A long-winded intro

[Edith Frost]

Hi! I'm beginning in SJPDP on April 1st, flying into Biarritz... I have my trip booked through CaminoWays and will be taking rest-days in all the larger towns, for I think 51 days total. Last year I set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, but only ended up making it 180 miles (ONLY about 2000 miles shy of finishing, ha ha). I'm hoping to do better on my Camino, which is why I went the travel-agent route to make things as easy on myself as possible, with the luggage transport etc.

I've been to Spain a few times (as a touring musician) and speak pretty fluent Spanish, since I lived in Mexico as a kid... that oughta help a lot! French is terrible though.

If you ask me why I'm doing the Camino, it's because I just love to hike, and I think I'll love the cultural experience. I'm prepared and eager to be forever changed by this. I was so disappointed (in myself) when I had to bail off the AT, due to foot & knee problems... I want to be able to say I've completed at least one thru-hike! I actually first heard about the Camino from another thru-hiker who said she'd done it the year before. I know it's apples & oranges but she made it sound like a real cakewalk compared to the AT. So it stuck it my mind, and almost as soon as I got home I started researching. And now I'm less than 5 weeks away from starting... ::gulp::

(I don't actually think it'll be a cakewalk, my feet & knees will make sure of that.)

Confession: As a lifelong roller-skater I'm super tempted to bring along my lightest pair of skates or maybe a fold-up scooter. However I'm also keen on ultralight backpacking so it's something I have to (literally) weigh very carefully. And if I decide to do it, I'll need to plot out which sections have skateable pavement and which ones are just trail-trail. So on mostly trail-days I could send the skates/scooter ahead with my pack... well... it's an idea. I know it'd be super handy to have wheels to get around the urban areas at least.

Thanks very much for reading all that. I hope I see some of y'all there! If you're looking out for me, I got a new hairdo so it's only blue on top, not all over. That way I can put a cap on it and go on church tours etc. without feeling like I might be distracting others in sacred places, you know... maybe also throw a skirt over those bug-eaten legs while I'm at it?

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi! I'm beginning in SJPDP on April 1st, flying into Biarritz... I have my trip booked through CaminoWays and will be taking rest-days in all the larger towns, for I think 51 days total. Last year I set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, but only ended up making it 180 miles (ONLY about 2000 miles shy of finishing, ha ha). I'm hoping to do better on my Camino, which is why I went the travel-agent route to make things as easy on myself as possible, with the luggage transport etc.

I've been to Spain a few times (as a touring musician) and speak pretty fluent Spanish, since I lived in Mexico as a kid... that oughta help a lot! French is terrible though.

If you ask me why I'm doing the Camino, it's because I just love to hike, and I think I'll love the cultural experience. I'm prepared and eager to be forever changed by this. I was so disappointed (in myself) when I had to bail off the AT, due to foot & knee problems... I want to be able to say I've completed at least one thru-hike! I actually first heard about the Camino from another thru-hiker who said she'd done it the year before. I know it's apples & oranges but she made it sound like a real cakewalk compared to the AT. So it stuck it my mind, and almost as soon as I got home I started researching. And now I'm less than 5 weeks away from starting... ::gulp::

(I don't actually think it'll be a cakewalk, my feet & knees will make sure of that.)

Confession: As a lifelong roller-skater I'm super tempted to bring along my lightest pair of skates or maybe a fold-up scooter. However I'm also keen on ultralight backpacking so it's something I have to (literally) weigh very carefully. And if I decide to do it, I'll need to plot out which sections have skateable pavement and which ones are just trail-trail. So on mostly trail-days I could send the skates/scooter ahead with my pack... well... it's an idea. I know it'd be super handy to have wheels to get around the urban areas at least.

Thanks very much for reading all that. I hope I see some of y'all there! If you're looking out for me, I got a new hairdo so it's only blue on top, not all over. That way I can put a cap on it and go on church tours etc. without feeling like I might be distracting others in sacred places, you know... maybe also throw a skirt over those bug-eaten legs while I'm at it?

Hy Edith, you will doing great.I wish you a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[David]

Nice post - not long to wait either .. just a very few weeks away.

I would so love to see a pilgrim on roller skates!

Enjoy your Camino - by the way, rather than a 'thru-hike' we tend to think of it as a pilgrimage.

 

[SRM]

Hi! I'm beginning in SJPDP on April 1st, flying into Biarritz... I have my trip booked through CaminoWays and will be taking rest-days in all the larger towns, for I think 51 days total. Last year I set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, but only ended up making it 180 miles (ONLY about 2000 miles shy of finishing, ha ha). I'm hoping to do better on my Camino, which is why I went the travel-agent route to make things as easy on myself as possible, with the luggage transport etc.

I've been to Spain a few times (as a touring musician) and speak pretty fluent Spanish, since I lived in Mexico as a kid... that oughta help a lot! French is terrible though.

If you ask me why I'm doing the Camino, it's because I just love to hike, and I think I'll love the cultural experience. I'm prepared and eager to be forever changed by this. I was so disappointed (in myself) when I had to bail off the AT, due to foot & knee problems... I want to be able to say I've completed at least one thru-hike! I actually first heard about the Camino from another thru-hiker who said she'd done it the year before. I know it's apples & oranges but she made it sound like a real cakewalk compared to the AT. So it stuck it my mind, and almost as soon as I got home I started researching. And now I'm less than 5 weeks away from starting... ::gulp::

(I don't actually think it'll be a cakewalk, my feet & knees will make sure of that.)

Confession: As a lifelong roller-skater I'm super tempted to bring along my lightest pair of skates or maybe a fold-up scooter. However I'm also keen on ultralight backpacking so it's something I have to (literally) weigh very carefully. And if I decide to do it, I'll need to plot out which sections have skateable pavement and which ones are just trail-trail. So on mostly trail-days I could send the skates/scooter ahead with my pack... well... it's an idea. I know it'd be super handy to have wheels to get around the urban areas at least.

Thanks very much for reading all that. I hope I see some of y'all there! If you're looking out for me, I got a new hairdo so it's only blue on top, not all over. That way I can put a cap on it and go on church tours etc. without feeling like I might be distracting others in sacred places, you know... maybe also throw a skirt over those bug-eaten legs while I'm at it?

Welcome Edith, Buen Camino !

 

[Suzanne S.]

Welcome, Edith! Your introduction was lovely and lively! I wish you a Buen Camino!

 

[Edith Frost]

Enjoy your Camino - by the way, rather than a 'thru-hike' we tend to think of it as a pilgrimage.

Oh I do too, it's just force of habit that I'm using that term. But the funny thing is -- don't take this the wrong way, but I feel like a lot of people treat the AT as a pilgrimage too. Lots of people I met said they were doing it to get closer to their God, whatever their religion. I met a handful of retired (and some current) pastors on that trail, some of them preaching as they went along, some of them just enjoying themselves. I guess God was more reachable to them in the wilderness than in church, and hikers were the people they wanted to minister-to. But even the majority of hikers doing it for secular reasons seemed to put an almost religious zeal to their journey, with Katahdin being their Santiago. Even though they know it's just a symbol, just an arbitrary mountain somewhere, they're using it to focus on, like a candle or a cross. Things that make you go "hmmmm"...

