I have 20 weeks to prepare for the Camino. Starting SLOW and finishing with three ten-mile days in the hills with my pack.
Here’s the plan.
Let the Training Begin!
Ready to walk!
Spring is here! Temps range from day to day – 75 to 30 to 60 to 40 and it looks like up to 80 in a week. The wind has been strong enough to blow entire buildings to the next state. But.. winter is over, and I look forward to getting my Camino legs back. Slowly. Steadily. I have six months to get ready. I’m ready!
Roadblocks
After several frustrating days of dealing with Chase Sapphire travel & Air France, Air France has decided to void the voucher I was going to use for the May/June Germany trip. So, I won’t be on the Mosel Camino this spring.
It costs very little to get to Germany once I’m in Portugal/Spain, so I may still go after I finish the Camino Portuguese (from Porto) and the Camino Inglés (from A Coruña). The Portuguese is about two weeks walking and the Inglés is only 5 days. I feel my chapter of European walks is coming to a close, so I may take this opportunity. Even if I’m not up for walking the Mosel Camino – I would enjoy seeing that part of the world. Pondering.
Direct flight: Porto to Luxemburg is $43.00 USD
My Stats
- Lost a whopping 4.5 pounds.
- Lost 2.5 inches around my middle.
According to my Fitbit:
Walked 630 miles. (Rest days, airport days, and walking days)- Averaged 14.5 miles per day on the Camino walking days,
September Camino Stats
In September 37,465 pilgrims collected the Compostela: 18,736 women, 18,728 men, 1 unknown.
Of this number 35,152 travelled the Camino on foot; 2,240 by bicycle, 41 on horseback, 29 by sailing and 3 in a wheelchair.
The most travelled was the French Way (Camino Frances) (20,793)
The main starting points for the Camino Frances were: Sarria, St Jean P Port, O Cebreiro, Leon and Roncevalles. (I started in St Jean P Port)
Dana’s Scallop Shell
Before I left, Dana gifted me a small scallop shell she’d retrieved from the Costa da Morte at Finisterre. I was to give it back to the waters at Finisterre.
I did.
Pilgrim Dana
I met Dana through her brother in October 2018. I was looking for company on local hikes. By this time, I was able to walk six miles with a few breaks.
Here we sit with our coffee and she starts talking about a 500 mile walk. In Spain! Furthermore, she tells me if I can walk six miles, I can walk across Spain. First, I want to run out that door! But then, something happens, and I want to do this thing that I’d never heard of before that cup of coffee.
When I get home, I say to John: I’m going to walk across Spain. He says, Really? When? And 11 months later my first step landed on the path leading over the Pyrenees in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France.
Dana is my Camino mentor, my cheerleader and my friend. I can hear her now… What if…. And some seemingly impossible something flows out of that creative mind and suddenly seems possible. We did it, my friend.
Madrid
Had a nice four-hour train ride from Santiago to Madrid this morning. Taxi to the hotel, store my bags, find a 2pm breakfast. I was hungry!
Nap. Then a half mile walk to the Plaza Mayor. Dinner on the plaza & flight check in back at the hotel.
From the time I leave the hotel in the morning to the time my plane lands in KC is 21 hours 30 minutes (if all the travel gods align).
Covid test
Entry back to the US requires a negative PCR test no matter how many vaccinations you’ve had (I’ve had three).
I used an eMed Home kit that I’d ordered from Amazon before I left. You connect with a person who watches what you do via your phone. My test is negative as you can see in the photo.
Working my way back to you…
October 24: Bus – Finisterre to Santiago
October 25: Train – Santiago to Madrid
October 26: Plane – Madrid to Home