Ditch Pigs Camino Cleanup 2021: No stopping a pig!

[Rebekah Scott]

The frost is on the pumpkin and the trash is glittering in the ditches... time for the Ditch Pigs Camino Cleanup Crew to strap on the neon vests and litter-picking tongs and head out into the wilds of BURGOS!

For more than ten years, volunteers from all over the world have gathered in late November/early December to spend a few days cleaning up the mess along a 100-km. stretch of Camino de Santiago. Volunteers cover their own travel expenses, and generous donors contribute to pay for food, bunks, and gas for the car. Ditch Pigs are limber and healthy enough to spend days ducking and diving on and off the roads and pathways, team players who can walk a full Camino etapa in the cold with a bagful of trash and a heart full of joy.

Our exact route and accommodations will depend on how much response I get, but there are already THREE of us committed to this year's expedition... which leaves room for TWO MORE if we use only one vehicle. More people means a quicker pickup and a longer stretch of road covered... I hope to do Santo Domingo de la Calzada to downtown Burgos, but I'm willing to start in Villafranca Montes de Oca if I gotta. This trail forks, so teamwork and good communication will be important.

Slated dates are Dec. 1 through 4 or 5. Check your calendars and think about joining the hard core of Camino volunteers!
IM me here if you're interested, or send an email to rebrites (at) yahoo.com .

 

[estorildon]

Great to hear the Pigs are back this year, wish I could join in...

 

[Former member 49149]

Isn't this good news? Your name was in the air when I was with some friends in Pamplona last week, Rebekah. (El Gran Caminante) No question of me helping out physically, but just remind me of the link to donate, please and thank you.

 

[VNwalking]

The Pigs are back! Deep bow of thanks, Reb.
Here's the donation link for those of us who can't make it:

peaceable projects

www.peaceableprojects.org

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

Thank you, Ditch Pigs!

 

[Amused212]

The frost is on the pumpkin and the trash is glittering in the ditches... time for the Ditch Pigs Camino Cleanup Crew to strap on the neon vests and litter-picking tongs and head out into the wilds of BURGOS!

For more than ten years, volunteers from all over the world have gathered in late November/early December to spend a few days cleaning up the mess along a 100-km. stretch of Camino de Santiago. Volunteers cover their own travel expenses, and generous donors contribute to pay for food, bunks, and gas for the car. Ditch Pigs are limber and healthy enough to spend days ducking and diving on and off the roads and pathways, team players who can walk a full Camino etapa in the cold with a bagful of trash and a heart full of joy.

Our exact route and accommodations will depend on how much response I get, but there are already THREE of us committed to this year's expedition... which leaves room for TWO MORE if we use only one vehicle. More people means a quicker pickup and a longer stretch of road covered... I hope to do Santo Domingo de la Calzada to downtown Burgos, but I'm willing to start in Villafranca Montes de Oca if I gotta. This trail forks, so teamwork and good communication will be important.

Slated dates are Dec. 1 through 4 or 5. Check your calendars and think about joining the hard core of Camino volunteers!
IM me here if you're interested, or send an email to rebrites (at) yahoo.com .

My sincere appreciation for the work of the pigs.

 

[t2andreo]

This, from a 2016 Ditch Pig volunteer - if you can do it - DO IT! You will be amply rewarded. Rebekah is a wonderful host. She has forgotten more about the Camino than you will ever know.

Cleaning up others refuse is a defining experience. Once you have done it, you will never look at the Camino in quite the same way.

Also, you might get to meet the famous "Don Limpio."

The best thing, for someone who participates, is to rent a car for the period. This gives Rebekah the ability to recruit more people. The larger the car or van, the more Ditch Pigs can be recruited. Once off the limited access Autopistas, the roads in Spain generally have very little traffic.

I would gladly volunteer this year, but for medical issues with a family member.

Hope this helps,

Tom

 

[AndreaCT]

The Pigs are back! Deep bow of thanks, Reb.
Here's the donation link for those of us who can't make it:

peaceable projects

www.peaceableprojects.org

Thanks for the link VNWalking - donation made! Thanks for organizing this Rebekah!

 

[meazara]

What a great initiative. I’m now in Finnestere and almost daily from St Jean on the Camino Frances I collected rubbish using one of the yellow reusable bags I picked up in my first Spanish albergue. Plenty of bins to empty into, wasn’t a major problem either, (but definitely black spots) mostly for me j collected dropped masks, bottle tops & plastic water bottles, odd socks that no doubt that had fallen from back packs, cigarette boxes & the occasional flipflop. I saw many other pilgrims do the same. Very satisfying to give back to the Camino while walking. Thanks to the team who will complete this very important initiative, I salute you.

 

[henrythedog]

The frost is on the pumpkin and the trash is glittering in the ditches... time for the Ditch Pigs Camino Cleanup Crew to strap on the neon vests and litter-picking tongs and head out into the wilds of BURGOS!

For more than ten years, volunteers from all over the world have gathered in late November/early December to spend a few days cleaning up the mess along a 100-km. stretch of Camino de Santiago. Volunteers cover their own travel expenses, and generous donors contribute to pay for food, bunks, and gas for the car. Ditch Pigs are limber and healthy enough to spend days ducking and diving on and off the roads and pathways, team players who can walk a full Camino etapa in the cold with a bagful of trash and a heart full of joy.

Our exact route and accommodations will depend on how much response I get, but there are already THREE of us committed to this year's expedition... which leaves room for TWO MORE if we use only one vehicle. More people means a quicker pickup and a longer stretch of road covered... I hope to do Santo Domingo de la Calzada to downtown Burgos, but I'm willing to start in Villafranca Montes de Oca if I gotta. This trail forks, so teamwork and good communication will be important.

Slated dates are Dec. 1 through 4 or 5. Check your calendars and think about joining the hard core of Camino volunteers!
IM me here if you're interested, or send an email to rebrites (at) yahoo.com .

In due course I wonder if you might advertise your plans for 2022? I’ve already got three trips to Spain planned for the next 6 months and Mrs Henry the Dog would put her ears back and refuse if I suggested a fourth.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I don't usually do any announcing until the Autumn, but the event is consistently the final days of November/first days of December. It takes some time to determine where the need is, and to consider the logistics required... and now with Covid, it's even more complicated!
Thank you to all who have stepped up with encouragement, inquiries, and donativos. I have four positives and two possibles so far, so things are nicely on track.