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Hi Edith.
Welcome to the Camino.
Next year I will go to Atlanta to try a NOBO thru-hiker.
I hope to do more miles with you LOL
I'll see you when you cross by Zizur.
Buen Camino.
Mikel.

 

[Felipe]

Orale! A "roller-grim"!
There is a young lady who did the Camino this way, and has a Facebook page with videos for each stage. It is in Spanish, but this would not be a problem to you, and everything seems quite obvious. I am not into it, but it seems that she used different kinds of rollers, according to terrain.
April will still be windy, rainy and muddy....on the other side, apart from some mountain sections, the Camino is fairly plain. Most are dirt or gravel paths, but there are some paved sections, generally around cities. Maybe you can consult the pages dedicated to cyclists (or "bicigrinos")
Buen camino!

 

[Edith Frost]

Yeah I could do the bicigrino route and keep my skates on, but the thing is, I really love to hike and I want to mix it up. Also I don't want to miss the Camino experience, I want to stay on the main trail unless there's pavement adjacent & within shouting distance.

I saw a bunch of those videos. Cool lady, her name's Anuska Gil and she was going along giving out awards to great women along the Camino... people who help pilgrims in various ways. I'm all for the idea of her using her show to bring recognition to people who don't get thanks enough for what they do. I don't know how the skating ties in with that, I guess she's just a good skater & felt like doing it that way! But I was daunted watching her deal with downhills... in one scene she had a walking stick between her legs, dragging it like a rudder & digging in with all her might trying to slow her roll. That was a little scary, probably in that situation I'd just put on my boots & walk down. I don't do extreme downhills on my scooter either, even though it has a foot-brake. I might've when I was in my 20s but I'm 50 now, these things get more complicated!

 

[Arn]

Edith,

The 200 miles you did on the AT equate to pilgrims on the Camino walking the stage from SJPDP to Roncesvalles five times in a row. When you consider that a store location might be one every thirty miles...you had to carry about 2.5 lbs/1+ kg of food for each day between them.
As far as "finding themselves" on the AT, it's a common goal resulting in mixed reviews.
I knew my wife had cancer and we talked about my doing the AT. She said she would be my support back home making sure my "support packages" went out on the right day to the right post office.
I found the AT a challenge, but at the same time a series of miles followed by even more miles. One stormy night near Mt. Rogers Natl Park in Virginia, the shelter was 1.2 miles downhill. I really didn't look forward to an uphill slog the next morning. I was alone, the downpour never abated and lightening surrounded my location. As I was making an entry in the register I realized how much I was going to miss her. That was my only recollection: not of finding myself, but knowing I would be without her.
If I had been despondent, as alone as I was, I may have never had to worry about making the walk the next morning. That option, she never would have forgiven me for.
I have never had a desire to walk the AT again. That said, I will begin my fifth Camino in April.
On Camino, you are as alone as you desire, but close enough...should you reach out...someone will take your hand.
Buen "the Camino color is Red" Camino,
Arn

 

[Edith Frost]

I'm gonna try combining 2 replies, hope I don't bork it up.

Hi Edith.
Welcome to the Camino.
Next year I will go to Atlanta to try a NOBO thru-hiker.
I hope to do more miles with you LOL
I'll see you when you cross by Zizur.
Buen Camino.
Mikel.

That's exciting! I'm sure there are a ton of AT expats around here, but hit me up if you need any info... I could & literally have talked all day about this.

The 200 miles you did on the AT equate to pilgrims on the Camino walking the stage from SJPDP to Roncesvalles five times in a row.
When you consider that a store location might be one every thirty miles...you had to carry about 2.5 lbs/1+ kg of food for each day between them.

You don't have to convince me that certain things'll be a lot easier on my Camino! I was carrying 42 pounds when I started the AT, then 31 after the shakedown at Neel Gap. Uhhh, with food but not including water. I had a couple of opportunities to slackpack for a day here & there... my feet & knees were thrilled!

Your experience on the AT sounds... pretty awful, what can I say other than I'm sorry. For me, I didn't have a problem with the solitude, but the grueling day-in, day-out, combined with frequent horrible weather... doing mountain climbing? I, like you, didn't always feel safe. But I was lucky, in that the times I really really needed help, I did get (myself towards) help. I only got to rock bottom when I actually bailed out. (The feeling of "I just can't do this.") But even then, people were helping me get to safety (Gatlinburg? LOL) so I could go home with a slight bit of dignity intact. So overall I'd say my experience was... for the best. It was good that I tried, and I would go back, maybe for section-hiking. But I wouldn't dream of starting over at Springer. No way. Whereas I could totally see myself getting hooked on the Camino experience & going back for a different route, or even doing it over.

On Camino, you are as alone as you desire, but close enough...should you reach out...someone will take your hand.
Buen "the Camino color is Red" Camino,
Arn

That sounds awesome to me. Wait, am I supposed to dye my hair red? ;-)

 

[Arn]

Why not....henna is very popular in Spain

 

[Mike Savage]

Welcome Edith! I really do think you are going to enjoy the Camino, the people, the walk, the introspection, everything.

Buen Camino!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Arn: I have a total friend crush on you. I also love Edith the 50-year-old skater with such amazing chutzpah. I know I misspelled that, but leaving it alone is part of my transformation, ha ha!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Edith,

The 200 miles you did on the AT equate to pilgrims on the Camino walking the stage from SJPDP to Roncesvalles five times in a row. When you consider that a store location might be one every thirty miles...you had to carry about 2.5 lbs/1+ kg of food for each day between them.
As far as "finding themselves" on the AT, it's a common goal resulting in mixed reviews.
I knew my wife had cancer and we talked about my doing the AT. She said she would be my support back home making sure my "support packages" went out on the right day to the right post office.
I found the AT a challenge, but at the same time a series of miles followed by even more miles. One stormy night near Mt. Rogers Natl Park in Virginia, the shelter was 1.2 miles downhill. I really didn't look forward to an uphill slog the next morning. I was alone, the downpour never abated and lightening surrounded my location. As I was making an entry in the register I realized how much I was going to miss her. That was my only recollection: not of finding myself, but knowing I would be without her.
If I had been despondent, as alone as I was, I may have never had to worry about making the walk the next morning. That option, she never would have forgiven me for.
I have never had a desire to walk the AT again. That said, I will begin my fifth Camino in April.
On Camino, you are as alone as you desire, but close enough...should you reach out...someone will take your hand.
Buen "the Camino color is Red" Camino,
Arn

This is a huge reply to some things I've been considering about who your wife was, and your relationship with her. What an amazing marriage. What a woman. I can also understand why you've stayed off the AT.

 

[Arn]

Arn: I have a total friend crush on you. I also love Edith the 50-year-old skater with such amazing chutzpah. I know I misspelled that, but leaving it alone is part of my transformation, ha ha!

