New and looking forward to the walk

[Elron]

Hi to all my fellow Pilgrims.

I am making the walk at the end of April 2020, I have been talking about it since 2016 since watching the movie The Way.

I made plans with a buddy to walk it in 2020 ,I talked to my buddy to see if he was still going to go,he said he could not as his health was not doing good.
I talked to my wife and expressed how bad I wanted too go, as it seemed like life was catching and taking friends and family. I did not want to put it off for another year.
We agreed and here I go at the end of April to SJPDP to start on an adventure to follow and see where the path takes me.

Cheers Elron

 

[nycwalking]

Welcome Elron,

Buen camino!

 

[Kanga]

@Elron great! You will not regret walking alone, along the way you will meet plenty of people and this gives you complete freedom and independence to fully experience the Camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Good for you, Elron! And how nice to have the blessing of your wife to go. You will not be walking alone unless you choose to. I too, was motivated to walk my first camino after seeing the movie "The Way". Little did I know I'd become a bit of an addict.
I also leave in April...for my 6th camino! I go every year and will continue, God willing and health permitting.
Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hello, Elron, and a warm welcome to the Forum from a neighbor to your south

Here is a link which also may be of help as you begin: Canadian Company of Pilgrims Resources and Information

The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

 

[Elron]

Thanks for the kind encouragement

 

[tomnorth]

Buen Camino!

 

[Paul Corrin]

Hi to all my fellow Pilgrims.

I am making the walk at the end of April 2020, I have been talking about it since 2016 since watching the movie The Way.

I made plans with a buddy to walk it in 2020 ,I talked to my buddy to see if he was still going to go,he said he could not as his health was not doing good.
I talked to my wife and expressed how bad I wanted too go, as it seemed like life was catching and taking friends and family. I did not want to put it off for another year.
We agreed and here I go at the end of April to SJPDP to start on an adventure to follow and see where the path takes me.

Cheers Elron

Buen Camino

 

[Paul Corrin]

Buen Camino!

 

[Zordmot]

Hi to all my fellow Pilgrims.

I am making the walk at the end of April 2020, I have been talking about it since 2016 since watching the movie The Way.

I made plans with a buddy to walk it in 2020 ,I talked to my buddy to see if he was still going to go,he said he could not as his health was not doing good.
I talked to my wife and expressed how bad I wanted too go, as it seemed like life was catching and taking friends and family. I did not want to put it off for another year.
We agreed and here I go at the end of April to SJPDP to start on an adventure to follow and see where the path takes me.

Cheers Elron

Welcome Elron!!

I walked it “alone” in late April-May 2019 and I highly recommend it! I’m 64 and not a flaming extrovert so I had a few concerns about it but it was an excellent experience. If you’re interested I’d be happy to offer 10 suggestions! Buen Camino! Tom

 

[Bodi]

@Elron, I had a similar experience in 2017 when the friend I was planning to walk with had to back out due to health issues. Needless to say, I was very disappointed and thought I probably “couldn’t” go alone. But the Camino was calling and wouldn’t let go so eventually I made the decision to go alone. It was the best decision I could have made. I walked solo a lot of the time, but I also met wonderful pilgrims, shared stories and meals. I’ve been back a second time, solo again and had the same experience. I’m positive you are making the right decision to go now. Buen Camino!

 

[Zordmot]

Ok, Elron I couldn’t get it out of my head, so here is my list of 10 suggestions based on my experience of starting the Camino Frances April 28, 2019

1. Whatever physical condition you’re in (somewhere between athletic and couch potato) use the next 3 months to improve. I suggest walking 3-4 times/wk pushing the envelope each week without causing injury. Increase distance and add extra water bottles to your pack. I found climbing steps to be very helpful. If you run, swim, or cycle keep up those activities as well.

2. Wear your hiking shoes as much as possible during these 3 months.

3. Get 3 pedicures—one each month. Your feet will thank you on the Camino. This isn’t a luxury but is a way to condition your feet for what you will ask of them!

3. Be aware of where you are prone to get sore spots, hot spots, cracks on your feet. BEFORE you walk each day on the Camino tape over those spots with ACE athletic tape. Do this and you will never have a blister. By the time you get to Pamplona, if your shoes are painful, go to one of the several Camino-oriented shops, buy something comfortable and jettison what you brought.

