Excursionista
happiest when walking
- Time of past OR future Camino
- De VdBierzo (2004)
Pamplona-Sahagún (2021)
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Absolutely, a few grams here or there don't make much difference, but I've found a few pounds that I could easily eliminate by bringing alternatives that I already own. Since foot pain has been my main limiting factor on past Caminos, I'm more than willing to see whether a 20% pack weight reduction leaves me with more mental load for other things.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...
The phrase "weighing one's options" has never seemed more appropriate.I don't go as far as making a spreadsheet of the weights of everything that goes into my backpack, but when I'm deciding between two equally good options I weigh them on my kitchen scale and pack the lighter weight item.
My thoughts may be connected to my heart, but my back pack is connected (indirectly!) to my feet, and my feet are my limiting factor.I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
weight is not the only thing that causes foot pain. Especially not when I count the individual grams....and focusing on it doesn't help either.My thoughts may be connected to my heart, but my back pack is connected (indirectly!) to my feet, and my feet are my limiting factor.
Some of us really enjoy our spreadsheets, so please let us have our fun.
Oh, I am well aware of that. I have identified many causes of my foot pain! But my spreadsheets are not among them.weight is not the only thing that causes foot pain.
Absolutely - as you did. I replied with mine.I thought I can write my opinion down here no?
I’m just sharing this as a side, I would agree if wanting to weigh things a kitchen scale sounds like the best way to do it. but we too don’t weigh things. When I took my five kids from Le Puy to Finesterre we got so bored by the “ how much do your packs weigh” question. We didn’t keep track and just said “ we don’t want to know”… such questions bored us…and unless someone is carrying a piano or an elephant I’m so not interested in others weight.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
But you opinion is somewhat condescending.weight is not the only thing that causes foot pain. Especially not when I count the individual grams....and focusing on it doesn't help either.
You can have your spreadsheets!
I don't want them...
to be so accurate and weigh everything is just not mine. like I said....that's all!
I thought I can write my opinion down here no?
I found your opinion like a poem, and loved it’s wording! I looked at it as encouraging words vs a lecture. Not even certain it was an opinion as a mindfulness encouraging alternative on how to think while we might curse our packs weight. so much so I shared your post with four my kids still at home!weight is not the only thing that causes foot pain. Especially not when I count the individual grams....and focusing on it doesn't help either.
You can have your spreadsheets!
I don't want them...
to be so accurate and weigh everything is just not mine. like I said....that's all!
I thought I can write my opinion down here no?
On the margin, a few ounces here or there wouldn’t have made a difference, but added up they could have. The thing is, when it comes to packing, it’s not plus or minus. It’s only plus. I set myself a limit of 22 pounds (10 kilos) for my pack, including my camera. I weighed everything and had a spreadsheet to keep track of it all. I had an entire tabletop filled with items that didn’t make the cut. I didn’t want weight to be an issue. It wasn’t. Focusing on the weight of my pack forced me to whittle things down to the essentials. I carried only what I needed.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
I'd much rather focus my thoughts with a 4kg backpack than a 10kg one. The fault you are having is that one prohibits the other. Why wouldn't i cut the labels of my cloth. It takes seconds, it save me a few gramms, some labels itch. Theres just no reason not to do it.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
I used a kitchen scale and a spreadsheet for my first camino last September. I enjoyed the process of it all. My major goal in walking the camino was to let go of control including letting go of making sure I had anything and everything I could possibly need during my walk. The scale and spreadsheet grounded me in reality each time I weighed and adjusted the contents of my pack. I’m not saying it was a pretty process. There were some tears of frustration and grief. For me, the camino began here in my home. I felt great joy and satisfaction as I walked my camino knowing what mental and emotional price I paid in getting there. It still brings a smile to my face.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
That's the message! Thank you V-Hiker!I used a kitchen scale and a spreadsheet for my first camino last September. I enjoyed the process of it all. My major goal in walking the camino was to let go of control including letting go of making sure I had anything and everything I could possibly need during my walk. The scale and spreadsheet grounded me in reality each time I weighed and adjusted the contents of my pack. I’m not saying it was a pretty process. There were some tears of frustration and grief. For me, the camino began here in my home. I felt great joy and satisfaction as I walked my camino knowing what mental and emotional price I paid in getting there. It still brings a smile to my face.