Well, no emoticon for a man "blushing"...then again,

 

[CaminoDebrita]

So the Camino is the place where we fall in love with ourselves, and with each other.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Confession: As a lifelong roller-skater I'm super tempted to bring along my lightest pair of skates or maybe a fold-up scooter. However I'm also keen on ultralight backpacking so it's something I have to (literally) weigh very carefully. And if I decide to do it, I'll need to plot out which sections have skateable pavement and which ones are just trail-trail. So on mostly trail-days I could send the skates/scooter ahead with my pack... well... it's an idea. I know it'd be super handy to have wheels to get around the urban areas at least.

Thanks very much for reading all that. I hope I see some of y'all there! If you're looking out for me, I got a new hairdo so it's only blue on top, not all over. That way I can put a cap on it and go on church tours etc. without feeling like I might be distracting others in sacred places, you know... maybe also throw a skirt over those bug-eaten legs while I'm at it?

When I was getting my U of O degree (the undergrad years), I loved rollerskating. I remember how off balance I was with a backpack on. Make sure you get plenty of practice with a pack on, Edith darling!

 

[Arn]

So the Camino is the place where we fall in love with ourselves, and with each other.

Love is blind...then again, in my case...better heard and not seen

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Love is blind...then again, in my case...better heard and not seen

Appearance is only a facade to one's true character!

 

[David]

"AugustCaminodeb, post: 275758, member: 41369"]So the Camino is the place where we fall in love with ourselves, and with each other.[/COLOR]

ah - love ... perhaps Camino is that space where we can allow who we are, who we really are, to flower again? To finally be what we have not been able to be for so many decades back in that 'real' world ...

Mother Teresa, that good woman, wasn't thinking of Camino pilgrims when she said this ... but .... for me it is a template that couldn't be bettered, whether on Camino or back in that other world, - it is about love, don't you think?

 

[amorfati1]

ah - love ... perhaps Camino is that space where we can allow who we are, who we really are, to flower again? To finally be what we have not been able to be for so many decades back in that 'real' world ...

Mother Teresa, that good woman, wasn't thinking of Camino pilgrims when she said this ... but .... for me it is a template that couldn't be bettered, whether on Camino or back in that other world, - it is about love, don't you think?

View attachment 16651

david - thanks for posting this and reminding me of those sage words.
to me it goes in-sync with the quote by (either Martin Luther or a hadith by Mohammed or someone else entirely... who cares?!):
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree"
one is kind, or does the right thing ... because it's the kind and right thing to do and not because there's a reward somewhere, or some hidden bonus points to be obtained.
thanks again - much appreciated!

and to Edith: have a marvelous camino - avec ou sans rollers
and if you can - try not to compare it to anything, even those prior hikes/attempts - meet the camino on camino's terms
saluti!

 

[JenD]

Welcome Edith! I enjoy your spirit!

Blessings and buen camino!
Jen

 

[Edith Frost]

Man! I missed a ton of replies here. So many notifications for so many threads I can't keep up. Anyway. One week from tonight I'll be uh... probably asleep. But in Biarritz, and on my way to SJPdP to start walking on April 1st! I'm glad I decided early on to go to Valcarlos from there, since it looks like I wouldn't have a choice at this point, due to weather.

I've gone back and forth about whether or not to bring wheels. But I decided yeah, I really should, because it will be more FUN that way. And I decided if I'm going to bring one set of wheels, the best & most versatile option is my Kickped scooter. I feel it's the option least likely to send me home in a full-body cast? And it's carryable in my pack. Heavyish... 13 pounds. But still very carryable especially since I have luggage transport so won't be carrying clothes or anything unneeded. The scooter has big burly 7" rubber wheels, rolls almost completely silently and will go over almost anything. I have a light for it, and a melodious little bell to warn you... no! Herald my arrival. Edith is here! On her... scooter, okay. There she is!

After a lot of fussing around with my gear I think I have my system down. It's flexible enough for transport on the airlines & also for the daily luggage-transport on the Camino, whether or not I'm taking my scooter that day due to weather or terrain or what have you.

I'm employing all 3 sizes of Osprey Airporter duffels, to create one rainproof lockable, checkable black blob. The small size Airporter fits my backpack, full of all my gear & clothes, and trekking poles. The medium size fits the folded-up scooter (with knee & elbow pads strategically placed around handlebar protrusions). And both of those bundles fit together inside the large Airporter. It stands up like a golf bag! And the whole thing weighs 42 pounds. Which is exactly what my freakin' PACK weighed when I first started on the AT last year. In a thru-hike attempt which failed, probably because I had way too much food and not enough scooter. ;-)

Once I get to St Jean and I'm ready to walk, I unload all unnecessary things from the backpack & transfer to the smaller Airporter to give to the luggage transport dude. I wad up the large one and send that along too. The scooter, inside its thin vinyl sheath, is slippery enough to slide right in my pack, ready to deploy in about 2 minutes. The pack with scooter & dayhike essentials, weighs 21 pounds. (Without water, but still! Not bad!) I don't even want to brag about how light it'll be on non-scooter days.

I was hoping to be able to scoot part of the way over to Valcarlos but it's not looking like that'll be an option... you can't use a scooter on snowy or even wet ground. I accept that there'll be a lot of days when I have to send it ahead. But that's fiiine. I feel very fortunate, it would definitely not be so fine if I didn't have that option, and had to carry it all the way no matter what...!! I doubt I'd even bother bringing it.

I'm just so excited I don't know what to do with myself other than fuss with my gear. Pack, unpack. Walk around the pile in a circle staring at it, then repack it all. Repeat.

 

[Mycamino Maya]

Man! I missed a ton of replies here. So many notifications for so many threads I can't keep up. Anyway. One week from tonight I'll be uh... probably asleep. But in Biarritz, and on my way to SJPdP to start walking on April 1st! I'm glad I decided early on to go to Valcarlos from there, since it looks like I wouldn't have a choice at this point, due to weather.

I've gone back and forth about whether or not to bring wheels. But I decided yeah, I really should, because it will be more FUN that way. And I decided if I'm going to bring one set of wheels, the best & most versatile option is my Kickped scooter. I feel it's the option least likely to send me home in a full-body cast? And it's carryable in my pack. Heavyish... 13 pounds. But still very carryable especially since I have luggage transport so won't be carrying clothes or anything unneeded. The scooter has big burly 7" rubber wheels, rolls almost completely silently and will go over almost anything. I have a light for it, and a melodious little bell to warn you... no! Herald my arrival. Edith is here! On her... scooter, okay. There she is!

After a lot of fussing around with my gear I think I have my system down. It's flexible enough for transport on the airlines & also for the daily luggage-transport on the Camino, whether or not I'm taking my scooter that day due to weather or terrain or what have you.

I'm employing all 3 sizes of Osprey Airporter duffels, to create one rainproof lockable, checkable black blob. The small size Airporter fits my backpack, full of all my gear & clothes, and trekking poles. The medium size fits the folded-up scooter (with knee & elbow pads strategically placed around handlebar protrusions). And both of those bundles fit together inside the large Airporter. It stands up like a golf bag! And the whole thing weighs 42 pounds. Which is exactly what my freakin' PACK weighed when I first started on the AT last year. In a thru-hike attempt which failed, probably because I had way too much food and not enough scooter. ;-)

Once I get to St Jean and I'm ready to walk, I unload all unnecessary things from the backpack & transfer to the smaller Airporter to give to the luggage transport dude. I wad up the large one and send that along too. The scooter, inside its thin vinyl sheath, is slippery enough to slide right in my pack, ready to deploy in about 2 minutes. The pack with scooter & dayhike essentials, weighs 21 pounds. (Without water, but still! Not bad!) I don't even want to brag about how light it'll be on non-scooter days.

