Booked Flights, Reserved Orisson, and a new approach this time

[Shefollowsarrows]

I'm in! Leaving Seattle August 23rd! I'm flying into Pamplona, staying a night in one of my favorite Camino cities on the 24th. Taxi to SJPP 25th. Start walking the 26th, with my first stop (reservation confirmed) in Orisson! After that, No itinerary, except I need to be in Santiago to fly home October 13th. This will be my 3rd Camino and I'm doing several things differently...

1. Wearing Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes--no big, hot, overkill boots this time.

2. Taking my time and not joining the race to Santiago, even if it means becoming disconnected from the lovely people I will meet...there is always someone else behind me that I may need to meet and learn from.

3. Wearing The Packa, not a poncho or rain pants/rain jacket.

4. Packing LIGHTER

5. Walking to Muxia & Finisterre this time!

6. Help out more in the albergues I stay at.

7. Cook a few meals instead of doing the Pilgrims Menu every single day.

8. Stay in different towns/albergues than the last 2 times.

9. No busses, taxis or trains unless I'm unable to walk...even if I don't want to walk that slog into Burgos!

10. And This Time...Learn when to 'walk on' when I find myself walking with someone who is a complainer, negative or controlling. This has happened to me twice..and it sucked the peace out of my Camino. I'd rather be alone than walking with individuals like that again..luckily I didn't walk the whole way with them, but it was about a week both times and it was 7 days too long! My fault...

To those of you that have walked more than once, did you make changes the next time you walked? If so, what? And why?

Buen Camino!!

 

[sabbott]

It's my first time walking, #TammyLynn, so I was happy to see that my plans (ie. shoe type, Packa, taking my time, going to Finisterre) coincided with what you've learned from your previous walks. Reassuring! I haven't planned on cooking much because I've gotten the impression that many kitchens aren't equipped with utensils. Are you bringing any with you, or are albergue kitchens better outfitted than I'm thinking?

 

[Deleted member 34316]

I love your new approach TammyLynn! You learn a lot from the Camino!

You know, you don't need to 'walk that slog' into Burgos. There is a great alternative, it is called the River walk! About 8 km before Burgos, after you pass a small village called Orbaneja Riopico, and cross the bridge over the highway, look for a yellow arrow pointing to the left. There is a great alternative to walking along the factories and warehouses for two hours. But remember, if it is raining, the alternative walk can be very muddy!

Google Street View - click to see where to take left at the fork
(the Street View maps are "navigable" - you can follow the path on the screen)
The river walk (via Castañares) is to the left, the industrial walk (via Villafría) to the right.
When you get to Castañares, cross the main road, don't follow it. You must get to the River.
You can print out the directions from C Clearly's blog here (thank you, CC!)

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

I love your new approach TammyLynn! You learn a lot from the Camino!

You know, you don't need to 'walk that slog' into Burgos. There is a great alternative, it is called the River walk! About 8 km before Burgos, after you pass a small village called Orbaneja Riopico, and cross the bridge over the highway, look for a yellow arrow pointing to the left. There is a great alternative to walking along the factories and warehouses for two hours. But remember, if it is raining, the alternative walk can be very muddy!

Google Street View - click to see where to take left at the fork
The river walk (via Castañares) is to the left, the industrial walk (via Villafría) to the right.

Sometimes, the arrow pointing to the river walk is hidden/removed. Probably the bar owners from Villafría don't like when pilgrims skip their town on the way to Burgos...

Thank you for reminding me of this, I definitely Will walk this alternative!!

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

It's my first time walking, #TammyLynn, so I was happy to see that my plans (ie. shoe type, Packa, taking my time, going to Finisterre) coincided with what you've learned from your previous walks. Reassuring! I haven't planned on cooking much because I've gotten the impression that many kitchens aren't equipped with utensils. Are you bringing any with you, or are albergue kitchens better outfitted than I'm thinking?

Thank you...I'm a slow learner! As far as cooking, every albergue is different as far as cooking options. Some are set up great, others don't have that as an option. If there is that option, I would check out the kitchen and see what they have before going to the store. I'm not bringing any utensils, so I will try and stay in places as often as possible that have equipped kitchens.

 

[gypsywind]

I love your new approach TammyLynn! You learn a lot from the Camino!

You know, you don't need to 'walk that slog' into Burgos. There is a great alternative, it is called the River walk! About 8 km before Burgos, after you pass a small village called Orbaneja Riopico, and cross the bridge over the highway, look for a yellow arrow pointing to the left. There is a great alternative to walking along the factories and warehouses for two hours. But remember, if it is raining, the alternative walk can be very muddy!