Your perspective on weight shaving might change over time.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
I agree completely. Weighing every little thing forced me to get my priorities sorted and to leave “just in case” back home. I still remember that each camera battery weighed 3 oz.I used a kitchen scale and a spreadsheet for my first camino last September. I enjoyed the process of it all. My major goal in walking the camino was to let go of control including letting go of making sure I had anything and everything I could possibly need during my walk. The scale and spreadsheet grounded me in reality each time I weighed and adjusted the contents of my pack. I’m not saying it was a pretty process. There were some tears of frustration and grief. For me, the camino began here in my home. I felt great joy and satisfaction as I walked my camino knowing what mental and emotional price I paid in getting there. It still brings a smile to my face.
I'm 5'1", with some foot issues, I do care about the weight of my pack. My husband was very entertained, watching me weigh my stuff. But I definitely saved weight, all those grams add up.I tried to remember/figure out whom to message directly but didn't manage it. I wanted to share my thanks for the idea to use a kitchen scale to measure gear weight.
Someone mentioned it in the course of another thread, and I was surprised to find how inaccurately I was guessing at relative weights. My pack will be significantly lighter on my next leg of the Camino!
I am talking about a couple of pounds not about a difference of 6kg! I think you totally missed my point!I'd much rather focus my thoughts with a 4kg backpack than a 10kg one. The fault you are having is that one pro
or just the brutal truth and sometimes it just hurts. I don't know!But you opinion is somewhat condescending.
@Len Dacombe , I think most times people are trying to either be helpful or express their point of view. I always try to keep in mind that there are thousands of pilgrims on this forum from hundreds of countries for which English is not the primary language. Translation apps lose a lot of content especially if the writer uses slang/cultural terms, and certainly written word does not convey any sarcasm nor sincerity Sometimes things sound harsh... I choose to give the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is going to have a different Way.But you opinion is somewhat condescending.
this is definitely a good point!@Len Dacombe , I think most times people are trying to either be helpful or express their point of view. I always try to keep in mind that there are thousands of pilgrims on this forum from hundreds of countries for which English is not the primary language. Translation apps lose a lot of content especially if the writer uses slang/cultural terms, and certainly written word does not convey any sarcasm nor sincerity Sometimes things sound harsh... I choose to give the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is going to have a different Way.
A pilgrim after my own heartor just the brutal truth and sometimes it just hurts. I don't know!but actually like I wrote: just "my opinion"
buenos amigo
Opinions are not truths. They’re just opinions.or just the brutal truth and sometimes it just hurts. I don't know!but actually like I wrote: just "my opinion"
buenos amigo
Um, for some of us it very much matters! It isn't a matter of a pack weighing a few grams less because you weighed something. It is a matter of selecting a whole series of items that weigh less than other items - reducing your pack weight significantly. I have hiked with a 45 pound pack where I had to carry camping gear, food, and water for a week of hiking through mountains. I have worn a pack that carried a weeks worth of "lightweight" clothes for a normal "backpacking Europe" vacation (the kind where you hop on and off a train and only walk a mile or two to/from hotels every few days). And I have hiked cross country with a 12-15 pound pack. I can tell you, hiking 500 miles with a 12-15 pound pack is significantly more enjoyable. Last year I aimed to keep my total Camino pack weight under 15 pounds (that was with my CPAP). And even then I got to Pamplona and raced to the first post office I could find to ship more stuff home. I don't need a CPAP this year, so my goal is to keep my total gear under 14 pounds, including the clothing and shoes I plan to wear. Yes, I use a kitchen scale and a handheld scale with a hook to measure all of my gear in grams. If I am choosing between two pairs of pants, I look at comfort and weight and usually pick the lighter pair. I do that will all my gear when possible. I often cut the tags, some things have a ridiculous amount of "tag material". And I have fun making a game out of figuring out where to lose the extra pounds (yes, all those grams add up to pounds and kilograms). When I see how much my pack weighs - if it isn't where I want it to be then I look to see what can be eliminated. And you know what? What I pick to eliminate, is rarely missed! Some of you may think it is ridiculous - but I can tell you my pack will be at or at least close to a weight that is comfortable for a 500 mile hike and my back and the rest of my body won't suffer because I overpacked. Been there - done that! Won't do it again unless it is the type of trip where it isn't possible to stay light.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...
