Hello i'm Vincent Henri

[VincentHenri]

Hello to you all,

I'm planning my camino in may 2009. I do a lot of training to get in shape for this big adventure.
Learning from this forum and a lot of other Santiago sites.

Till so far.

With kind regards.

Vincent Henri

PS: I wil go by bike.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hi

Welcome to the Forum. There's a lot of information about cycling the pilgrimage routes. Which route are you considering? Just ask and members will try to help if you have any questions.

John

 

[Arn]

Hi Vincent Henri,

welcome to the forum. As a recent peregrino who's completed (though I haven't finished yet) My Camino. Here's a few thoughts:

1. If biking...get a good bell to sound when you're approaching a walking peregrino. WE CAN't hear you until you're on top of us and then it's almost too late.

2. I was injured early on and my biggest fear was that a biker would run me down and further injure me...especially on the down hills. Often, for a walker, the down hill is more difficult that any other track, therefore we tend to be cautious. For a biker, the down hill is an opportunity to GO FAST, especially after a long climb. The walker is taking a slow, deliberate WALK down and is very careful of where the next foot is planted. The biker, often, charges down becoming a hazard for the walker.

3. I can't tell you how many times I was nearly run over by bikers! In my condition, I considered putting my crutch into the bikers spokes, I was so concerned that I'd be injured and NOT be capable of finishing. I applaud myself for not doing it...but only if!!!

Be a steward of the Camino...not an impediment!

Buen Camino
Arn

 

[vinotinto]

I considered putting my crutch into the bikers spokes

Ha - crazy Jarhead minds think alike, m'man! I also had visions of the battle scene in Braveheart where Wallace and his men debuted the long spears against the Ainglish calvary...sometimes I wanted to repeat that feat against a charging bicyclist - especially the one who almost ran me down while talking on his cell phone! :shock: But at least many of them tried to be considerate and nearly all of them offered up a "buen Camino" in passing. :arrow:

 

[kubapigora]

Hi Vincent, where are you biking from? Have you got any plans for your journey yet?
Buen camino.
Kuba.

 

[VincentHenri]

Hi Vincent, where are you biking from? Have you got any plans for your journey yet?
Buen camino.
Kuba.

Hello Kuba,

I will start fom my hometown The Hague. Still got a lot of planning to do.

Kind regars

Vincent Henri

 

[VincentHenri]

Hi

Welcome to the Forum. There's a lot of information about cycling the pilgrimage routes. Which route are you considering? Just ask and members will try to help if you have any questions.

John

Hello JohnieWalker,

Thanks for your kind welcome words. I dont no yet the route i will be taken. Thanks for the advise to ask members.

Kind regards

Vincent Henri

 

[Javier Martin]

Hi, Vincent Henry,

I agree with Arn. It's important to reduce your speed when you meet any "boot" pilgrim, even to have any simple words with him, just to say hello. It's education.

And, if you continue without reducing it, it looks like you are only thinking of running, running, and it's possible to have an accident because usually is not possible to hear you.

Pilgrimage with a bicycle let you to visit places easier than walking, located 3-4 km. from the Camino, as Villar de Donas, etc. These are special places, very quiet, because most pilgrims don't visit them. I suggest you to visit, are incredible. I've gone to most of them not walking, but by car with my family.

Buen Camino, enjoy it.

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Vincent Henri
Hope you enjoy your planning. In 2005 I walked from my home in the north of England and got the ferry to Ijmuiden and walked from there to Santiago.
Even as you travel down towards Spain you may come across a walking pilgrim. If so this story may help you decide what to do about them.
In northern France a German pilgrim was cycling to Santiago. I spoke no German and he had no English so we gave each other a hug and used sign language. We established that he would arrive in Santiago about 2 months before me. Before he moved off he gave me some lumps of sugar, a sweet, and then with a bigger smile 2 Euros for a coffee! Being on a bike he could move faster than the walker so he helped a fellow pilgrim on his way :!: He was the first pilgrim I had met in 4 weeks.
When you get to Spain it will be difficult to stop for each walker and you can't begiving out coffee money
Buen Camino,

Brendan

 

[VincentHenri]

Dear friends,

I promise that i during my camino will drive very careful.

Kind regards

Vincent Henri

 

[ksam]

Vincent Henri, Buen Camino my biking friend!! I missed my bike very much on Camino, not that I didn't want to walk, I did. But for those side trips or trips to the SuperMercado...it would have been wonderful!! :wink: Ah well, enjoy your planning, and believe me you've landed on a wealth of knowledge here...so have fun....for now..I'm outta the office and...onto my bike for a 25 mile afterwork spin! Again, wishing you the very very best..Karin