Questions about our first Camino!

[MeghanEmily]

Hi!

My friend and I (two women in our early 20's) are trying to plan our first Camino trip! We are planning on cycling, and we are in good shape because we both play college soccer. Our plan is to go as soon as school ends in early May, and from there we have a little over two weeks to play with. What city should we start in? We were initially planning on starting in Pamplona, but we think it would be really cool to start in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Is that attainable?

Thanks!

 

[SYates]

Two weeks on bikes for two reasonably fit women? SJPDP might be perfectly possible (if you go the 'high road' you will have to push your bike a bit) and Pamplona nearly would make for a leisurely / comfy Camino starting point with plenty of time to explore things slightly off road. How many kilometers do you do normally on varied terrain and from where are you from? Buen Camino! SY

 

[MeghanEmily]

Thank you SYates,
We are from Pennsylvania, United States. You can find pretty much every type of terrain here--hilly, mountainous, and flat. We are amateur bikers, but we want to start training for the trip. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[SYates]

One tip: Learn to repair your bike yourself ;-) SY

 

[Walter1407]

I cycled from Budapest in 2011. For the stretch in Spain I needed ten days (counting from SJPP). I cycled mostly on roads. As you are probably a lot fitter and less tired than I was, two weeks should be plenty. - I did not cycle via Pamplona but on a more southerly route from Roncesvalles to Puenta la Reina (much less traffic). If you are interested I can send you details of the route.

 

[MeghanEmily]

Thank you Walter!
Wow! That's impressive. We were hoping to stick more to the traditional walker trails as opposed to roads. Do you think those extra 4 days will allow us to stray off the roads a little bit?

 

[SabsP]

Thank you Walter!
Wow! That's impressive. We were hoping to stick more to the traditional walker trails as opposed to roads. Do you think those extra 4 days will allow us to stray off the roads a little bit?

May I post a suggestion ? Please use a bikebell when on roads where there are also walkers. Nothing scares walkers/ pilgrims more than a bike racing up behind you and blows you out of your socks..... Happy preparations!

 

[scruffy1]

SYates got it right! Know how to fix a flat and take along a hand pump. Have one of those universal bike spanners to fix who knows what, the bell is a good idea but remember many people no longer remember what a bike bell is. Bike repair shops are few and far between outside large areas, in case of some bicycle catastrophe some trains will let you on with a bike few if any buses have bike racks. Many albergues will take in bikers only late in the day, 1630-1700 so don't get too tired too early.
Was coming down from SJPP almost in Roncesvalles when a Swiss guy on a bike my age stopped for a chinwag. How long before you get there I asked. "Next weekend" he replied, "And You"? "Next month" was my answer. A different perspective for the Camino.

 

[MeghanEmily]

May I post a suggestion ? Please use a bikebell when on roads where there are also walkers. Nothing scares walkers/ pilgrims more than a bike racing up behind you and blows you out of your socks..... Happy preparations!

All my reading thus far has stressed the importance of this! Thank you!

 

[A. Narciso]

Two weeks by bike it´s doable from SJPP ! Moreover you two are in good shape

 

[Al the optimist]

And don't forget some walkers have hearing problems and a little tinkle on the bell from afar might sound like a bird tweeting (without a #tag). Personally I like the Italians who approach singing opera at full voice.

 

[Walter1407]

Thank you Walter!
Wow! That's impressive. We were hoping to stick more to the traditional walker trails as opposed to roads. Do you think those extra 4 days will allow us to stray off the roads a little bit?

Four additional days should cover most eventualities. As I have only cycled smallish parts of the walking camino, I cannot say from personal experience what the difference will be if you want to do more. The camino guide books for cyclists which I looked at (in Spanish and German) did not recommend much cycling on the walking camino. If you follow the route which is recommended in Spanish guide books, you will probably meet quite a lot of other cyclists. - There are several stretches where it is not possible to cycle on the camino, e.g. up to and down from the Iron Cross or up to O'Cebreiro.

 

[SabsP]

Also at the part at El Acebo and Molinaseca bikers will have to make a detour.

 

[DowtyCamino]

Word of warning....some "walkers" don't like/hate the cyclists. Just kidding, but my wife and I joked about "oooh I hate those guys" . They were always sleeping in later and then blowing past us at a predictable 10am. Seriously though, cycling is a different experience. You will likely form relationships with other cyclists, but not with hikers. This is only because you're on different schedules. Hikers inevitably meet up with other hikers each day along the way. It is easier to invest in their lives when you know you will see them again. I assume a similar bond forms among cyclists that "run into" each other over multiple days.
I did speak with a solo cyclist however that described his trip as "lonelier" than he'd expected/hoped. We talked for a while and he longed for the relationship that he saw forming among the walkers. I'm sure other cyclists can speak better to this but I felt for him.

 

[Walter1407]

I did speak with a solo cyclist however that described his trip as "lonelier" than he'd expected/hoped. We talked for a while and he longed for the relationship that he saw forming among the walkers. I'm sure other cyclists can speak better to this but I felt for him.

Cycling and walking the Camino are two quite different things. The main differences a s I see it:
- You can have a chat with other pilgrims while you walk, but this is difficult while you cycle.
- The distances different cyclists do in a day vary a lot; so cyclists will meet others but they are not likely to see them again.
- While cycling one has to concentrate on the traffic, potholes and the like. Walkers' minds can drift off.
- The Camino is a competitive sporting event for few walkers, but it is for quite a lot of cyclists.

I have both walked and cycled the Camino and I would not cycle it again in either Spain or France. I found it a rather lonely experience too. I love cycling and I find that protected cycling routes e.g. along the rivers Danube and Rhein give a better experience. But I will for sure walk the Camino again!

 

[MeghanEmily]

Word of warning....some "walkers" don't like/hate the cyclists. Just kidding, but my wife and I joked about "oooh I hate those guys" . They were always sleeping in later and then blowing past us at a predictable 10am. Seriously though, cycling is a different experience. You will likely form relationships with other cyclists, but not with hikers. This is only because you're on different schedules. Hikers inevitably meet up with other hikers each day along the way. It is easier to invest in their lives when you know you will see them again. I assume a similar bond forms among cyclists that "run into" each other over multiple days.
I did speak with a solo cyclist however that described his trip as "lonelier" than he'd expected/hoped. We talked for a while and he longed for the relationship that he saw forming among the walkers. I'm sure other cyclists can speak better to this but I felt for him.

Hopefully it won't be too lonely because we'll have each other. I think we would both love to walk it, but it's difficult for us to find the time and money to take a whole month! Thank you for answering!

 

[SYates]

... I think we would both love to walk it, but it's difficult for us to find the time and money to take a whole month! Thank you for answering!

Then walk! If you have time restrictions, just start closer to Santiago, remember, unless you start at home and back again there isn't anything like a "whole Camino" all starting points are compromises. If you have two weeks you could comfortably walk from Astorga and that without the hassle of bringing your own bikes over. As for money, 30 Euros/day make for a pretty comfy Camino and walking is cheaper as you don't have to budget for bike repairs ect.
Whatever you do - Buen Camino! SY

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Start closer to Galicia and walk! Perhaps León. When you bike, you're moving too fast.