You know it's weird but people pack it anyway

scruffy1 · Dec 17, 2015

I have a picture somewhere, lost among the thousands, taken in Viloria de la Rioja. On the way in I was passed by a young man wearing a pouncho and the long droopy hat covering his man bun so popular now in Spain. We both stayed with Acacio and Orietta (goodness, I promised them a card from Jerusalem better get cracking!). Stops raining and what does he pull from his back pack? A skateboard! Up and down the village street around the church and back again until it got dark and the next morning on the road all the way into Belrado backpack and all. Showing my age but there was once a song "You Can't Get to Heaven on Rollar Skates" needs an update perhaps. Hope he made it in to SdC.

jimabfalter · Dec 17, 2015

scruffy1 said:
I have a picture somewhere, lost among the thousands, taken in Viloria de la Rioja. On the way in I was passed by a young man wearing a pouncho and the long droopy hat covering his man bun so popular now in Spain. We both stayed with Acacio and Orietta (goodness, I promised them a card from Jerusalem better get cracking!). Stops raining and what does he pull from his back pack? A skateboard! Up and down the village street around the church and back again until it got dark and the next morning on the road all the way into Belrado backpack and all. Showing my age but there was once a song "You Can't Get to Heaven on Rollar Skates" needs an update perhaps. Hope he made it in to SdC.

I didn't know skateboards were outlawed in Heaven! LOL Imagine in thirty years and he is telling his children how he skateboarded the camino. I think he made a wonderful memory, even if it is a very strange one.

Former member 42123 · Dec 17, 2015

jimabfalter said:
I didn't know skateboards were outlawed in Heaven! LOL Imagine in thirty years and he is telling his children how he skateboarded the camino. I think he made a wonderful memory, even if it is a very strange one.

Day before I reached Santiago on my first Camino,a young man with a skateboard took the bunk above me.He propped his skateboard against the bottom of my bunk,then with a cheerful"going to meet my mates for a drink,see you later",off he went.He did not make it back in time for lock up,in fact not until 7.30 next day.As others passed my bunk and saw the skateboard,many had a look on their faces that "I can't believe that old codger is using a skateboard on the Camino"" I know I should have,but I did not say it wasn't mine,just looked smug.

mspath · Dec 17, 2015

On my first camino for sentimental reasons I carried a beloved stuffed moose!!

Not full size but as bulky as a sleeping bag! The moose, known as Mo, shortened from Mousse au chocolat, was a large toy which long ago I had given to my father for his 90th birthday. After my father’s death Mo came back to me. In 2004 he traveled in a stuff sack deep within the pack. Although disguised as a ‘pillow’ he was in truth my silent confidante during that first challenging camino.

We both made it to Santiago but once with a moose is enough! Ever since Mo has stayed on his shelf at home.

MM

jmcarp · Dec 17, 2015

scruffy1 said:
I have a picture somewhere, lost among the thousands, taken in Viloria de la Rioja. On the way in I was passed by a young man wearing a pouncho and the long droopy hat covering his man bun so popular now in Spain. We both stayed with Acacio and Orietta (goodness, I promised them a card from Jerusalem better get cracking!). Stops raining and what does he pull from his back pack? A skateboard! Up and down the village street around the church and back again until it got dark and the next morning on the road all the way into Belrado backpack and all. Showing my age but there was once a song "You Can't Get to Heaven on Rollar Skates" needs an update perhaps. Hope he made it in to SdC.

If you do the Camino on a skateboard, do you need the last 100 km or last 200 km to get a Compostela?

AlwynWellington · Dec 17, 2015

jmcarp said:
If you do the Camino on a skateboard, do you need the last 100 km or last 200 km to get a Compostela?

As one foot touches the ground every step, why not split the difference and say 150 km!!!

Now where does that start from???

november_moon · Dec 17, 2015

jmcarp said:
If you do the Camino on a skateboard, do you need the last 100 km or last 200 km to get a Compostela?

