Walking in October 2012

[vicrev]

GDAY ALL.. I AM 70 YEARS OF AGE & PLANNING TO WALK THE CAMINO IN OCTOBER,YOU PEOPLE ARE AN INSPIRATION. GREAT SITE, FULL OF RELEVANT INFO.FOR A NOVICE LIKE ME!!!!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola Vicrev - welcome to the forum. Ask any questions you may have and users will try to answer them.

Let us know how your preparations are going.

Best wishes

John

 

[jennysa]

GDAY ALL.. I AM 70 YEARS OF AGE & PLANNING TO WALK THE CAMINO IN OCTOBER,YOU PEOPLE ARE AN INSPIRATION. GREAT SITE, FULL OF RELEVANT INFO.FOR A NOVICE LIKE ME!!!!

I am 67 and will be walking the Camino for the second time in October this year, but am first working for the first 2 weeks in October as a hospitalero. Where are starting from and on what date? Jenny

 

[camelle]

I totally agree, super site and incredibly good people who so patiently answer all the posts and questions!
I too will be starting my novice walk on September 26/12. I booked my ticket and have to keep reminding myself that "all will be as it is supposed to be". I will start at SJPdP and hope to finish in Finisterre in 6 weeks time.
Ellen

 

[vicrev]

AT THIS STAGE THE PLAN IS TO WALK FROM BORDEAUX TO SANTIAGO STARTING THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER.......FINGERS CROSSED !!!

 

[cinlamb]

I too am walking my first time the first week of October. New to all of this and so very eager for the journey. I am 68, was not a walker but have been walking for many weeks now. Have started my own pilgrimage just outside my door!

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

October should be a great month - the heat of the summer sun will have declined, but the scenery will still be wonderful.
Be aware that this year has seen some freak weather conditions, due to the more southerly route of the jet stream. Be prepared for some wet weather, especially in Galicia.
Buen camino!

Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[mspath]

I too am walking my first time the first week of October. New to all of this and so very eager for the journey. I am 68, was not a walker but have been walking for many weeks now. Have started my own pilgrimage just outside my door!

It is great that you have been walking for many weeks in preparation for your October camino. Be sure to train wearing your fully loaded backpack so that your body gets accustomed to bearing the load.

On my first Camino I learned the hard way that this is NOT a walk in the park! Just because so many pilgrims have been successful does not guarantee that all will be. Anybody any moment can fall or pull or break anything. The most common injury is the result of trying to walk too far too quickly carrying too much!

Once on the Camino easy does it, especially for the first days. Be a snail; slow but, determined.

Buen Camino,

Margaret

 

[rickster]

Margaret's advice is spot on! I walked some before my camino, but never with my pack. Training with the exact equipment you plan to use on the camino will give you an opportunity to see if it works for you and what adjustments need to be made. I believe it is possible to gradually get in camino shape after you start the camino, however, if your equipment (socks, shoes, pack, etc) are issues, it could be a painful learning curve. What is recommended by someone on this forum may not work for you. It took me more than a week to figure out the best adjustment for my pack, even longer than that to get the best sock setup for me, and unfortunately too long before I realized that I had to dump about 30% of the weight in my pack. The consistent advice on this forum that should be heeded is to keep your pack weight less than 10% of your body weight. The happiest pilgrims were the ones with the lightest backpacks. You may feel as I did that this doesn't apply to you, and that is where walking for long distances with your loaded pack before you get to the camino will reinforce this advice.
Buen Camino,
Rickster

 

[adventurekq]

We might be seeing some of you. We plan on setting off from SJPP on Sept. 28.

Wow! What an amazing adventure we've all been inspired to do!

Kathleen and Ross

 

[RochelleArellano]

So excited for you!! Buen Camino. I will be walking in October as well. It is my first time. I am 58.

 

[legsy]

will start my first Camino oct or nov - totally flexible if anyone wants to hook up.
69 and fit (enough I hope)
legsy (David) from merseyside UK.

 

[jmcarp]

Congratulations! My wife and I plan to do our first Camino next September (2013), and to celebrate my 70th birthday along the way. We haven't decided our route yet, but I guess it's going to depend on scheduling. We want to start after the August crowds, and need to be back for my wife's 50th high school reunion in mid-October, so whatever we can get done in that time frame will be the determining factor. Thanks to all who post here for the helpful hints. Buen Camino to everyone.
Jim

 

[MontanaWendy]

I will arrive in Madrid the morning of Oct.16, and hope to make it to SJPdP that day... and start my first Camino the morning of the 17th or 18th.
I am feeling a little bit frightened, as I will be on my own, my language skills are minimal, and though I am fairly healthy and strong I am not by any means athletic. I do, however, feel a strong call as spirit to undertake this journey... that means I have a calm center, and I'm counting on God to help me work out the details.

 

[Icacos]

I am feeling a little bit frightened, as I will be on my own, my language skills are minimal, and though I am fairly healthy and strong I am not by any means athletic. I do, however, feel a strong call as spirit to undertake this journey...

Oh, you have struck a chord with me. I plan to walk the Camino Frances in spring 2013 and I too, will be alone. I will be sending positive thoughts your way. God speed and bien camino. Charleen

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Wendy,

I am always anxious about travelling to the start of the Camino. For me it is the most anxious part of the whole Camino. I plan it with with military precision and write it all out for myself step by step so that I don't get confused on the day, so I can empathise with your present feelings. Once you reach where you plan to start it is almost like you have removed the weight of a rucksack from your shoulders and the rest is easy.

If at all possible for you, book your bus ticket from Madrid over the internet. The reason I advise this is that sometimes the queue to buy tickets, whilst not long , can take a long time to move forward. This is because there can be many non Spanish speaking people trying to purchase tickets and each transaction takes a long time. I once missed the bus that I had hoped to get in Madrid even though I had an hour and a half at the bus station to get it. The website is www. alsa. es.

God takes special care of pilgrims but he does expect us to use the wisdom he has already given us. "Pray to God sailor, but row for the shore"

Buen Camino,
Lydia

 

[peregrina2000]

I think Lydia's absolutely right, that for most of us, no matter how many caminos, there is always some pre-walking anxiety. But it just melts away once you take those first steps, it's pretty amazing.

Several years ago, someone suggested that I look into "open jaw" plane tickets from the US -- arrive in one city, leave from another. I have found that frequently it adds very little to the total cost if you add the Madrid to Pamplona and Santiago to Madrid legs onto a round trip USA-Madrid. Definitely worth checking out by using a "multi city" search function on the travel websites. And both flights are under an hour, so you are likely to be able to make it to your starting point more easily.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[grilly]

Hi, hi, Vicrev,

My husband is going to turn 70, I've just turned 66. It's our 7th Camino -- 2nd time on the Via de la Plata. Last year I had to stop due to a knee injury. We'll be starting again in a 12 days! Very exciting...

You're going to have the time of your life The Camino will take care of you in ways you cannot begin to imagine.

Buen Camino!

 

[Bernard Howell]

I there,
completed the Camino in 2006 but planning to journey from Oloran st Marie to whereiver I get in
7 days (October 20th/26th.) - if a little more time would try for Puenta de la Reina.
I am 65 and from Wolverhampton where I work as a lay chaplain in a school.
Hope to bump into someone on journey and would appreciate any comments on the route I have
chosen.

Bernard Howell
Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is very scenic. I met my best dog-friend leaving Oloron. All the stops were great. Stay on the road in bad weather. The light traffic is treacherous, but the slippery trail is worse.