[nellpilgrim]

I don't know Johnie it's OK if you're able for it but a hard learning curve if you're not :cry: Their blog features a picture of a pair of legs (belonging to the male blogger) showing both his feet bandaged for blisters and he also sports homemade 'Knee supports' made out of thin elastic 'bobbies' (hair ties) on his knees!......So perhaps they haven''t quite achieved that admirable level of body/mind self knowledge you mention just yet (nor have I by the way and I know I'll be chucking 'stuff' out over the first day or two of my next Camino ) And even with very large packs their supplies do not include an elastic bandage or knee support.
I didn't discover this forum until I had finished the CF and as a result experienced lots of 'hands on' learning opportunities some of which were great and some of which I could have done without (I don't think the latter occasions made me a better pilgrim just more of a grumpy one!)
Nell

 

[goonerpilgrim]

I see that both finally relieved their packs from unnecessary weight and shipped it to Santiago... Excellent move!

¡Buen Camino! :arrow:

 

[anngw]

Sillydoll will you share your packing list please? The weight of your pack is around what I am aiming for.
The recent SMU grads with 40 lb packs - yikes. Are you still there, SMU grads? Are you males in your twenties?
(Sillydoll, what did you do AFTER the camino, though? Buy a duffel and a few bits of clothes, or did you have stuff posted ahead?)

thanks
Ann

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Ann... they were a couple, a young woman and a young man, and after they lightened their packs they seemed to be much happier. They tended to make quite brief, but often quite humorous blog entries along the way- often about food which does tend to be a pilgrim preoccupation! They made it all the way to Santiago, and arrived there on March 23rd. Their blog is at http://pherrellandjoy.blogspot.com/
Margaret

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

What a happy journey for the two young people, such a nice blog. Thank you Margaret for posting such encouraging comments as they were doing the Camino, it must have made them very happy to know they have an experienced person following their journey during some of the harder part of their journey.

I have never read so much good humour and seen so smiles in any pictures of the Camino, the 40 pounds of luggage did not seem to dampen their positive attitude. Ah .... the pleasures of youth, how we oldies envy them. Your kind words must have lightened their load.

Grandpa Joe

 

[anngw]

Very nice blog. Thanks for the link, Margaret.
Ann