Our first Camino starts in September

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

 

[RemysMimi]

Buen Camino!!!!!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

A Warm welcome to the Forum, Linda and Brad

American Pilgrims on the Camino (APOC) has a nice FAQs about a pilgrimage on a Camino which may give you some additional planning help. It is also a great place to order your Credencials from.

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.

Again, welcome to the Forum.

 

[Anamiri]

We will likely meet you, also starting from Leon early September. Finally my husband has agreed to go, and our 13 year old grandson. Leon to Santiago, then Finisterre and Muxia.

 

[JamesGeier]

Welcome to the Camino Forum. I concur with everything @davebugg said. I lurked for several months here on the forum as I was planning my first Camino Frances. Just reading, searching and reading some more gave me a wealth of information from experienced pilgrims. The American Pilgrims on the Camino web site is another source of good information.
Buen Camino!
--jim--

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

Welcome to this wonderful forum!
Your first Camino will most likely lead into a second and third if all goes well! Wishing you a great experience!

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

We will likely meet you, also starting from Leon early September. Finally my husband has agreed to go, and our 13 year old grandson. Leon to Santiago, then Finisterre and Muxia.

That would be lovely Anamiri

 

[Cindyrella]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

Us too, a bit intimidated. Going for 7 days to get an idea of what it’s about.

 

[ChristinaD]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

We walked the same route in Sept 2017 at ages 65 and 67. We plan to do so again in Aug/Sept. Take the first few days slowly and acclimate yourselves to the walking., and above all, enjoy.

 

[JamesGeier]

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.

In re-reading this thread, more things come to mind. I do agree that it is a good idea to know why you want to go on the Camino pilgrimage. For me it was to honor my parents who named me for Saint James the Greater. But the motivation and purpose is an elusive concept. I am reminded of a few quotes culled from an interview with Jack Hitt, author of "Off the Road: A Modern-day Walk down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain." Mr. Hitt walked the Camino in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. His book inspired Emilio Estevez to write and produce the film, "The Way" starring his father, Martin Sheen (and a couple of scenes in the film are from the book). The quotes are so meaningful to me after walking the Camino Frances twice:

1. One of the cool things about the road to Santiago is that almost any motivation to go ends up being a great one.
2. The road will shape your motivation into something far more pilgrimy than you anticipated.
3. The motive for walking was to discover the motivation for walking.
4. We start the road for one reason and then the development of that question becomes far more complicated than we thought it was.
5. The road sort of beats all of the cliche's out of you.
6. You think you went for one reason and you end up going for a whole multiplicity of other reasons and they're all fascinating. And that question never goes away and never gets fully or satisfactorily answered.

It is good to have an idea about why you are going to walk to Santiago de Compostela. That idea may change, develop, be analyzed, and the question may never really go away.

Buen Camino!
--jim--

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

UPDATE! Husband says, let's do this right, we"ll start from St. Jean PdP!!

 

[trecile]

UPDATE! Husband says, let's do this right, we"ll start from St. Jean PdP!!

Buen Camino!
When are you starting?

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Buen Camino!
When are you starting?

We will start the 3rd week of Sept.

 

[Debi Baker]

Linda and Brad here 68 years old and feel pretty good/healthy about starting in Leon. This has been a years long dream for both of us-can't wait!

I just hit 68 also. This will be my 2nd Camino. I start walking August 31st from Lisbon. This trip I am solo. Did the Frances with 2 other friends from Maine. Hope to meet you on the Wsy.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Hi Debi Baker, we love/loved our Sep, 2019 Camino and thought we’d return in 2020, chickened out then and now. At 70 years and compromised immune systems not planning anytime soon. Desperately miss the Camino, best regards and Buen Camino to you

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi Debi Baker, we love/loved our Sep, 2019 Camino and thought we’d return in 2020, chickened out then and now. At 70 years and compromised immune systems not planning anytime soon. Desperately miss the Camino, best regards and Buen Camino to you

Awww, do not call your choice to hold off on walking the Camino as "chickening out". You are wise to consider your potentially compromised health status a priority...sounds like a wise decision imo.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Awww, do not call your choice to hold off on walking the Camino as "chickening out". You are wise to consider your potentially compromised health status a priority...sounds like a wise decision imo.

I know you are correct CC, but there is a burn in my heart for the Camino

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I know you are correct CC, but there is a burn in my heart for the Camino

Your avatar photo says it all and I feel the same.

 

[CE1948]

I just hit 68 also. This will be my 2nd Camino. I start walking August 31st from Lisbon. This trip I am solo. Did the Frances with 2 other friends from Maine. Hope to meet you on the Way.

Hi Debi - I have a similar profile (age & Camino experience) and plan as you. So I wish you an enjoyable walk. I hope to meet up with you along the road from Lisbon. Best, Chris (ex-Sydney now Berlin).