Google Street View - click to see where to take left at the fork
The river walk (via Castañares) is to the left, the industrial walk (via Villafría) to the right.

Sometimes, the arrow pointing to the river walk is hidden/removed. Probably the bar owners from Villafría don't like when pilgrims skip their town on the way to Burgos...

I am walking my first, and dizzy with ideas & plans, do you have any ideas for me as to how to keep all these great route suggestions straight?

 

[C clearly]

I am walking my first, and dizzy with ideas & plans, do you have any ideas for me as to how to keep all these great route suggestions straight?

I made little pencil notes in my Brierley map book, about tips I found on the forum. However, you'll probably find that everything simply works itself out. For the approach to Burgos, I relied on some instructions I got here on the forum, and later I rewrote them in this post on my blog. I walked it again in Oct-Nov 2015 and encountered some major mud as mentioned above - for a km or 2 as I walked along beside Burgos airport.

 

[traveler]

I love your new approach TammyLynn! You learn a lot from the Camino!

You know, you don't need to 'walk that slog' into Burgos. There is a great alternative, it is called the River walk! About 8 km before Burgos, after you pass a small village called Orbaneja Riopico, and cross the bridge over the highway, look for a yellow arrow pointing to the left. There is a great alternative to walking along the factories and warehouses for two hours. But remember, if it is raining, the alternative walk can be very muddy!

Google Street View - click to see where to take left at the fork
The river walk (via Castañares) is to the left, the industrial walk (via Villafría) to the right.

Sometimes, the arrow pointing to the river walk is hidden/removed. Probably the bar owners from Villafría don't like when pilgrims skip their town on the way to Burgos...

We and another forum member walked this route last summer. It was great, it almost seemed like cheating when we compared notes with our fellow pilgrims the next day.

 

[Kanga]

@TammyLynn every camino is different and I make adjustments each time. Always learning!

 

[Urban Trekker]

I'm like Kanga. Every camino is different and you just roll with it. Not taking the chicken should really make your camino easier . Buen Camino

 

[Terri B]

I'm in! Leaving Seattle August 23rd! I'm flying into Pamplona, staying a night in one of my favorite Camino cities on the 24th. Taxi to SJPP 25th. Start walking the 26th, with my first stop (reservation confirmed) in Orisson! After that, No itinerary, except I need to be in Santiago to fly home October 13th. This will be my 3rd Camino and I'm doing several things differently...

1. Wearing Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes--no big, hot, overkill boots this time.

2. Taking my time and not joining the race to Santiago, even if it means becoming disconnected from the lovely people I will meet...there is always someone else behind me that I may need to meet and learn from.

3. Wearing The Packa, not a poncho or rain pants/rain jacket.

4. Packing LIGHTER

5. Walking to Muxia & Finisterre this time!

6. Help out more in the albergues I stay at.

7. Cook a few meals instead of doing the Pilgrims Menu every single day.

8. Stay in different towns/albergues than the last 2 times.

9. No busses, taxis or trains unless I'm unable to walk...even if I don't want to walk that slog into Burgos!

10. And This Time...Learn when to 'walk on' when I find myself walking with someone who is a complainer, negative or controlling. This has happened to me twice..and it sucked the peace out of my Camino. I'd rather be alone than walking with individuals like that again..luckily I didn't walk the whole way with them, but it was about a week both times and it was 7 days too long! My fault...

To those of you that have walked more than once, did you make changes the next time you walked? If so, what? And why?

Buen Camino!!

I'll be a few days behind you Tammy, walking my first Camino and will keep an eye out and say hello!

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

I'll be a few days behind you Tammy, walking my first Camino and will keep an eye out and say hello!

I'm sure our paths will cross at some point!! I'll keep an eye out for you Terri! Have fun!!

 

[Priscilla NC]

I am walking my first, and dizzy with ideas & plans, do you have any ideas for me as to how to keep all these great route suggestions straight?

I use the Evernote program and have a Camino notebook. I insert notes into this notebook, and Evernote (which the basic version is free) works across many devices. I will have it on my phone.

I'm sure there are other programs out there that do something similar.

Buen Camino,
Priscilla

 

[Franco]

I'm in! Leaving Seattle August 23rd! I'm flying into Pamplona, staying a night in one of my favorite Camino cities on the 24th. Taxi to SJPP 25th. Start walking the 26th, with my first stop (reservation confirmed) in Orisson! After that, No itinerary, except I need to be in Santiago to fly home October 13th. This will be my 3rd Camino and I'm doing several things differently...