I was wondering the same thing

Now, let's talk about that man-bun...

peregrina2000 · Dec 17, 2015

jmcarp said:
If you do the Camino on a skateboard, do you need the last 100 km or last 200 km to get a Compostela?

Actually a similar question came up when I was volunteering in the pilgrims office. Two people arrived claiming to be the first people to have roller skated the camino. There is no provision in the compostela rules for roller skating, but the staff member gave them the compostela anyway. There was a slightly extended discussion about whether foot, horse, and bike were the only acceptable modes of transport and I don't know if the rules have been revised to make clear whether skates (and I guess they should consider skateboards, too) are allowed.

AlwynWellington · Dec 17, 2015

november_moon said:
Now, let's talk about that man-bun...

If the man-bun was covered by his hat I guess it must be near his head.

Are there other places where you find a man-bun?

C clearly · Dec 17, 2015

scruffy1 said:
what does he pull from his back pack? A skateboard!

Just a skateboard? That's nothing compared to this young man, who was 5 months into an around-the-world adventure. As well as the usual selection of gear, he was carrying:

Skateboard strapped to pack
Full camping equipment including large tent
Significant library of books
Mandolin
Didgeradoo (5-feet long; he had never been to Australia)

The enormous load contributed to a knee problem, and he had both hands full so he couldn't use walking sticks. Although I was old enough to be his grandmother, I traded one walking stick for his didgeradoo so he could get down some steep slopes, and I carried it for an hour or so. It sort of made me feel young and foolish again. Certainly it made me look foolish if not young. I think he ended his camino soon after, to search out a boat to South America.

purplesage · Dec 17, 2015

C clearly said:
Just a skateboard? That's nothing compared to this young man, who was 5 months into an around-the-world adventure. As well as the usual selection of gear, he was carrying:

Skateboard strapped to pack

Full camping equipment including large tent

Significant library of books

Mandolin

Didgeradoo (5-feet long; he had never been to Australia)

The enormous load contributed to a knee problem, and he had both hands full so he couldn't use walking sticks. Although I was old enough to be his grandmother, I traded one walking stick for his didgeradoo so he could get down some steep slopes, and I carried it for an hour or so. It sort of made me feel young and foolish again. Certainly it made me look foolish if not young. I think he ended his camino soon after, to search out a boat to South America.

View attachment 22852
View attachment 22859

OMG OMG... is that a mule-packed man or what?? Glad he didn't carry his own oven and microwave and fridge. These are thoughts I've often had whilst walking: what do we NEED and what do we WANT?? Have been trying to make sense of this for a while. Buen Camino

SYates · Dec 17, 2015

Did he ever make it to Santiago or did he quietly broke down somewhere on the way? SY

C clearly · Dec 17, 2015

SYates said:
Did he ever make it to Santiago or did he quietly broke down somewhere on the way? SY

When I last saw him (that day) he was already broken down and talking about finding a boat to South America. I later heard that he had left.

SYates · Dec 17, 2015

So sad to hear that. But I hope he found his Camino in South America, SY

purplesage · Dec 17, 2015

C clearly said:
When I last saw him (that day) he was already broken down and talking about finding a boat to South America. I later heard that he had left.

... not with all that gear I hope, C clearly?

Magnara · Dec 17, 2015

I have just read the book and seen the movie "Wild". The author walked the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA with a pack so huge she called it Monster.

C clearly · Dec 17, 2015

purplesage said:
... not with all that gear I hope, C clearly?

Of course! That's why he brought it, as he certainly didn't need it on the camino. The musical instruments were meant for busking, to finance his travels. I think the Camino in Spain was a small part of his planned adventures. He was talking about hitchhiking, but didn't seem to think his load was a problem for that. And I didn't say anything to disillusion him.