I was hoping to be able to scoot part of the way over to Valcarlos but it's not looking like that'll be an option... you can't use a scooter on snowy or even wet ground. I accept that there'll be a lot of days when I have to send it ahead. But that's fiiine. I feel very fortunate, it would definitely not be so fine if I didn't have that option, and had to carry it all the way no matter what...!! I doubt I'd even bother bringing it.

I'm just so excited I don't know what to do with myself other than fuss with my gear. Pack, unpack. Walk around the pile in a circle staring at it, then repack it all. Repeat.

Hi Edith, nice to hear from you and we are also gearing up for our start on April 1 from STJPDP. Maybe our paths will cross. All the best, Maya

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Man! I missed a ton of replies here. So many notifications for so many threads I can't keep up. Anyway. One week from tonight I'll be uh... probably asleep. But in Biarritz, and on my way to SJPdP to start walking on April 1st! I'm glad I decided early on to go to Valcarlos from there, since it looks like I wouldn't have a choice at this point, due to weather.

I've gone back and forth about whether or not to bring wheels. But I decided yeah, I really should, because it will be more FUN that way. And I decided if I'm going to bring one set of wheels, the best & most versatile option is my Kickped scooter. I feel it's the option least likely to send me home in a full-body cast? And it's carryable in my pack. Heavyish... 13 pounds. But still very carryable especially since I have luggage transport so won't be carrying clothes or anything unneeded. The scooter has big burly 7" rubber wheels, rolls almost completely silently and will go over almost anything. I have a light for it, and a melodious little bell to warn you... no! Herald my arrival. Edith is here! On her... scooter, okay. There she is!

After a lot of fussing around with my gear I think I have my system down. It's flexible enough for transport on the airlines & also for the daily luggage-transport on the Camino, whether or not I'm taking my scooter that day due to weather or terrain or what have you.

I'm employing all 3 sizes of Osprey Airporter duffels, to create one rainproof lockable, checkable black blob. The small size Airporter fits my backpack, full of all my gear & clothes, and trekking poles. The medium size fits the folded-up scooter (with knee & elbow pads strategically placed around handlebar protrusions). And both of those bundles fit together inside the large Airporter. It stands up like a golf bag! And the whole thing weighs 42 pounds. Which is exactly what my freakin' PACK weighed when I first started on the AT last year. In a thru-hike attempt which failed, probably because I had way too much food and not enough scooter. ;-)

Once I get to St Jean and I'm ready to walk, I unload all unnecessary things from the backpack & transfer to the smaller Airporter to give to the luggage transport dude. I wad up the large one and send that along too. The scooter, inside its thin vinyl sheath, is slippery enough to slide right in my pack, ready to deploy in about 2 minutes. The pack with scooter & dayhike essentials, weighs 21 pounds. (Without water, but still! Not bad!) I don't even want to brag about how light it'll be on non-scooter days.

I was hoping to be able to scoot part of the way over to Valcarlos but it's not looking like that'll be an option... you can't use a scooter on snowy or even wet ground. I accept that there'll be a lot of days when I have to send it ahead. But that's fiiine. I feel very fortunate, it would definitely not be so fine if I didn't have that option, and had to carry it all the way no matter what...!! I doubt I'd even bother bringing it.

I'm just so excited I don't know what to do with myself other than fuss with my gear. Pack, unpack. Walk around the pile in a circle staring at it, then repack it all. Repeat.

Good Lord, woman! Could you be any more entertaining?? NO. You could not. You are Edith! I particularly like the bell heralding your arrival; the deployment of your scooter from its sheath (hilarious); the last lines in which you wonder around your gear in wonderment and repacking frenzy. It was reminiscent, to me, of my PILE of Camino gear, clothes, and accouterments, which are new piled in one corner of my bedroom. My pile has gotten so out of control that it looks like my own little Cruz de Ferro assortment, and I resolve to clean it up-----probably tomorrow. Anyway, Edit. You've apparently figured it all now, and the only thing left for you to do (Arn mentioned this) is to get that hair a RED shade. Get on that, E!

Love your Joi de vie. Apologies for misspelling that, but meh : )

Deb

 

[Edith Frost]

You guys! I bought a red hat. Acceptable compromise, I hope.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Very acceptable

 

[Arn]

Man! I missed a ton of replies here. So many notifications for so many threads I can't keep up. Anyway. One week from tonight I'll be uh... probably asleep. But in Biarritz, and on my way to SJPdP to start walking on April 1st! I'm glad I decided early on to go to Valcarlos from there, since it looks like I wouldn't have a choice at this point, due to weather.

I've gone back and forth about whether or not to bring wheels. But I decided yeah, I really should, because it will be more FUN that way. And I decided if I'm going to bring one set of wheels, the best & most versatile option is my Kickped scooter. I feel it's the option least likely to send me home in a full-body cast? And it's carryable in my pack. Heavyish... 13 pounds. But still very carryable especially since I have luggage transport so won't be carrying clothes or anything unneeded. The scooter has big burly 7" rubber wheels, rolls almost completely silently and will go over almost anything. I have a light for it, and a melodious little bell to warn you... no! Herald my arrival. Edith is here! On her... scooter, okay. There she is!

After a lot of fussing around with my gear I think I have my system down. It's flexible enough for transport on the airlines & also for the daily luggage-transport on the Camino, whether or not I'm taking my scooter that day due to weather or terrain or what have you.

I'm employing all 3 sizes of Osprey Airporter duffels, to create one rainproof lockable, checkable black blob. The small size Airporter fits my backpack, full of all my gear & clothes, and trekking poles. The medium size fits the folded-up scooter (with knee & elbow pads strategically placed around handlebar protrusions). And both of those bundles fit together inside the large Airporter. It stands up like a golf bag! And the whole thing weighs 42 pounds. Which is exactly what my freakin' PACK weighed when I first started on the AT last year. In a thru-hike attempt which failed, probably because I had way too much food and not enough scooter. ;-)

Once I get to St Jean and I'm ready to walk, I unload all unnecessary things from the backpack & transfer to the smaller Airporter to give to the luggage transport dude. I wad up the large one and send that along too. The scooter, inside its thin vinyl sheath, is slippery enough to slide right in my pack, ready to deploy in about 2 minutes. The pack with scooter & dayhike essentials, weighs 21 pounds. (Without water, but still! Not bad!) I don't even want to brag about how light it'll be on non-scooter days.

I was hoping to be able to scoot part of the way over to Valcarlos but it's not looking like that'll be an option... you can't use a scooter on snowy or even wet ground. I accept that there'll be a lot of days when I have to send it ahead. But that's fiiine. I feel very fortunate, it would definitely not be so fine if I didn't have that option, and had to carry it all the way no matter what...!! I doubt I'd even bother bringing it.

I'm just so excited I don't know what to do with myself other than fuss with my gear. Pack, unpack. Walk around the pile in a circle staring at it, then repack it all. Repeat.

