Backpack storage?

[Jerri Kerley]

Camino Veterans:

After a long day on the Camino, does one go shopping before going to the albergue? If not, how does one keep a backpack safe while showering, shopping, washing, etc? I would love to know the average afternoon routine.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Backpack sits by your bunk. $, iphone, and other valuables, you take with you to shower and shopping.

A few albergues have lockers. I like to being a tiny lock, like those you put on a suitcase. Easy to break, but why not then steal from an unlocked locker?

Routine? Get to albergue, spread backpack on bed, put all valuables in small bag and head to shower.

Do laudry. Hang it out to dry.

Nap or head out for a drink.

Head out for dinner.

Snore.

 

[sadaigh]

I'm glad you asked. I'm walking my first Camino this summer and hadn't really thought about it! I'm still totally focused on packing and trying not to plan/planning anyway.

 

[trecile]

Get to albergue, spread backpack on bed,

I'm sure that you mean that you put the contents of your backpack on the bed, not the actual backpack itself!!

The hospitalero confiscated the backpacks of couple of guys in my dorm at the Municipal albergue in Ponferrada because he found them on their bunks.

 

[RobertS26]

Here's your routine:

Wake up. Pull on pants. Put on shoes. Brush teeth. Toss on backpack. Leave albergue. Walk an hour to next village. Stop at café. Take off pack. Place it outside against the wall. Walk inside with cellphone, pilgrim's passport, regular passport, and money in your pants pockets. Order breakfast. Use the restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat breakfast when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order Coca Cola (or my preference, an adult beverage). Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Consume beverage when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order lunch. Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat lunch when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order a beer. Use the restroom. Walk outside and sit down. Consume beer when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at albergue. Place backpack against the wall. Explore town until the albergue opens. Return to albergue and sign in. Place backpack on floor next to bed. Remove clean shirt and clean underwear. Take a shower. Change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes. Hang dirty clothes to dry.

Now your first true option of the day: nap, write in journal, or--my favorite--walk to nearest café and consume beer.

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Repeat as necessary until you reach Santiago.

 

[Zman]

Here's your routine:

Wake up. Pull on pants. Put on shoes. Brush teeth. Toss on backpack. Leave albergue. Walk an hour to next village. Stop at café. Take off pack. Place it outside against the wall. Walk inside with cellphone, pilgrim's passport, regular passport, and money in your pants pockets. Order breakfast. Use the restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat breakfast when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order Coca Cola (or my preference, an adult beverage). Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Consume beverage when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order lunch. Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat lunch when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order a beer. Use the restroom. Walk outside and sit down. Consume beer when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at albergue. Place backpack against the wall. Explore town until the albergue opens. Return to albergue and sign in. Place backpack on floor next to bed. Remove clean shirt and clean underwear. Take a shower. Change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes. Hang dirty clothes to dry.

Now your first true option of the day: nap, write in journal, or--my favorite--walk to nearest café and consume beer.

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Repeat as necessary until you reach Santiago.

Perfect! Wonderful description, I'm looking forward to it!

 

[Trevor Batley]

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Didn't you mean...
Go to dinner, drink copious amounts of vino tinto, followed by an Orujo (or 2), return to albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

 

[SYates]

... Routine? Get to albergue, spread backpack on bed, ...

I am pretty sure you meant sleeping bag - Correct? SY

 

[tomnorth]

I would take everything of value with me and leave my backpack either in the locker by my bed or on the floor between beds. As others have mentioned, I never put my pack on the beds. At night I would arrange what I was going to wear the next day on top of my pack so I didn't have to rustle my bag in the wee hours of the morning. The things I kept with me at all times were my iPhone, camera, wallet and passport. I did not leave my backpack outside when stopping at a coffeeshop unless I was with friends and they were staying with the packs. Generally, you meet enough people along the way that it's not a problem finding someone to stay with your bag while you head inside. Of course, you return the favor for them.

 

[Ahhhs]

I never lock up my pack. But I don't leave it outside of a bar or anywhere where I can't see it. I do leave it beside my bunk in the albergues when I go out. Don't recall seeing anyone "lock" their pack. Albergues only allow pilgrims to stay there and other pilgrims have their own packs and dirty laundry. Not that theft couldn't happen but it is unlikely. And as others have said you always take your valuables with you. I use a small cross body bag/purse and some people use fanny packs or pouches that they wear under their clothes.

Buen Camino

 

[oldman]

that's a lot of sock rotation

 

[Ahhhs]

that's a lot of sock rotation

Yes it is. I wear the same pair all day.
New pair in the morning.

 

[MTtoCamino]

The "sock" rotation should be a thread all its own I met a New Zeland couple that never washed them. We certainly have our own methods of not getting blisters or how we pack. One of the wonderful things of being independent.

 

[jsalt]

how does one keep a backpack safe while showering, shopping, washing, etc?

Hi, if someone wants to take my backpack from the albergue they must need it more than I do, so they are welcome to it. My sleeping bag, pyjamas and toilet bag are on my bunk bed, my valuables (cash, smartphone, credit card) are on me, and my hiking boots are on the shoe shelf at the front door. I might need to beg . . borrow . . steal . . or buy something to put my bits and pieces in . . and purchase a change of clothes somewhere along the line . . but I wouldn’t have to give up my camino
Jill

 

[Jan_89]

Here's your routine:

Wake up. Pull on pants. Put on shoes. Brush teeth. Toss on backpack. Leave albergue. Walk an hour to next village. Stop at café. Take off pack. Place it outside against the wall. Walk inside with cellphone, pilgrim's passport, regular passport, and money in your pants pockets. Order breakfast. Use the restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat breakfast when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order Coca Cola (or my preference, an adult beverage). Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Consume beverage when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order lunch. Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat lunch when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order a beer. Use the restroom. Walk outside and sit down. Consume beer when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at albergue. Place backpack against the wall. Explore town until the albergue opens. Return to albergue and sign in. Place backpack on floor next to bed. Remove clean shirt and clean underwear. Take a shower. Change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes. Hang dirty clothes to dry.