4. Arrive in SJPP on one day, get registered that day and spend the night at Beilari albergue which is just across from the pilgrim office. Make reservation at. beilari.info Great first night experience! You will make friends that you will carry all through the Camino and beyond!! They fill up fast so do this today!!

5. Make reservations for at least your first 5 nights as albergues are scarce and everything will be full by the time you arrive in April-May.

6. A walking stick or trekking pole is a MUST. The downhills will get you. Many a Camino dream died on Day 1 for those without.

7. Download this pdf list of recommended albergues 2019. By personal experience I found it to be very helpful and spot on. Revised list out in April 2020.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/a-selection-of-favorite-albergues-on-the-camino-franc%C3%A9s.140/

8. Choose albergues that offer communal dinner and those that are sponsored by parishes and monasteries. Attend pilgrim blessings and services. Regardless of your spirituality you’ll like find them to help build a sense of community and connection.

9. Be aware that there are cyclists and walkers that do not share your motivation for walking the Camino. They may not share your sense of courtesy and respect. This caused a sense of frustration for me but that turns out to be something the Camino was teaching me! Be the Camino you would have others experience!

10. Really, do not carry a pack more than 10% of your weight. I carried two changes of clothing, washed one every night, had a pair of flip flops, one light long sleeved over shirt, light jacket. wore tomorrow’s clean clothes to bed, wore shorts every day, carried a very light sleeping bag, minimal toiletries, good poncho, hat, light gloves. Some mornings I was chilly but only for the first 10-15 min.

 

[rometimed]

Buen Camino!

I'm heading back in May for my 2nd time. It's very much like living a separate lifetime.

Enjoy!

 

[Tandem Graham]

Welcome and Buen Camino Elron,
Please - don't worry; you will only be as alone as you choose to be. Start with low expectations and prepare to surprise yourself!

I endorse almost everything Davebugg and Zordmort have written, especially Z's advice on doing some regular walking beforehand. Fit it into or around your daily life, wearing the shoes or boots you plan to wear on the Camino.

However, with the exception of Beilari - which gets many recommendations (and Orrison if you plan to start with a short day), I would suggest you don't reserve accommodation ahead, especially at the start. It puts you on an inflexible schedule, which is not what you need when you are finding your own pace.
The busiest demand for beds will be towards the end of your camino, after Sarria, by which time you'll be more experienced and will know whether and how far to book one day ahead.

Enjoy your preparations, breaking in your shoes, choosing your pack and assembling your gear (as little as you can get away with - you can always buy what you forgot in shops along The Way) and hoovering advice from this forum.

Welcome to the beginning of a new adventure!

Graham

 

[Zordmot]

Welcome and Buen Camino Elron,
Please - don't worry; you will only be as alone as you choose to be. Start with low expectations and prepare to surprise yourself!

I endorse almost everything Davebugg and Zordmort have written, especially Z's advice on doing some regular walking beforehand. Fit it into or around your daily life, wearing the shoes or boots you plan to wear on the Camino.

However, with the exception of Beilari - which gets many recommendations (and Orrison if you plan to start with a short day), I would suggest you don't reserve accommodation ahead, especially at the start. It puts you on an inflexible schedule, which is not what you need when you are finding your own pace.
The busiest demand for beds will be towards the end of your camino, after Sarria, by which time you'll be more experienced and will know whether and how far to book one day ahead.

Enjoy your preparations, breaking in your shoes, choosing your pack and assembling your gear (as little as you can get away with - you can always buy what you forgot in shops along The Way) and hoovering advice from this forum.

Welcome to the beginning of a new adventure!

