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New Record to Santiago de Compostela by bike

The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Not nearly as cool as:

February 20, 2005 Hans "Yohans" Van Dan Elzen yesterday broke his own Guinness World Record of 51 yo-yo tricks in one minute when he performed 54 tricks in a minute.

and the yoyo guy did not profane a holy pilgrimage to do it...
 
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Agree Julie and Mendi - just a testosterone challenge that has nothing to do with the Camino except it happened to follow (probably only approximately) the route. Yes mgrussell, but I am sure he would have slowed down and given way to pedestrians rushing past!
 
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Shame to see people being so dismissive of something that other people might see as quite an achievement and have an interest in.

It was obvious from the title what the story was about it. If it doesn't interest you then why read it, and why comment?
 
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I agree with Cambridge Pilgrim. This was an old thread resurrected just to make snarky comments. Please let's keep this a tolerant forum.
Obviously the number of teasing quotes suggests that the topic is worth providing opinions other than "attaboys."
 
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Indeed, but a disparaging one-liner doesn't make for much of an "opinion".

My opinion? I think it's a tremendous feat that needn't be judged on any metric other than one of physical achievement.

I suspect that the ride was entirely on road and very few pilgrims will have even been aware of the rider, let alone inconvenienced.

A topic more befitting of a cycling forum than a CdS forum certainly...but then the rider didn't start the thread... ;)
 
There is nowhere stated how a peregrino can do their Camino.

True, but there are rules if they want a compostella at the end. =)

I am a little disappointed when I hear people complain about how others hike the trail, though. I'm not a bicyclist and have no desire to set any speed records--but I'd still defend his right to do the Camino any way he wants at any speed he wants. If bicycling 500 miles in a day makes him happy, good for him. =)

It's not just this thread, either. People who complain about pilgrims who prefer hotels rather than albergues, or pilgrims who condemn those that don't carry their gear from town to town, etc. There's a lot of intolerance on the trail. It's not really obvious on the surface, but we're all guilty of it to some degree. The world would be a much nicer, kinder place if we stopping throwing stones at each other.

-- Ryan
 
My "more befitting" bit was a nod to those who don't associate this ride with the camino. ;)

No problem with the thread being started - I totally agree it should be on here - just pointing out to those who question the rider that it wasn't him that linked the ride to the camino.

Am hoping to walk next September. First plan was to cycle but the logistics seemed a bit of a pain - not least finding somewhere to secure the bikes at night. Doing it in 25 hours certainly solves that one!
 
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Actually this poor guy had no intention of doing it in one day at all but, as he was using John Brierley's guide and agenda, each albergue he came to was full :(. Being a Basque lad he just pressed on of course. I believe his greatest challenge wasn't the cycle at all- it was when his mum greeted him with the words "why did you get the train back son?"- now that's hard school;)


PS.....if, like a tibetan prayer wheel, cyclists attached a rolled up prayer to the spokes of their wheels sure they'd beat us all into a cocked had with regard to praying as well............so I'm going to set a Guinness world record for the most Rosaries said in 24 hours......hang on where's me bike?
 
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Sadly, the first thing people ask us when we tell them we had ridden the Camino de Santiago was "how many miles did you do each day?" The ride was never about that. Instead, we spent time stopping to reflect on the ride, look around at the scenery, chat to others either walking or riding, and so on. In short, nobody should imagine that such a beautiful part of the world should be considered a "race".

I like to think that one day this lad will realize just what he's missed and do the ride at a much more leisurely pace.
 
Sadly, the first thing people ask us when we tell them we had ridden the Camino de Santiago was "how many miles did you do each day?" The ride was never about that.

Just because they ask a question like that doesn't mean that's what they think the ride is about. They're just curious. People ask me how much I walk each day and how long it'll take to reach the end, but I never imagined that's because they thought I was in some sort of race.

I've also had those same people ask me directly why I'm doing what I'm doing.... I don't really have a good answer either. Just because I feel like it. =) I like the adventure, I like the challenges, I like the change of scenery. Essentially, I do it because I can! =) For someone completely unfamiliar with the experience, though, they're curious about us. We're strange and exotic creatures, and they're trying to learn a little about our way of life. Which includes how far we travel each day. =)

-- Ryan
 
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It's swings and roundabouts, I suspect. I love riding, and I often think that people in their cars often miss out on so much that we come across. By the same token, I think that people who are walking see so much more than we, on our bikes, do. When I wrote that the people we mentioned our riding the Camino to asked us how much we rode each day, I was talking about other cyclists, so this would always be their uppermost thought. When I mention the trip to my non-cyclist friends, their first question would usually tend to be about where we went and what we saw. Always my answer to their question on why I did it would be "I love the adventure, the uncertainty of what's around the corner and, mostly, the excitement of new experiences". At my age (65) most of my friends just shrug and say "well, I love my comforts, so you won't be seeing me joining you". Which is sad because I saw loads of people my age or even older enjoying the Camino. I am 80% closer to walking the Camino next time :) (three weeks just wasn't enough time to soak up the atmosphere, scenery and culture of such an amazing country).
 
Shame to see people being so dismissive of something that other people might see as quite an achievement and have an interest in.

It was obvious from the title what the story was about it. If it doesn't interest you then why read it, and why comment?
Hola C_bridge Pilgrim - it is not a case of being dismissive (or jealous for that matter) it's just that IMHO the Camino is really meant to be experienced or enjoyed!? If some active person wishes to peddle from Roncesvalles to plaza del Obradoiro then that is up to them but it should be associated with the spirituality of the Camino (again IMO). So I will offer my congratulations to the cyclist for his physical efforts but not consider it a traverse of the Camino.:rolleyes:
 
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I just had a look at the YouTube or similar that the first post link takes me to. Whilst my Spanish is not great (rather poor) but I would suggest that with the support car behind him - and its countdown clock - that this is definitely not a pilgrimage. Just some cyclist out to peddle 750 Km (or there abouts) in the shortest time possible. That he has achieved and no doubt within the next 12-15 months someone else will set out to beat this time. Buen Camino!!
 
Funny, I commented to some cyclists on a bike forum for using the Great Divide Mt Bike Route as the course for an ultra race--- I called it a little game of theirs. They came back all indignant about what a life changing spiritual experience it is to race an ultra marathon.
 
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I set a new record yesterday for time from my easy chair to the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the Guinness record people don't have a category for that.
 
Yes he had. First when he did his first Camino (like all of us peregrinos) and then again when he set the new record ( as any sportsmen ) .:)

Ondo Ibili !
@MendiWalker , crazy avatar !
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I set a new record yesterday for time from my easy chair to the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the Guinness record people don't have a category for that.
It depends on just how far from the fridge you were, I suppose :) I have to admit that I admire anybody who can ride the Camino in such a short time - having taken three week's myself, I find that in searching for spiritual enlightment, it was in me all the time! Still, I would do it all over again - only this time take four weeks and spend more time investigating every nook and cranny along the way.
 
Hola C_bridge Pilgrim - it is not a case of being dismissive (or jealous for that matter) it's just that IMHO the Camino is really meant to be experienced or enjoyed!? If some active person wishes to peddle from Roncesvalles to plaza del Obradoiro then that is up to them but it should be associated with the spirituality of the Camino (again IMO). So I will offer my congratulations to the cyclist for his physical efforts but not consider it a traverse of the Camino.:rolleyes:

Maybe it's just me - but commenting on his physical efforts is, I think, all that was necessary on this particular thread. Clue given in the title that it was perhaps all about records rather than a "pilgrimage" as such.

Whatever a "pilgrimage" is. I'm fairly certain that my definition won't match with that of everyone else.
 
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