Icacos · Dec 17, 2015

C clearly said:
Of course! That's why he brought it, as he certainly didn't need it on the camino. The musical instruments were meant for busking, to finance his travels. I think the Camino in Spain was a small part of his planned adventures. He was talking about hitchhiking, but didn't seem to think his load was a problem for that. And I didn't say anything to disillusion him.

It was kind of you to help him out @C clearly. I can see you're a good sport.

purplesage · Dec 17, 2015

C clearly said:
Of course! That's why he brought it, as he certainly didn't need it on the camino. The musical instruments were meant for busking, to finance his travels. I think the Camino in Spain was a small part of his planned adventures. He was talking about hitchhiking, but didn't seem to think his load was a problem for that. And I didn't say anything to disillusion him.

well..... Let's just pray he's found what he's looking for

Robo · Dec 19, 2015

A Rice Cooker? No. That hardly qualifies as 'wierd'

Ours has arrived and will be travelling with us in May .....

I'll give it a test run at some stage and produce a full report

AlwynWellington · Dec 19, 2015

Robo said:
I'll give it a test run at some stage and produce a full report

Robo, I often worry about you and all my other family and friends who live on our West Island!

If you carry a rice cooker does that mean you also carry rice (not all stops have food shops). And sultanas for an ANZAC style feed?

But for the love of a good woman I guess a man will do anything. Good on ya mate.

Parisian · Dec 19, 2015

C clearly said:
Just a skateboard? That's nothing compared to this young man, who was 5 months into an around-the-world adventure. As well as the usual selection of gear, he was carrying:

Skateboard strapped to pack

Full camping equipment including large tent

Significant library of books

Mandolin

Didgeradoo (5-feet long; he had never been to Australia)

The enormous load contributed to a knee problem, and he had both hands full so he couldn't use walking sticks. Although I was old enough to be his grandmother, I traded one walking stick for his didgeradoo so he could get down some steep slopes, and I carried it for an hour or so. It sort of made me feel young and foolish again. Certainly it made me look foolish if not young. I think he ended his camino soon after, to search out a boat to South America.

View attachment 22852
View attachment 22859

It reminds me of a quote, "we pack our fears."

Robo · Dec 19, 2015

AlwynWellington said:
Robo, I often worry about you and all my other family and friends who live on our West Island!

If you carry a rice cooker does that mean you also carry rice (not all stops have food shops). And sultanas for an ANZAC style feed?

But for the love of a good woman I guess a man will do anything. Good on ya mate.

I'll let you into a secret......... MY wife will be getting her

AlwynWellington said:
Robo, I often worry about you and all my other family and friends who live on our West Island!

If you carry a rice cooker does that mean you also carry rice (not all stops have food shops). And sultanas for an ANZAC style feed?

But for the love of a good woman I guess a man will do anything. Good on ya mate.

It's a very small Rice Cooker. Like.........the smallest you can imagine ...... and then a bit smaller still I think half the benefit will be in knowing it is there if we need it

koilife · Dec 20, 2015

Robo said:
I think half the benefit will be in knowing it is there if we need it

I suspect the real benefit is in your wife knowing that you love her enough to carry the silly thing in the first place. If love is the measure of a pilgrimage and growth in love holds primacy of purpose, then you are pilgrim in deed and not in name only.

Tacitus · Dec 22, 2015

Well this past spring during our camino, my brother and our friend both bought replica flintlock pistols (which weighed about 3 pounds each) in Burgos and carried them all the way to Finisterre!

JillGat · Dec 22, 2015

Magnara said:
I have just read the book and seen the movie "Wild". The author walked the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA with a pack so huge she called it Monster.

On a camino with bars and albergues along the route, one has the "luxury" to pack much lighter. Backpackers have to carry everything. I've done hikes of several weeks duration in high mountains with lightweight gear that added up to over 35 lbs./16 kg. When you need to carry your shelter, bedding, cold weather gear, etc., it adds up quick. It sounds to me like that young guy with the skateboard, mandolin and didgeridoo was having a wonderful adventure. Where was he from?

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You know it's weird but people pack it anyway

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