Graham

Graham makes some important points—we’re basically on the same page, which is unusual because wherever there are 2 peregrinos you’ll usually have 3 opinions! My personal experience those first days is as follows. My orientation to making reservations is exactly like Graham’s. However on day one April 28, I had made a reservation in advance at Roncesvailles. It turns out that I was lucky because they turned 100+ pilgrims without reservations away that day. Most of them slept outside that night and the temp was down to 3 degrees C. The following day at about 1 pm expecting to find accommodation I arrived in Zubiri to find there was none. I walked to the next town, Lorrasoaña and found the same. It was confirmed that there were no beds available all the way to Pamplona, a full day’s walk from there. There were about 20 of us trying to figure out our options. Some called a taxi and rode to Pamplona. Others put on their headlamps and started walking. I decided to have a beer and dinner to think it over. After that I was walking through town and a local woman asked me if I was looking for a place to sleep. She offered me a spare bedroom in her home for €60. I grabbed it. I learned to temper my desire to hang loose about accommodations. In reality, after Pamplona the rush of peregrinos was less: some drop out and the groups get spread out. From then on I was able to hang loose. My observation is that normally if you have a reservation you can take your time, take extra rests, take detours and you’re ok. Without a reservation, you really should arrive at your destination not much later than 3 pm. And even with a reservation you can decide to stay elsewhere just so you notify that host by a certain time. I saw this written on a rock on one of the Roman roads in the Meseta: RESERVATION = FEAR and I generally agree but you also need to have somewhere to sleep at night.

 

[Elron]

Well I am glad to see all the good ideas that you folks are giving. It makes my half baked ideas come out of the oven fully baked. We are just coming out of a -40c temp so walking is going to begin I have mapped out a few grid roads to walk on along with my pack with a few pounds in it.

Thanks for all the good advice Cheers

 

[forwardwego]

Well I am glad to see all the good ideas that you folks are giving. It makes my half baked ideas come out of the oven fully baked. We are just coming out of a -40c temp so walking is going to begin I have mapped out a few grid roads to walk on along with my pack with a few pounds in it.

Thanks for all the good advice Cheers

Welcome to the forum Elron! Well wishes to you on your upcoming Camino. Great info from others as noted above. Would recommend you take a look at a website www.gronze.com. It is an excellent resource also re: distances, albergues, elevations etc for various caminos. Buen Camino.

 

[WildPlace]

Welcome Elron and buen camino!

I have nothing to add to the sound advice from other people here. It is good that you have made the decision to go, i spoke with someone a couple of weeks ago who had been putting off going for 20 years and now at 70 years old with a variety of health problems feel they will now never go.

 

[Zordmot]

Well I am glad to see all the good ideas that you folks are giving. It makes my half baked ideas come out of the oven fully baked. We are just coming out of a -40c temp so walking is going to begin I have mapped out a few grid roads to walk on along with my pack with a few pounds in it.

Thanks for all the good advice Cheers

Hey Elron!

Wow, -40 C!!!!!! In Alaska in a bar I heard this conversation: Woman: what’s the difference between -30 Celsius and -30 Fahrenheit? Man: Exactly!

I hope to make it to Saskatoon someday, maybe not this week. My only experience was seeing the lights of Saskatoon out the window of the plane when I flew to walk the Camino. From that dark night perspective it sure seemed isolated.

All the best as you prepare for your Camino. I can’t recommend the experience any higher. If I were asked the question, “What was the best part?” I’d say the many surprises along the way.

Buen Camino! Tom

 

[rometimed]

Graham makes some important points—we’re basically on the same page, which is unusual because wherever there are 2 peregrinos you’ll usually have 3 opinions! My personal experience those first days is as follows. My orientation to making reservations is exactly like Graham’s. However on day one April 28, I had made a reservation in advance at Roncesvailles. It turns out that I was lucky because they turned 100+ pilgrims without reservations away that day. Most of them slept outside that night and the temp was down to 3 degrees C. The following day at about 1 pm expecting to find accommodation I arrived in Zubiri to find there was none. I walked to the next town, Lorrasoaña and found the same. It was confirmed that there were no beds available all the way to Pamplona, a full day’s walk from there. There were about 20 of us trying to figure out our options. Some called a taxi and rode to Pamplona. Others put on their headlamps and started walking. I decided to have a beer and dinner to think it over. After that I was walking through town and a local woman asked me if I was looking for a place to sleep. She offered me a spare bedroom in her home for €60. I grabbed it. I learned to temper my desire to hang loose about accommodations. In reality, after Pamplona the rush of peregrinos was less: some drop out and the groups get spread out. From then on I was able to hang loose. My observation is that normally if you have a reservation you can take your time, take extra rests, take detours and you’re ok. Without a reservation, you really should arrive at your destination not much later than 3 pm. And even with a reservation you can decide to stay elsewhere just so you notify that host by a certain time. I saw this written on a rock on one of the Roman roads in the Meseta: RESERVATION = FEAR and I generally agree but you also need to have somewhere to sleep at night.

