golf trolleys on the Camino Frances

[Darlynn]

My husband and I are beginning the camino on 18 Sept from SJPdP and because of back injuries are taking a heavy duty golf trolley to carry our rucksacks. Has anyone else done this??? Will we be able to use it between SJPdP and Roncesvalles?? Have been training for 6 months and are otherwise as prepared physically/mentally/spiritually as we can be. Hope someone can ease our minds about this. Planning on 6 weeks for the journey. Thanks.

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Darlynn!

It sounds a bit unconventional so I doubt many on the forum will have experienced it directly. Is there any reason not to use the baggage transfer services instead?

Buen Camino!

 

[wayfarer]

Should work ok, big wheels should be easy enough especialy if you have trained, on the other hand as tyrrek says why not use small day packs and luggage transfer and enjoy the whole experience.

 

[Kitsambler]

Can you post a link to the golf trolleys you have in hand? We could check the specs for you better that way ...

 

[grayland]

I would be worried about some pretty rough and rocky areas..both uphill and downhill. There are a couple on the SJPdP to Roncevalles. Uphill before Orisson and then the descent at the end near Roncevalles.
I have seen them, but always on the pavement or well defined trails.
I am just not sure that they are practical and it would be difficult to know the trail ahead if you are out for the first time.
Be a bummer if you ended up having to carry or go back.

 

[sillydoll]

Special trolleys have been manufactured for hiking cross country trails. I list these in my book YOUR CAMINO

The Wheelie 111 is highly recommended.
http://www.radicaldesign.nl/en/products ... heelie-iii

The Trackmate upright trolley: http://www.prohikeaustralia.com.au

Carrix trolley: carrix.ch.tripod.com/
‘I bought the Carrix as I could no longer carry a backpack. This means that when the going is too steep, or the rocks too big or too loose, I cannot put the sac and Carrix on my back. Accordingly, where the guide book says the Camino stage is unsuitable for cyclists and they should take to the road, so do I, walking on the left towards the approaching traffic.’

 

[scruffy1]

I have seen people walking with something that looks like a small dogcart, a wagon thing with two bicycle wheels, two poles in front and you can harness around your waist or from the shoulders, there are all types and sizes including a push pull model for two look here to see:

http://carrix.ch.tripod.com/

Scruffy

 

[jastrace]

Sometime around 2008-ish we bought a DVD from a couple from the US (Ray and Carol).

http://www.caminovideo.com/ I just checked the website and it still active. Tracey just found it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OR1KY0/?tag=casaivar02-20

They had a cart which he made which, from memory, looked similar to a golf buggy and they started from Roncesvalles.

Some way through their Camino their axle broke and needed welding. As highlighted by grayland in the post above they also had problems negotiating some of the rockier downhill sections, but they seemed to appreciate not having to carry their packs. If I remember correctly, their purpose for using the cart was to re-live one imagined traditional approach to travelling along the Camino.

Anyway I recommend that anyone who is interested contact them through their website and get a hold of their DVD or via Amazon. It was good watching.

If your reason though is to save your back, then I second wayfarer's suggestion to consider the pack transfer service.

If you are determined to use a buggy of some sort then I suggest that you get it as soon as possible and train with it over difficult terrain, up and down hills, over drains and cobble stones etc. You might find that the pulling and pushing of a buggy puts you at risk of further back damage.

If I were in your shoes and could not delay the trip I would go for the light daypack and pack transfer option. There is no rule that says you must move your own pack the whole way by yourself, especially with an injury.

If you haven't already perhaps its a good idea to consult your doctor and get some advice.

All the best with your Camino. I hope it goes well for you.

Jason.

 

[Darlynn]

Thank you all so much for your good information. Will check out the sites listed. Have considered the baggage transfer but can't be sure they will be available from each place we stay. We do have small day packs that zip onto our larger rucksacks so could do that option. Really want to do the entire camino from SJPdP so will have to negotiate the steep parts as you have said and are obviously concerned about the rocky, steep bits. Will investigate the carts that have been suggested and see how it compares to the one we have. Really trying not to let this put a damper on our enthusiasm as we have been preparing for months and the cart issue has just become necessary. At 63 and 65 we don't feel we can put off the camino indefinitely and all other signs say we are to do it now, not later. Really appreciate all your input.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you know where the rocky parts are located, there is almost always a parallel road that will be easier with a cart. Sometimes it will be longer, for example descending down from the Alto del Perdon. The road goes northwest almost to the superhighway before you can get on frontage roads to Puente la Reina. Bicycles do it all the time, but on foot, it is a bit of a detour

 

[Darlynn]

That's a good suggestion. I guess one of the problems would be getting from SJPdP to Roncesvalles. We are booked at Orrison the first night. As far as I can tell there's no parallel road there as an option. May have to think outside the box a bit.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can walk almost entirely on the road toward Roncesvalles on the Napolean route to the crest of the mountain, then stay on the road toward the Valcarlos route, and follow it on the road into Roncesvalles. You can stay on the road from Roncesvalles to Zubiri and bypass the rocky path there, too. Bicycles normally take these routes (except the ones that want to scare walkers on the steep downhills).

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Roncesva ... Spain&z=15

 

[wayfarer]

I saw luggage/backpack transfer in pretty much all the hostels along the way and worked out at between €5 and €8. A plus point is you will be able to book ahead, one less thing to worry about.
Buen Camino.

 

[tyrrek]

That's a good suggestion. I guess one of the problems would be getting from SJPdP to Roncesvalles. We are booked at Orrison the first night. As far as I can tell there's no parallel road there as an option. May have to think outside the box a bit.

Consider the Valcarlos route, but to be honest just use luggage transfer after that. Especially if you're prepared to stay in hostals as well as albergues. Just put the bags in a taxi. If the hostal knows you're coming I doubt they would refuse your luggage arriving earlier. I think it would be very useful to make friends with Spanish pilgrims along the way so they can help with phone calls etc. Spanish people are wonderful anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem! Buen Camino!

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hey Darlynn
people do this kind of thing on the camino. The trick is just to keep the weight down. It's easy to pack a lot more when you don't have to carry the weight on your shoulders. If you just take the recommended weight of 10% bodyweight, the two of you should be able to negotiate the camino Frances just fine - perhaps occasionally having to resort to a bit more road.
We walked with a retired French gentleman on the route Napoleon (where there was some snow on the ground at the time) with back problems who pulled a pretty standard shopping trolley behind him with the aid of a strap around his waist attached to the trolley with a carabiner. Over the next few days we'd overtake him on the rougher paths but he'd often catch up on the tarmac. We did the same stages for about a week - average 25k a day
We also met a guy who'd started in the Canaries and was on his way to Rome via the camino Frances. He had a beaten-up old golf trolley, with most of his worldly goods on (probably about 30-40kg). He had a harness. But he was very fit (and had that quirky camino wildness that you sometimes find with pilgrims who are walking the opposite direction to Santiago...)
cheers, tom

 

[Darlynn]

Thanks for all the encouragement. We may have to re-think our route and go the more bicycle friendly ways. Hard to get my head around that at the moment as we were looking forward to doing the mountain bits as well. Hadn't really wanted to pre-book either so that's another mind shift. That's one of the reasons we were reticent to use the luggage transfer. Will process all the good information and see what we can do. Sounds like the best option may be to take each day as it comes and adapt to each day's unique circumstances. We have Brierley's book so should be able to sort out alternate routes as we have to. Ten more sleeps until we fly out from Australia.