For me, Dennis, @pasiño a pasiño , the weight mattered a lot. I walked my first Camino a few months after a mastectomy, my fourth camino brought along a tumor in my right knee, and this camino in June follows a major abdominal surgery less than a year before. It is less about obsessing and more about a system for keeping comfortable and safe. I could always pack like a strong camel and send the bag ahead or risk becoming injured...I choose to carry my pack. It is not always mind over matter, sometimes it is necessity. I might add that I've never found searching for the lighter pack weight a chore, I found it an enjoyable challenge...in the end with a pack that I made perfect for me...spreadsheet, scale and all! Maybe a new perspective?as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
30 lbs! Wow...congratulations...not a small accomplishment. Buen Camino!I’m one of those that has a spreadsheet. I’m not being fanatical about it but it’s there and I want to keep an eye on things to make it a bit easier on myself. However, for me - and I know this isn’t possible for everyone -, the easiest (?) thing to make my future Camino more comfortable is to lose the extra 30lbs / 15kg that I’m carrying in excess fat. That will make the Camino a lot easier on the feet. I have a year in which to do it and I’m getting there (very slowly) 30lbs down so far and another 30 to go.
Well I still felt you were less than encouraging. And while I agree that a few grams here or there won't make much difference, a few Kilgrams will make a huge difference and could be the difference between a great Camino or serious physical injury. You can ignore my comment, that’s up to you.this is definitely a good point!
My sentiment exactly! My pack usually weighs no more than 13 lbs. My entire body feels great and is very happy walking long distancesI am totally focused on the weight of my pack. I want to be in Europe for 7 weeks with a 15 pound pack. Of course, I'm 6'1" and weigh 225 #'s; about 30 pounds overweight . . . so there's that too . . . .
A kitchen scale helped me decide to leave most of my gold bars at home.as if it matters if the pack has 334g more or 336g less...as if a kilogram or two decides whether you arrive in Santiago or not...do you also weigh the food in restaurants and your groceries you eat?...."oh I need to go to toilet before I continue, my cargo is to heavy"
I think it is much more important that the thoughts are focused and connected to your heart! Instead of focusing on each ounce/gramm and split hairs....
relax and let it go.....
I don't wanna be offensive, just my opinion.
My husband, also a Dennis, would have philosophized about unnecessary pack weight worry in his 30’s. Now in his 60’s, low pack weight to save his knees, feet and stamina is a central theme of his current “philosophy”. Still living in the present moment, its just a present personal reality that is quite different from 3 decades ago. But I’m pretty sure we’ll be out on the camino “letting go” while we’re feeling so much lighter on our feet and enjoying all the other people we meet in whatever their own present moment is, Buen camino!I just got a brain fart I want to share:
Seems like planning a pilgrimage today takes the same effort as a doctoral thesis.
Isn't a pilgrimage an adventure or rather an all inclusive holiday where everything seems to be prepared and booked?
my experience/opinion
"Not preplan everything" creates the unforgettable memories and stories we will tell our children and friends.
Only stepping out of our comfort zone develops our personality and individuality.
"Always considered about our safety!"
Safety suggested for example from the smartphone/apps and Google maps! As if a human can't be without.
Do we questioning ourselves these days if these kind of technology is supportive or rather a bondage who stops us from thinking and following our instincts?
Anyone considered walking a Camino without a mobile/camera or a drone?
These gadgets are mostly on the spreadsheet aren't they?
I just want to philosophize and like I always say: don't be offended!
Dennis
edit post scriptum: I have no idea how many kilos of litter I carried to the next bin, because of what...the packaging was empty heavier as it was before in those backpacks?
No I am not asking for a reward....
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