I was all set with my patented "dump the might needs" rant and then I read your entire post and, the more I read and considered, I came to the conclusion you have really thought this through. You've identified the "what ifs" made a basic accommodation and then...ta ta...the plan!
Well done!!
Buen "scooting along" Camino,
Arn

 

[Edith Frost]

Arn you don't have to butter me up, of course I'll let you ride it! ;-)

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Arn you don't have to butter me up, of course I'll let you ride it! ;-)

I just choked on my coffee on this, laughing!

 

[Chacharm]

I actually saw a couple of young guys on skateboards on Camino! I felt sorry for them having to carry the boards on trail until they whizzzed by me on flat top. It is going to be SO MUCH FUN and more than do-able. And you won't give your hair a second thought in sacred places. Your head, no matter its color, is sacred enough for anyplace dedicated to your maker.

 

[Edith Frost]

I actually saw a couple of young guys on skateboards on Camino! I felt sorry for them having to carry the boards on trail until they whizzzed by me on flat top. It is going to be SO MUCH FUN and more than do-able. And you won't give your hair a second thought in sacred places. Your head, no matter its color, is sacred enough for anyplace dedicated to your maker.

I just noticed you're in Austin!? Me too. Well, I guess it's not that weird…

 

[cher99840]

Edith, please keep us informed of your progress. You are an absolute hoot and will certainly liven up the crowd. I admire your planning; be safe.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Edith Frost is an amazing musician, people.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Check her out on Youtube. Sigh. Great night listening to music by one of my favorite pilgrim ladies <3

 

[Edith Frost]

Thanks Deb! There were way way better records after that! IMO. Just so's you know, that one was all home demos so it sounds a little… amateurish to my now-older ears. But I haven't been in the music game in about a decade, I kinda got burnt out on it. Although I am studying piano & posting a ton of bad keyboard videos on YouTube. Sometimes singing too, but usually just the bad keyboard.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I play keyboard---not badly either. I was in bands the whole 80's decade I know there were better songs than Evangeline, but I personally like that song. The Cars song was really nice....Are you working these days? This is YOUR thread, so as long as we're discussing you, I'm safe, right?

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Lots of Edith Frost out there in Youtube land! Lovely.

 

[Edith Frost]

That one got used in the soundtrack for High Fidelity! But didn't make it onto the CD… but STILL.

 

[Chacharm]

I just noticed you're in Austin!? Me too. Well, I guess it's not that weird…

I didn't notice either! Let me know if you want to get together for a Camino chat before you go. I am in Central Austin.

 

[Sheilajg]

Lots of Edith Frost out there in Youtube land! Lovely.

I like that it starts out with "better watch your step". How appropriate,though "better hold your breath" might not work so well on the Camino!

 

[Edith Frost]

I like that it starts out with "better watch your step". How appropriate,though "better hold your breath" might not work so well on the Camino!

But it rhymed, tho…

 

[Edith Frost]

I made it to SJPdP! I had a little scare when I went to the pilgrim's office to get my first stamp. The woman I talked to was very nice. But then I let out the info that I'd brought the scooter with me. She said No. It's not possible to do ANY part of the Camino on a push scooter. I tried to explain but she kept saying no no no. "Not for this Way, I'm sorry." Not even on the pavement? No. Not possible.

So I smiled and thanked her for her help, and left with my tail between my legs. She just doesn't understand, right? Or is it me who doesn't understand?

I suppose I could mail it back home but I'd better wait to see for myself. I've seen plenty of perfectly good pavement on Google Street View… am I nuts? Or, let me rephrase that. ;-) It's not impossible, is it? If a bike can do it, and a skateboard can partially do it, then why is a scooter impossible?

 

[Chacharm]

There is SOME pavement. Not a lot. I don't know what a push scooter is, actually. But there are definitely bits where you could use a skateboard. I think mostly you're just going to be lugging it but if it is worth it to you then that is YOUR business! Don't let her dampen your fun! You may very well stop and mail it ahead to Santiago but until then you'll have it with you for if and when, right?

 

[Edith Frost]

It's pushed/kicked along as opposed to electric or gas-powered. Like a Razor but sized for adults, and with bigger wheels made of rubber instead of polyurethane.

http://www.nycewheels.com/kickped-kick-scooter.html

I'm sure she just had no idea who she was dealing with. Heheh. "Oh you're THAT lady, never mind! You're unstoppable! Carry on…"

 

[Edith Frost]

So I'm sick with a cold I brought with me from Texas. AND I got a blister almost ready to form on the ball of one foot, despite all preventative measures… stupid foot. Sooooo I just said you-know-what it, and found another injured pilgrim to split cab fare. I'm in Zubiri, he went on to Pamplona to get x-rays on his (hopefully only) sprained ankle. My whole Camino is booked-out from start to finish so I couldn't stay an extra day in Roncesvalles. Oh well, that was part of the risk I took doing it this way. I knew that if I got hurt or sick I'd probably have to take a cab. So now it's what, day 3 of my walk? Ha ha. Ugh.

Whoever said that stretch from Valcarlos to Roncesvalles is equivalent to (difficulty-wise) the Georgia/NC section of the Appalachian Trail? That was exactly right. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody told me they were part of the same mountain chain, before the continents split eons ago. Even the rocks look so similar, all the mica laying around etc. And OMG the endless slog, I know that slog. But, it was also very beautiful and peaceful, and we had perfect weather for hiking. So I just took it at a snail's pace and enjoyed the sights as much as I could. I made it to Roncesvalles around 4 or 5pm.

This is a major tontería, but yesterday I nicked a finger -- with my own stupid other thumbnail?!? And it would not quit bleeding. And this was while I was in the middle of changing socks, which then got blood on 'em too. Did I even have ONE bandaid on my person? Well, no, because I'm a huge dodo-head. But I asked another pilgrim & she gave me 2 or 3, which patched me up sufficiently until I got to Roncesvalles. And YES I did remember to put the first aid kit INTO the backpack this time! Not in the luggage, dummy…

The plan now is to take like a 5-hour nap, eat dinner and go back to bed. Try to sleep off this cold. And no walking around, babying the feet. Tomorrow is the first day I have the option to hike with my scooter, unpacking it midway for the pavement going into Pamplona. Or, if I'm not up to that, send it ahead & just walk. Or if I'm feeling super crappy, take another cab. Ugh. Taking cabs is not what I came here for. :-/ But OTOH I have no problem doing that if it's what I have to do to... Especially here while it's still very early in my 52-day Camino. I have soooo many more miles to walk, I gotta pace myself if I want to finish. :-|

Thanks for letting me vent…

 

[CaminoDebrita]

So I'm sick with a cold I brought with me from Texas. AND I got a blister almost ready to form on the ball of one foot, despite all preventative measures… stupid foot. Sooooo I just said you-know-what it, and found another injured pilgrim to split cab fare. I'm in Zubiri, he went on to Pamplona to get x-rays on his (hopefully only) sprained ankle. My whole Camino is booked-out from start to finish so I couldn't stay an extra day in Roncesvalles. Oh well, that was part of the risk I took doing it this way. I knew that if I got hurt or sick I'd probably have to take a cab. So now it's what, day 3 of my walk? Ha ha. Ugh.