Now your first true option of the day: nap, write in journal, or--my favorite--walk to nearest café and consume beer.

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Repeat as necessary until you reach Santiago.

Absolutely great answer! I feel like you followed me two and half years ago..

 

[Mark Lee]

I never kept anything really worth stealing in my backpack. Always left it on the floor next to my bunk. Nobody ever messed with it on 120+ nights on the CF. Used clothing, or even say a sleeping bag is low on a thief's priority list, if there at all. Can't buy much dope with what you might get by selling a used, stolen, dirty sleeping bag or pair of hiking pants/shorts.
Now a wallet full of credit cards and cash? Or an iPhone/smartphone or a camera? Oh yeah.....

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Did not think anyone would steal a liner off my bunk bit that's what happened this spring during the communal meal.

 

[Jerri Kerley]

Here's your routine:

Wake up. Pull on pants. Put on shoes. Brush teeth. Toss on backpack. Leave albergue. Walk an hour to next village. Stop at café. Take off pack. Place it outside against the wall. Walk inside with cellphone, pilgrim's passport, regular passport, and money in your pants pockets. Order breakfast. Use the restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat breakfast when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order Coca Cola (or my preference, an adult beverage). Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Consume beverage when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order lunch. Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat lunch when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order a beer. Use the restroom. Walk outside and sit down. Consume beer when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at albergue. Place backpack against the wall. Explore town until the albergue opens. Return to albergue and sign in. Place backpack on floor next to bed. Remove clean shirt and clean underwear. Take a shower. Change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes. Hang dirty clothes to dry.

Now your first true option of the day: nap, write in journal, or--my favorite--walk to nearest café and consume beer.

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Repeat as necessary until you reach Santiago.

You are "THE MAN"! One can never over estimate good foot hygiene You sound like my kind of hiking buddy!

 

[Swift3]

Camino Veterans:

After a long day on the Camino, does one go shopping before going to the albergue? If not, how does one keep a backpack safe while showering, shopping, washing, etc? I would love to know the average afternoon routine.

Routine? Each day is slightly different. If you plan to cook in the albergue and have passed by a store, you might have stopped along the way for your supplies for your evening meal.

But usually, once you hit your overnight albergue, pay your fee/donation, get your credential stamped, you are directed to a bunk room/maybe assigned a bunk, drop your pack next to your rack (or if a hook nearby on that), get out your sleeping bag and put in on your bunk, take your hiking footwear off, put on your "town/shower" shoes, and stow your hiking footwear outside the dorm room with the other footgear, then either take a nap, hit the shower with a small pack containing your toiletries, towel and bag of valuables (wallet, cash, electronics, etc.) and any clothes you'll change into, or do laundry and if you took the nap first, then hit the shower or if you hit the shower first, then the nap, and somewhere in there, do your laundry. Then, if you didn't get your dinner supplies earlier and plan to cook in the albergue, into town for supplies and back to the albergue to cook dinner, or if you aren't cooking, eat in town, or if the albergue offers an evening meal, eat what they have. To save time in the morning, lots of people sleep in the clothes they plan to wear the next day. then it's up, a quick trip to the bathroom, a toothbrush and face wash, pack up and your headed to the first place that offers a pastry and cafe' con leche. Maybe put in a few miles until you get there.

No need to worry about your backpack when it's in the albergue. But keep your valuables bag with you at all times, even when showering or in the bathroom.

But if you feel weird about it, maybe you've run into other perigrinos during the day you've come to trust and can ask them to keep and eye on your back pack while you hop in the shower. but it really isn't necessary.

Outside of the albergue, during stops during the day, keep and eye on your stuff and keep it close at hand. Use good sense, for example, don't leave your stuff unattended or close to the street where someone in a car or on a motorbike/scooter could easily grab it and take off.

Hope that helps.

 

[VMalone]

Here's your routine:grimmage

Wake up. Pull on pants. Put on shoes. Brush teeth. Toss on backpack. Leave albergue. Walk an hour to next village. Stop at café. Take off pack. Place it outside against the wall. Walk inside with cellphone, pilgrim's passport, regular passport, and money in your pants pockets. Order breakfast. Use the restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat breakfast when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order Coca Cola (or my preference, an adult beverage). Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Consume beverage when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order lunch. Use restroom. Walk outside, sit down. Eat lunch when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at café. Take off backpack. Place it against the wall. Walk inside and order a beer. Use the restroom. Walk outside and sit down. Consume beer when it arrives. Rotate socks. Put on backpack. Walk an hour to the next village. Stop at albergue. Place backpack against the wall. Explore town until the albergue opens. Return to albergue and sign in. Place backpack on floor next to bed. Remove clean shirt and clean underwear. Take a shower. Change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes. Hang dirty clothes to dry.

Now your first true option of the day: nap, write in journal, or--my favorite--walk to nearest café and consume beer.

Go dinner, return to the albergue, brush your teeth, take off pants. Sleep.

Repeat as necessary until you reach Santiago.

Hi Robert
Are you by any chance doing CF early June? I'd love to join you. You sound like you would make it a real party, sorry, pilgrimage!!!

 

[AidaYYC]

Yes it is. I wear the same pair all day.
New pair in the morning.

He may be actually turning them inside out ...