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You may want to rethink the poncho thing. I thought that I was prepared for the rain with my great LLBean rain jacket and a rain cover for my backpack. I was doing some last minute shopping at a discount store before I left on the Camino and saw this Coleman Poncho (folded up it was the size of a man's wallet) for 72 cents so I bought it on a whim. Once on the Camino I started off using my rain jacket, but found that it made me sweat and the rain was going down between the rain jacket and my backpack. Yep, the 72 cent poncho worked best of all - covering me and my backpack and allowing air to enter and keep me comfortable.Shortly arriving in Biarritz and staying in Bayonne tonight (Saturday 02Nov).
Train to SJPP tomorrow.
Excited and nervous.
Did I forget anything?
Will I be strong enough?
Will Route Napoleon be open and am I brave enough ? ;-)
Amuses me that all the advice is "ease into it" but one of the hardest and yet most attractive sections is on first day.
Maybe I'll understand in 48 hours !
As for rain etc, hopefully well prepared with excellent set of Rohan waterproofs. I originally planned to use a poncho. It seems simpler. But trying one led me to conclude ponchos to be a total "faff". Again, maybe I'll see it differently in a few weeks.
El Camino, please be patient with me.
I am just a sinner trying to do my best.
Well here I am at Roncevaux monastery on night 2. TWO?? What happened to the bonus day I found ?
Well I've followed the advice on the forum. So I didn't push myself, not a race etc
Being brutally honest, it was tough. I'm diabetic with some blood pressure and other issues, and I think I had a couple of hypos - not sure why, I rationalise that extra sudden exercise affected blood sugar. Remedied with chocolate and lots of pauses. So I was slow. Local French couple advised me to make detour as I would be walking down other side through woods at night. Stay on tarmac.
But before I could, the sun had already gone and then a storm came in. Just 500km from col de lepoeder. It seemed bad. So I decided to use the shelter at Izandorre. No facilities of course but very welcome protection from wind and rain (apart from leaking window and door). Scary night, had to layer up fully and use foil emergency blanket. Ran out of water. Tree came down near shelter. So unexpected night stay on the mountain. I don't really recommend it ;-)
Storm blew non-stop from 8pm through to 11am, when the wind reduced. Rain continued but I was ok with that.
When I got to the downhill stretch through the woods, I was glad I had holed up. At night even with head-light it would have been tough.
Relaxed and dry I'm looking forward to tomorrow, although with some trepidation on hypos, and cramps. But it has to easier than first stage ..... Doesn't it ? ;-)
Hi!Any recommendations, other than Decathalon, for where to buy winter water- proofs in Pamplona?
Well here I am at Roncevaux monastery on night 2. TWO?? What happened to the bonus day I found ?
Well I've followed the advice on the forum. So I didn't push myself, not a race etc
Being brutally honest, it was tough. I'm diabetic with some blood pressure and other issues, and I think I had a couple of hypos - not sure why, I rationalise that extra sudden exercise affected blood sugar. Remedied with chocolate and lots of pauses. So I was slow. Local French couple advised me to make detour as I would be walking down other side through woods at night. Stay on tarmac.
But before I could, the sun had already gone and then a storm came in. Just 500km from col de lepoeder. It seemed bad. So I decided to use the shelter at Izandorre. No facilities of course but very welcome protection from wind and rain (apart from leaking window and door). Scary night, had to layer up fully and use foil emergency blanket. Ran out of water. Tree came down near shelter. So unexpected night stay on the mountain. I don't really recommend it ;-)
Storm blew non-stop from 8pm through to 11am, when the wind reduced. Rain continued but I was ok with that.
When I got to the downhill stretch through the woods, I was glad I had holed up. At night even with head-light it would have been tough.
Relaxed and dry I'm looking forward to tomorrow, although with some trepidation on hypos, and cramps. But it has to easier than first stage ..... Doesn't it ? ;-)
Any recommendations, other than Decathalon, for where to buy winter water- proofs in Pamplona?
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