Whoever said that stretch from Valcarlos to Roncesvalles is equivalent to (difficulty-wise) the Georgia/NC section of the Appalachian Trail? That was exactly right. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody told me they were part of the same mountain chain, before the continents split eons ago. Even the rocks look so similar, all the mica laying around etc. And OMG the endless slog, I know that slog. But, it was also very beautiful and peaceful, and we had perfect weather for hiking. So I just took it at a snail's pace and enjoyed the sights as much as I could. I made it to Roncesvalles around 4 or 5pm.

This is a major tontería, but yesterday I nicked a finger -- with my own stupid other thumbnail?!? And it would not quit bleeding. And this was while I was in the middle of changing socks, which then got blood on 'em too. Did I even have ONE bandaid on my person? Well, no, because I'm a huge dodo-head. But I asked another pilgrim & she gave me 2 or 3, which patched me up sufficiently until I got to Roncesvalles. And YES I did remember to put the first aid kit INTO the backpack this time! Not in the luggage, dummy…

The plan now is to take like a 5-hour nap, eat dinner and go back to bed. Try to sleep off this cold. And no walking around, babying the feet. Tomorrow is the first day I have the option to hike with my scooter, unpacking it midway for the pavement going into Pamplona. Or, if I'm not up to that, send it ahead & just walk. Or if I'm feeling super crappy, take another cab. Ugh. Taking cabs is not what I came here for. :-/ But OTOH I have no problem doing that if it's what I have to do to... Especially here while it's still very early in my 52-day Camino. I have soooo many more miles to walk, I gotta pace myself if I want to finish. :-|

Thanks for letting me vent…

Here is the good news: you are there! you are essentially okay. These early day issues and pains will subside IF you do pace yourself. As a seasoned hiker, you took just the right approach: the you-know-what it and do what you need to do.

Take care of your body FIRST so you can continue and finish!

Every day is a learning lesson. Be careful on the scooter on foreign pavements. You don't know what you might come across (a giant sink hole? a humongous crack? a truck?). Use caution these very early days. Tiredness, lingering jet lag, and the irritations with the heel and the self-inflicted thumb cut all conspire to make you a less alert peregrina.

So glad you checked in, and everything you said helps me to see where you are and how things are going, and go slow, slow, slowly. Better watch your stepppppp......

Until your next update,

Deb

 

[Edith Frost]

I'm in Puente La Reina… walked 16 miles today… which took me 11 hours?!? I don't think I've ever walked that far before. :-/ I'm definitely the very slowest hiker in the world. Pretty sure. Or maybe I can blame my cold. I'm at the nonproductive coughing stage.

Sooo tired. Hey you guys, I've been pretty much live-tweeting my hike, there are a bunch of pictures over there that I'm too exhausted to post here right now. So if you're on Twitter, follow me if you want the play-by-play. http://twitter.con/edithfrost

 

[Mike Savage]

Take care of yourself Edith and remember to enjoy the journey!

 

[Mike Savage]

I hope you got to "coast" a little during those 16 miles.

 

[Edith Frost]

No, I sent it ahead b/c I didn't want to have to haul it up Alto de Perdon. I really am enjoying myself -- the scenery yesterday was incredible, for one thing. I could do without the aches & pains tho. Couldn't we all!

 

[Edith Frost]

I'm feeling about 75% recovered from whatever it was I caught last week. Sooo happy to say I'm able to walk again… I was taking taxis for a few days due to the hacking fits & blisters. But I'm pretty okay now! Yesterday I did ~10 miles from Los Arcos to Viana and had no real issues with either feet or lungs. The scenery was spectacular yet again. After several blissful hours of this, I thought to myself, "this is is the best day of my whole life, it really is." And then it started raining, ha ha. But I did fine in that too, and it was just sorta sprinkling, never rained very hard.

I spent the night in Viana… an absolutely magical place, I've never seen anything like it except in the movies. And then today for the first time, guess what I did? I rode my scooter! Yayyyy!! I put it in my pack until I got to the pavement at the outskirts of Viana, then took it out for an awesome scoot of maybe a kilometer going very gently downhill. I got on and just glided on down past farmland & houses until it leveled out & the effort of kicking became more than the effort of walking. Easy enough to roll it alongside me then. Eventually the path turned back to rocks & dirt so I folded it back up & stowed it again. Got it back out for the pavement section that starts at the paper mill outside Logroño. Terrain was rolling up & down so I scooted about half the time, walked the rest. Transitions are no problem, just hop off & walk!

So although I'm still not really sure if bringing a scooter is *worth the trouble*? I did have a blast and for the moment, I am glad I brought it. I certainly don't NEED it but it is pretty cool to have, at least for the downhills.

Oh… I should let y'all know… the luggage setup I had described in my initial post here? With the 3 Osprey Airporter duffels? Did NOT work out. Horrible idea. It was fine for the airline, but a huge pain to put together on a daily basis, and a pain for JacoTrans. It was less like a golf bag and more like a big lumpy bodybag! It had no structure so it didn't want to sit properly on the luggage cart. I would try to cinch it down with straps, and the lumps would shift

 

[Edith Frost]

Oops I hit send prematurely!! Y'all get the idea. I ended up ditching that setup and buying an actual rolling duffel, at Corte Inglés in Pamplona. It's a million times better.

 

[Edith Frost]

It's been way too long since I checked in here. I feel guilty about that… it was such a great place to hang when I was *waiting* to start my Camino; why can't I manage to give back while I'm actually doing it? Well, just because. I'm a very slow-hiking pilgrim and there aren't enough hours in the day, what can I say.

Not to be the type who tries to send you off-site, but if you're a Twitter person, or even if you're not -- my account is open to the public -- I've been live-tweeting my entire camino since April 1st, posting tons of pictures there. (I've already blown through half my picture-space here…!! Oops…) http://twitter.com/edithfrost

Anyway, enough with the excuses, lemme try to catch y'all up. I'm taking a rest day in Sahagún today. I'm halfway through my Camino and all is more or less well. I've had an absolutely wonderful time and very few setbacks. There are things I'd absolutely do differently if I could start over, but nothing I feel too bad about.

I got pretty sick at one point. Had to see a doctor at the Cruz Roja / Recoletas in Burgos, due to a bad cough that wouldn't go away. One z-pak later, I can breathe again without coughing, yay!! I've also had problems with my feet -- some nerve pain due to inflammation (greatly helped by those 600mg ibuprofen they sell OTC) plus a gross multi-layer blister on the ball of my right foot (my "big foot", so the boot is probably tighter than the left one). Too late for Compeed so I'm just draining it as needed and using a bit of Neosporin + regular bandages to cover while I walk. That works fine. Typically my feet only hurt during the first half-hour (warming up) and the last 2km of any day. As soon as the town comes into view, the dogs start barkin'!! LOL. But I rest and do a lot of stretching and take some "Vitamin I" and usually feel fine to walk the next morning.