Zord! I have a similar story where I left Puenta la Reina I really wanted to stay that day in Villamayor de Mujardin so I skipped over staying with others in Estella... But when I got to VdM I checked the 3 hostels and EVERYTHING was solid full of pilgrams... so I kept going... but after an hour realized it was more than 8 more KMs to Los Arcos. The day wound up being over 45 KMs walking... when I got into Los Arcos it was past 4 PM and a woman came running up to me and asked if I wanted to stay at her apartment.

20 Euros!!! FULL QUEEN BED + BATH + Access to half her fridge! :O

The Camino throws the best surprises your way in the roughest moments sometimes!

 

[mmmmartin]

Ok, Elron I couldn’t get it out of my head, so here is my list of 10 suggestions based on my experience of starting the Camino Frances April 28, 2019

1. Whatever physical condition you’re in (somewhere between athletic and couch potato) use the next 3 months to improve. I suggest walking 3-4 times/wk pushing the envelope each week without causing injury. Increase distance and add extra water bottles to your pack. I found climbing steps to be very helpful. If you run, swim, or cycle keep up those activities as well.

2. Wear your hiking shoes as much as possible during these 3 months.

3. Get 3 pedicures—one each month. Your feet will thank you on the Camino. This isn’t a luxury but is a way to condition your feet for what you will ask of them!

3. Be aware of where you are prone to get sore spots, hot spots, cracks on your feet. BEFORE you walk each day on the Camino tape over those spots with ACE athletic tape. Do this and you will never have a blister. By the time you get to Pamplona, if your shoes are painful, go to one of the several Camino-oriented shops, buy something comfortable and jettison what you brought.

4. Arrive in SJPP on one day, get registered that day and spend the night at Beilari albergue which is just across from the pilgrim office. Make reservation at. beilari.info Great first night experience! You will make friends that you will carry all through the Camino and beyond!! They fill up fast so do this today!!

5. Make reservations for at least your first 5 nights as albergues are scarce and everything will be full by the time you arrive in April-May.

6. A walking stick or trekking pole is a MUST. The downhills will get you. Many a Camino dream died on Day 1 for those without.

7. Download this pdf list of recommended albergues 2019. By personal experience I found it to be very helpful and spot on. Revised list out in April 2020.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/a-selection-of-favorite-albergues-on-the-camino-franc%C3%A9s.140/

8. Choose albergues that offer communal dinner and those that are sponsored by parishes and monasteries. Attend pilgrim blessings and services. Regardless of your spirituality you’ll like find them to help build a sense of community and connection.

9. Be aware that there are cyclists and walkers that do not share your motivation for walking the Camino. They may not share your sense of courtesy and respect. This caused a sense of frustration for me but that turns out to be something the Camino was teaching me! Be the Camino you would have others experience!

10. Really, do not carry a pack more than 10% of your weight. I carried two changes of clothing, washed one every night, had a pair of flip flops, one light long sleeved over shirt, light jacket. wore tomorrow’s clean clothes to bed, wore shorts every day, carried a very light sleeping bag, minimal toiletries, good poncho, hat, light gloves. Some mornings I was chilly but only for the first 10-15 min.

I agree with every word of this.

 

[JillGat]

Hi to all my fellow Pilgrims.

I am making the walk at the end of April 2020, I have been talking about it since 2016 since watching the movie The Way.

I made plans with a buddy to walk it in 2020 ,I talked to my buddy to see if he was still going to go,he said he could not as his health was not doing good.
I talked to my wife and expressed how bad I wanted too go, as it seemed like life was catching and taking friends and family. I did not want to put it off for another year.
We agreed and here I go at the end of April to SJPDP to start on an adventure to follow and see where the path takes me.

Cheers Elron

Hey, Elron,
I assume you had to sadly cancel your walk. What is your new plan?

 

[Elron]

I have been avoiding thinking about my lost time to walk this year but my heavy heart and the world issues were meant to be as I have acquired two new people to walk with me.
My new plan is to wait until my beautiful wife turns 60 in 2022 and walk it with her and our friend from the west coast. It will give us time to plan all the little things and enjoy it together.

Cheers and thanks for asking

 

[mmmmartin]

My new plan is to wait until my beautiful wife turns 60 in 2022 and walk it with her and our friend from the west coast.

At 60 she'll be close to the age of many walkers: this time scale gives you time to prepare. Good plan.