Hi all,
I love this site, so friendly, so much helpful information, wisdom, and obvious humility. Thank you all. I have learned a lot already. It has been a few, hmmmm...., quite a few years since I have worked in the outdoor industry, experienced backpacking and mountaineering, but I still thought that I had all the answers I needed for outfitting myself. Wrong! Thanks to you folks, I am finally getting my head around ultra-light, instead of tough, durable, n' heavy, and taking only what I know that I need, and no might or maybe-needs. I am fortunate enough to not own a car, so I walk everywhere in the small town of which I live in, Port Townsend, Washington USA. So, that is usually, at a bare minimum, of 4 or 5 miles a day, just getting and packing home my groceries, and doing my basic errands. I say I am fortunate, because I love the walks, and am always making up other things to do to get me out walking.
For many years, it has seemed as though I have been getting glimpses of el Camino out of the corner of my eye, only guessing that it was a pilgrimage, but have not had my curiosity really piqued until recently, while watching the film, 'The Way'. There is no doubt but what it is time for me to do this. As most of you know more than I, this message comes from deep within. So even that has happened just as it was supposed to. For me, it feels as though the journey has already started, and probably long before now. Now it is just a matter of letting the rest of the process unfold, i.e., the selling off of some possessions, to lighten my load at home, and to be able to finance this walk. Learning just what the best gear for me would be, and acquiring it. I am already considering a Gossamer Gear Pack, after having looked at some much heavier and cumbersome brands/models, and then reading on the forum here, and 'silly dolls blog', I already had a 1lb down sleeping bag. some light, quick drying, cycling jerseys that might work....plus there seems to be a lot of sales going on right now. So I am hoping for this coming fall, to be able to be walking the Camino, but there is only so much of this that is up to me. We'll see just what is really the right time, for me to do this. I believe that the Camino is already at work.... Oh!, I am also excited about learning more than a hand full of words in Spanish.
I love this site, so friendly, so much helpful information, wisdom, and obvious humility. Thank you all. I have learned a lot already. It has been a few, hmmmm...., quite a few years since I have worked in the outdoor industry, experienced backpacking and mountaineering, but I still thought that I had all the answers I needed for outfitting myself. Wrong! Thanks to you folks, I am finally getting my head around ultra-light, instead of tough, durable, n' heavy, and taking only what I know that I need, and no might or maybe-needs. I am fortunate enough to not own a car, so I walk everywhere in the small town of which I live in, Port Townsend, Washington USA. So, that is usually, at a bare minimum, of 4 or 5 miles a day, just getting and packing home my groceries, and doing my basic errands. I say I am fortunate, because I love the walks, and am always making up other things to do to get me out walking.
For many years, it has seemed as though I have been getting glimpses of el Camino out of the corner of my eye, only guessing that it was a pilgrimage, but have not had my curiosity really piqued until recently, while watching the film, 'The Way'. There is no doubt but what it is time for me to do this. As most of you know more than I, this message comes from deep within. So even that has happened just as it was supposed to. For me, it feels as though the journey has already started, and probably long before now. Now it is just a matter of letting the rest of the process unfold, i.e., the selling off of some possessions, to lighten my load at home, and to be able to finance this walk. Learning just what the best gear for me would be, and acquiring it. I am already considering a Gossamer Gear Pack, after having looked at some much heavier and cumbersome brands/models, and then reading on the forum here, and 'silly dolls blog', I already had a 1lb down sleeping bag. some light, quick drying, cycling jerseys that might work....plus there seems to be a lot of sales going on right now. So I am hoping for this coming fall, to be able to be walking the Camino, but there is only so much of this that is up to me. We'll see just what is really the right time, for me to do this. I believe that the Camino is already at work.... Oh!, I am also excited about learning more than a hand full of words in Spanish.
I too run a little on the warm side, and like to sleep cool. On my last cycle tour, i took my heavier down bag, and out of 8 nights, I only took my sleeping bag out of its stuff sack once, and then I couldn't use it, so I continued using a twin size flat flannel sheet..., perfect. So what I decide to use will probably depend on the time of year that I get to do this Walk....