What would I do differently? Well, I wouldn't have brought the scooter. Nice idea but unfortunately not useful *enough* to be worth dragging along. There was one glorious day coming out of Viana & into Logroño… gliding past green fields and making mincemeat of all the long stretches of calzada. That day it all seemed soooo worth it. But all the other days were either too much gravel / not enough pavement, or it was raining, or my poor body just wasn't up to it, so I sent it ahead. I was calling JacoTrans so often I ended up just paying for transport for the entire rest of the way for that SECOND maleta with the scooter in it. I feel like the ultimate example of American excess… but oh well. It was a fun idea and there could still be days where it could come in handy. Definitely in the cities, it's a great way to get around. Burgos would've been neat to explore that way if it hadn't been raining!

And obviously (I guess?) if I come back to do this again, I would not pre-book the entire freaking trip. Don't get me wrong, it's a method that works, I do get a real bed every night, I get the privacy I love and maybe even a hot bath after a long day's hike. I also pre-paid for half-board every day (breakfast & dinner) and that's worked out great as well. One less thing to go searching for. But OTOH I could've booked these hotels as I went along. That would've given me the freedom to take rest days when I actually needed them. I wouldn't have been forced to take so many cab-rides to the next hotel. That just seems dumb in retrospect, but it's how I planned it and now I have no choice but to follow-thru. I knew it was a risk, going in. Judging by my fitness level I had figured I might need to take cabs/buses half the time. And I'm doing way better than that, so I'm not beating myself up about it.

I am feeling a bit isolated from other peregrinos though. That's been the worst part of using hotels instead of albergues. But, I'm a loner by nature anyway. And I do meet lots of pilgrims on the camino itself… plus, there are usually at least one or two others even in these hotels, I see them at dinner or breakfast and have made some good pals that way. But inevitably, the chummin' around only lasts a day or two before we have to part ways. Nobody goes at the same pace or has the exact same itinerary as I do. But… it's all good. I'm happy every time I get to talk to somebody. Sometimes that person ends up being a hotel employee, but they can be just as interesting to talk to as anyone else. I'm pretty good at making friends quick! A learned skill, not one that ever came naturally, but a skill you really need if you're traveling alone & don't want to go bonkers from social isolation.

I did the actual math this morning, wanna see? So. At minimum (the numbers I'm using seem to be uniformly about 2km too low IMO): So far I've walked 13 days for 238km/147 miles. Took taxis 7 days for 155km/96 miles. Which is… aw man, I can't do math. It's better than half the time, so I'm beating the expectation I set for myself. And I'm only halfway to Santiago, so the numbers will get even more impressive (for me, if not for you jaded ones heheh).

The best part has been just *looking* at stuff. I've never seen anything like what I'm seeing here, in terms of ancient objects. I'm soaking up as much history as I can. Picture-taking as much as I can, and sharing it right away with my tweeps. That's seeing-and-sharing had been nothing short of amazing, spectacular, awesome in the truest sense of that word!! My two favorites so far are the Burgos cathedral, and Monasterio San Zoilo in Carrión de Los Condes. Both are jaw-dropping treasures, jewels of history & beauty. I totally want to come back someday with my beloved Jeff. Show him all this and experience the parts of the Camino I had to miss due to lame feet. There is no part of me that doesn't already want to do this again. But better!! Heh.

Until the next update, then. Love love. Kiss on one cheek, kiss on the other cheek etc.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I am thinking about you every day, and wishing you well.

 

[Edith Frost]

This is going to be relatively short (for me) but I wanted to say: I reach Santiago tomorrow. I've been traveling by taxi since Ponferrada due to bad problems with my knees, hips, and feet. I saw a doctor there who diagnosed me with tendinitis (for one knee) and put me on anti-inflammatories. She ordered me to stop walking for at least a week. But my Camino is already booked by an agency and paid-for from start to finish, which left me with few options other than to carry on using whatever transportation options I could. I did rest a lot at the hotels and I was hoping to resume in Sarria but unfortunately the body didn't agree. Also, I didn't want to leave Spain only to face a 2-month recuperation at home, which is what happened on my long hike last year.

I've been very conflicted by different factors. Hearing a lot of stories -- Denise's disappearance plus the other many stories being shared now -- has made me nervous about walking alone. This isn't really a secret but I'm a survivor of sexual assault, by a group of strangers when I was 12 years old (living in Mexico). Which as you might imagine, left permanent scars in my psyche and I have to admit all these stories have gotten to me during this trip. I don't feel especially safe walking alone right now -- that's just me with my "preexisting condition" factored in -- and that absolutely sucks. But it's not the biggest reason I stopped walking. Mainly it was the fact my body got too banged-up along the way and I should've been more prepared physically, or planned a shorter walk. So I won't be asking for my compostela tomorrow since I haven't been walking the final stretch. My compromise with myself & my pains & fears, was to play it safe and just be a tourigrina. To enjoy the rest of my trip as if it were a vacation. I've been walking around (very carefully) in towns and taking pictures to post on my Twitter. I have plenty of time to explore each town, go into churches or whatever's open. I've enjoyed that and oh wow I guess I'm unable to make this a short update LOL. Anyway I'll be hanging around Santiago for a few days before going back home to Texas. My legs are mostly okay at this point and I would love to meet up with anyone from the forum so I'll check the details on that designated meetup once I get there.

Take care & much love to all my fellow pilgrims, especially the ones who failed to finish. I still consider it one of the greatest adventures of my life, it's changed me in many good ways. Everyone I met has been so kind and gracious. And I do want to come back to finish the sections I couldn't manage this time. Just a matter of when and how. Thanks for reading (again) & sorry for all the jumbled-up thoughts. A month and a half experience is pretty hard to boil down into one post.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

This is going to be relatively short (for me) but I wanted to say: I reach Santiago tomorrow. I've been traveling by taxi since Ponferrada due to bad problems with my knees, hips, and feet. I saw a doctor there who diagnosed me with tendinitis (for one knee) and put me on anti-inflammatories. She ordered me to stop walking for at least a week. But my Camino is already booked by an agency and paid-for from start to finish, which left me with few options other than to carry on using whatever transportation options I could. I did rest a lot at the hotels and I was hoping to resume in Sarria but unfortunately the body didn't agree. Also, I didn't want to leave Spain only to face a 2-month recuperation at home, which is what happened on my long hike last year.

I've been very conflicted by different factors. Hearing a lot of stories -- Denise's disappearance plus the other many stories being shared now -- has made me nervous about walking alone. This isn't really a secret but I'm a survivor of sexual assault, by a group of strangers when I was 12 years old (living in Mexico). Which as you might imagine, left permanent scars in my psyche and I have to admit all these stories have gotten to me during this trip. I don't feel especially safe walking alone right now -- that's just me with my "preexisting condition" factored in -- and that absolutely sucks. But it's not the biggest reason I stopped walking. Mainly it was the fact my body got too banged-up along the way and I should've been more prepared physically, or planned a shorter walk. So I won't be asking for my compostela tomorrow since I haven't been walking the final stretch. My compromise with myself & my pains & fears, was to play it safe and just be a tourigrina. To enjoy the rest of my trip as if it were a vacation. I've been walking around (very carefully) in towns and taking pictures to post on my Twitter. I have plenty of time to explore each town, go into churches or whatever's open. I've enjoyed that and oh wow I guess I'm unable to make this a short update LOL. Anyway I'll be hanging around Santiago for a few days before going back home to Texas. My legs are mostly okay at this point and I would love to meet up with anyone from the forum so I'll check the details on that designated meetup once I get there.