1. Wearing Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes--no big, hot, overkill boots this time.

2. Taking my time and not joining the race to Santiago, even if it means becoming disconnected from the lovely people I will meet...there is always someone else behind me that I may need to meet and learn from.

3. Wearing The Packa, not a poncho or rain pants/rain jacket.

4. Packing LIGHTER

5. Walking to Muxia & Finisterre this time!

6. Help out more in the albergues I stay at.

7. Cook a few meals instead of doing the Pilgrims Menu every single day.

8. Stay in different towns/albergues than the last 2 times.

9. No busses, taxis or trains unless I'm unable to walk...even if I don't want to walk that slog into Burgos!

10. And This Time...Learn when to 'walk on' when I find myself walking with someone who is a complainer, negative or controlling. This has happened to me twice..and it sucked the peace out of my Camino. I'd rather be alone than walking with individuals like that again..luckily I didn't walk the whole way with them, but it was about a week both times and it was 7 days too long! My fault...

To those of you that have walked more than once, did you make changes the next time you walked? If so, what? And why?

Buen Camino!!

 

[Franco]

I'm in! Leaving Seattle August 23rd! I'm flying into Pamplona, staying a night in one of my favorite Camino cities on the 24th. Taxi to SJPP 25th. Start walking the 26th, with my first stop (reservation confirmed) in Orisson! After that, No itinerary, except I need to be in Santiago to fly home October 13th. This will be my 3rd Camino and I'm doing several things differently...

1. Wearing Brooks Cascadia trail running shoes--no big, hot, overkill boots this time.

2. Taking my time and not joining the race to Santiago, even if it means becoming disconnected from the lovely people I will meet...there is always someone else behind me that I may need to meet and learn from.

3. Wearing The Packa, not a poncho or rain pants/rain jacket.

4. Packing LIGHTER

5. Walking to Muxia & Finisterre this time!

6. Help out more in the albergues I stay at.

7. Cook a few meals instead of doing the Pilgrims Menu every single day.

8. Stay in different towns/albergues than the last 2 times.

9. No busses, taxis or trains unless I'm unable to walk...even if I don't want to walk that slog into Burgos!

10. And This Time...Learn when to 'walk on' when I find myself walking with someone who is a complainer, negative or controlling. This has happened to me twice..and it sucked the peace out of my Camino. I'd rather be alone than walking with individuals like that again..luckily I didn't walk the whole way with them, but it was about a week both times and it was 7 days too long! My fault...

To those of you that have walked more than once, did you make changes the next time you walked? If so, what? And why?

Buen Camino!!

Hi what's a packa? Please

 

[mspath]

Hi what's a packa? Please

See this for info re The Packa http://www.thepacka.com/

Happy planning and Buen camino!

 

[SusanH]

10. And This Time...Learn when to 'walk on' when I find myself walking with someone who is a complainer, negative or controlling. This has happened to me twice..and it sucked the peace out of my Camino. I'd rather be alone than walking with individuals like that again..luckily I didn't walk the whole way with them, but it was about a week both times and it was 7 days too long! My fault...

It is unfortunate that so many people that we cross paths with are complainers. I myself am one of them… Mind you, I often make observations about things that I believe are seen to be complaints – and they are not meant to be. Like the starving cats and dogs that I saw in every small village and every city that I walked through. No one wanted to talk about them or even acknowledge them. Or all the crap that people leave behind while walking: garbage, bottles, toilet paper and poop. I complained about the smell of urine that greeted me as I reached Alto Peridon. How disappointed I was as I’m sure others were as well. Or my first night in an albergue going to the bathroom in the dark and putting my hand on the stair railing only to find that someone had vomited all over it and left it there. I think pretty much everyone would have something to say about that! And then there was the time that the people in the albergue laughed at me because I was fat. I wish I’d had a sympathetic listener to hear me complain about that – to share my disappointment that they were laughing at me after I’d already walked from Pamplona to Santiago and was on my way to Finisterre. Doing something as big as the Camino brings out the good, the bad and the ugly in all of us. I would like to think that people who experienced me complaining would have thought “maybe she’s having a rough go of it today”, and then not judged me for it. Maybe they did “walk on”, maybe they walked with me to see a different perspective than their own or to say a few kind words to lift me out of a negative head space. I don’t know. I guess what I’m saying is this: everyone complains. We’ve all met them. Maybe we need to “walk on” or have some compassion for them depending on how we are feeling at that moment.