Take care & much love to all my fellow pilgrims, especially the ones who failed to finish. I still consider it one of the greatest adventures of my life, it's changed me in many good ways. Everyone I met has been so kind and gracious. And I do want to come back to finish the sections I couldn't manage this time. Just a matter of when and how. Thanks for reading (again) & sorry for all the jumbled-up thoughts. A month and a half experience is pretty hard to boil down into one post.

Oh, man. This is a lot. I think that we all must do what we all must do. Rest up, have a good one, and I'm proud of you.

 

[Edith Frost]

Oh, man. This is a lot. I think that we all must do what we all must do. Rest up, have a good one, and I'm proud of you.

I know, it really is a little much but thank you Deb for always being here for me through my camino. More than any other pilgrim you've stood by & supported me & cheered me on all this way. Can't thank you enough Deb.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I know, it really is a little much but thank you Deb for always being here for me through my camino. More than any other pilgrim you've stood by & supported me & cheered me on all this way. Can't thank you enough Deb.

You've got mail, Edes.

 

[SYates]

This is going to be relatively short (for me) but I wanted to say: I reach Santiago tomorrow. I've been traveling by taxi since Ponferrada due to bad problems with my knees, hips, and feet. I saw a doctor there who diagnosed me with tendinitis (for one knee) and put me on anti-inflammatories. She ordered me to stop walking for at least a week. But my Camino is already booked by an agency and paid-for from start to finish, which left me with few options other than to carry on using whatever transportation options I could. I did rest a lot at the hotels and I was hoping to resume in Sarria but unfortunately the body didn't agree. Also, I didn't want to leave Spain only to face a 2-month recuperation at home, which is what happened on my long hike last year.

I've been very conflicted by different factors. Hearing a lot of stories -- Denise's disappearance plus the other many stories being shared now -- has made me nervous about walking alone. This isn't really a secret but I'm a survivor of sexual assault, by a group of strangers when I was 12 years old (living in Mexico). Which as you might imagine, left permanent scars in my psyche and I have to admit all these stories have gotten to me during this trip. I don't feel especially safe walking alone right now -- that's just me with my "preexisting condition" factored in -- and that absolutely sucks. But it's not the biggest reason I stopped walking. Mainly it was the fact my body got too banged-up along the way and I should've been more prepared physically, or planned a shorter walk. So I won't be asking for my compostela tomorrow since I haven't been walking the final stretch. My compromise with myself & my pains & fears, was to play it safe and just be a tourigrina. To enjoy the rest of my trip as if it were a vacation. I've been walking around (very carefully) in towns and taking pictures to post on my Twitter. I have plenty of time to explore each town, go into churches or whatever's open. I've enjoyed that and oh wow I guess I'm unable to make this a short update LOL. Anyway I'll be hanging around Santiago for a few days before going back home to Texas. My legs are mostly okay at this point and I would love to meet up with anyone from the forum so I'll check the details on that designated meetup once I get there.

Take care & much love to all my fellow pilgrims, especially the ones who failed to finish. I still consider it one of the greatest adventures of my life, it's changed me in many good ways. Everyone I met has been so kind and gracious. And I do want to come back to finish the sections I couldn't manage this time. Just a matter of when and how. Thanks for reading (again) & sorry for all the jumbled-up thoughts. A month and a half experience is pretty hard to boil down into one post.

You made a very different and very special pilgrimage. You should be proud of yourself. Hugs and Buen Camino de la Vida! SY

 

[Edith Frost]

Oh. One other thing I should put out there just so there's a record of it. I don't want to add this to someone else's thread and I don't think it's worth putting into the "camino crime" area, but I do want it said. I had only one situation of seeing a man naked during my camino. It wasn't scary, just very odd. It was the day I was walking to Leon, April 27th. I was passing thru small villages and at one point I passed a small farm, or a least a large vegetable garden of some sort. I looked up (the camino was directly next to, but lower than the garden by a few feet) and I saw someone bending over with their back to me. It then dawned on me that the person had no pants on, or possibly had pants pulled down to their ankles which I couldn't see from that angle. So the idea that uh… flashed… through my mind was that I was either being mooned by a prankster or that this farmer-person was simply carrying on with his or her work without using pants! There was a fence between me and this person and I kept my gaze on them for a second as I approached, to be sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing & to ensure I wasn't in danger. And the person just stayed there in that position mooning me without showing anything else or even giving any indication they'd noticed me. I did feel like it was probably a man and not a woman though, judging by the ass. (!?) So I passed and sped up my walk a bit, thinking wow. They never turned around so it probably isn't a flasher and I probably wasn't even being mooned; it must be someone just doing their gardening with no pants on! Okay then…!!

In just a few hundred feet I came upon a herd of sheep. I stopped all enchanted, took a few pictures of the sheep, and talked to the shepherd a bit who told me I only had about 6km to go to Leon. I didn't mention seeing the apparent nudist. It just seemed… so very odd but I felt like, maybe that's somewhat acceptable here. This is Europe. They see nudity a lot differently here than they do in the U.S. I didn't feel like it was appropriate to make any kind of fuss about it, given that he never even looked at me and I never saw anything except his butt, and his shirt bent-over. Not even a head.

So that's it, that's the one and only hairy ass I've seen on this trip. I feel very fortunate actually that it seemed so benign even at the time. However I do admit, doing that right adjacent to the camino seems like a pretty iffy thing. If I were into public nudity I wouldn't do it in that location, myself, knowing it's a place where people of all nationalities pass by. But who knows. It wasn't high season, very few pilgrims were around that day and maybe they really thought nobody would see. Or maybe they didn't care. Or maybe I *was* being mooned, either for the thrill or because they wanted to send that message, maybe they dislike pilgrims. I'll never know.

 

[VNwalking]

Obviously it hasn't been a cakewalk, but it 's been such a unique journey, Edith...thank you for sharing! Take care of those tendons and I hope you enjoy Santiago. (How could one not?)

 

[Edith Frost]

Thanks y'all. BTW I mentioned the sheep because if need be I might be able to figure out where the farm was, based on the photos I took & the info from the shepherd plus what I remember visually (other than that butt LOL).

 

[Mycamino Maya]

Thanks y'all. BTW I mentioned the sheep because if need be I might be able to figure out where the farm was, based on the photos I took & the info from the shepherd plus what I remember visually (other than that butt LOL).

Hi Edith, so very nice to hear from you. We lost each other because Bruno and I often spoke of you wondering if you had quit or just a stage behind or ahead. We made it to Santiago in 34days with memories and also hardships but we kept on walking slowly and we feel blessed that we could finish it. I hope you are doing well. We talk about our journey often and have many photos to sort and they all gave us a story to tell. It makes me happy to know that you made it to Santiago. Safe trip back to Texas. Maya

 

[Edith Frost]

Thanks Maya, it was super cool meeting y'all -- glad I had my hat off that night or you might never have introduced yourselves. I knew this hairdo would be good for something other than clowning around!