Jeez Louise…you’re the one wearing spandex!

You can meet some pretty interesting folks during the preparation process, and I expect this to be one of the delights waiting for us along el Camino. I’ve been mulling this subject over and  over while walking...after all there is lots of time to mull when walking steadily for 4-5 hours.

Over the course of the past 10 months I’ve developed a series of trap lines or walks that take me through various areas and across differing terrain depending on the training required. You need variety in your walking routes to help your physical preparation and develop confidence in your ability…otherwise, you risk the process becoming too routine for body and mind. Along the way I have come to recognize a number of folks. 

During the earlier training stages late last fall and through the winter I was casually noted by locals as I regularly walked by in my jeans and light winter jacket, usually receiving a nod from other walkers or a brisk “hello”. Bikers tended to ignore me and drivers usually managed to avoid running me down in cross walks…a few tried, but fortunately missed!

As the seasons changed from winter to spring more folks were outside gardening, and as they watched me wander by they began to take a bit more interest as I migrated from a rear hip bag, to a bright blue day pack (complete with hydration system), to my full back pack with Pacer poles. The amount of gear under management seems to correlate quite well to the level of attention received. At first they simply looked at me a bit humorously, but eventually they began to ask what I was training for. Now these same folks encourage me on my way past…much appreciated, but its probably more likely that they don't want me loitering in front of their house!

Now its the height of summer and folks are out in force complete with many non-locals, and its interesting how things have changed. The ‘regulars’ continue to encourage, but I more often as not I get some odd looks from a few of the non-regulars. Now I fully appreciate that seeing a walker approaching you all geared up complete with head-phones plugged in and poles thumping along can be a bit odd looking…but you know, this is the west coast! Mostly I get curious looks, particularly as I cross a beach…I do get it, not exactly beach wear. The drivers are still pretty good with only a few of our many ‘run the stop sign’ crowd coming a bit too close…I glare at them, but they probably can’t see the seething look in my eyes with my sun glasses on (I’m practicing my ‘look’ for the Spanish drivers). The funniest looks come from the somewhat roundish cruise boat tourists who check me out with wide eyes as I come trucking up some of the steep ‘view’ hills that their tour bus has just lumbered up, belching out black smoke from the effort (the buses, not the tourists). I can see them commenting to each other, “he actually walked up…”. Then there are my favorites…the casual cyclists, the weekend Tour de France road rangers. Their looks are not quite as amusing as those from the cruising crowd, but a close 2^nd.  Its that smug look with a condescending smile that says, “look at that guy with all his gear and thump-thump poles…he could be riding”. How are they to know that I was one of them last year (and will be again) as I trained to cycle in Europe? Now I’m in a different classification…’The Lowly Walker”. I’ve learned to look straight back at them with a defiant look in my eye (again, unfortunately hidden behind my shades). However, unknown to them I have the last laugh as they peddle past and I say to myself…”Why are you looking at me like that? After all, you’re the one wearing brightly coloured spandex!”

One last note; while gathering together our gear and undertaking the physical preparation these past months we have had some unexpected and often special encounters with people who, once discovering our purpose, go to great lengths to assist. It turns out that there is a growing 'Camino awareness' amongst Canadians. Many hope to one day take their own Camino walk, but are unsure when this will happen for them...they are only too happy to help us prepare. Many of these interactions are transactional in a hiking gear shop or a health food store, but others are with close family and friends who help by providing the needed emotional support. Then there is another category...the physios and therapists who fix the aches and pains developed during our training process. For example, we are so fortunate that we have found an excellent massage therapist to help our aging bodies prepare...we would really like to take her with us!! I wonder how we can do that and yet keep within our pack weight limits? Too complicated to figure out today...under 7 weeks to go and the time to finish preparing is fast approaching. Seven weeks since Annemarie's knee injury, seven weeks until we depart...yikes!!

Addendum: Just had to add these photos from my early morning training walk today...if I look really hard I can occasionally find something positive about insomnia! Photos taken with the Canon PowerShot 330 HS I'll be carrying on the Camino...not too shabby!

A Mini Camino Weekend

Geoff has often said that our Camino started at the time we made the decision to do it...Several months back, Geoff read a post on the forum he follows that suggested practicing everything is a good idea; including if at all possible a two day walk that mirrors the conditions of the Camino. Put these two things together and you have our Mini Camino weekend.

Several weeks ago, we phoned Geoff’s cousin Jim (and Cherry) who live in Sooke to see if they would be up for an overnight visit from us, with the thought that we would walk most of the way to and from their place. When my knee injury got in the way, they graciously delayed our visit for a week (turns out it worked out better for them as well, so everyone was happy). Given the knee situation we cut back a bit on the distance, walking just over 21k on the way there and around 24k on the way back (thanks Caitlin, for dropping us early on Saturday, and Jim for picking us up and dropping us at the agreed rendezvous point).

Some differences between our mini Camino and the real thing:

• Geoff had his full pack weight, but I didn’t
• people were going both ways on the trail and they all spoke English
• the company and the accommodations at Jim and Cherry’s will likely not be matched on the Camino
• we came back to our own home after only two days of walking
• we had a big breakfast each day before starting out
• the bus ride at the end of the day today - required to get us home

Some similarities with the Camino (I’m guessing here...)

• long sections of trail with no amenities (food or washrooms)
• the sun behind us most of the way, and temperatures in the low twenties (if we’re lucky that’s what we’ll get in September
• early morning start (at least the first morning)
• our gear...we’ve pretty much got it sorted now
• A few blisters

Probably the best news for me was how my knee held up - unfortunately I don’t have the blister thing dealt with yet, but I did learn that changing to sandals later in the walk makes a huge difference.

All in all it was a great weekend which left us a little weary, but with a pleasant sense of accomplishment.

Walking, Walking and More Walking!

Things have moved along quite nicely over the past month. As indicated in Annemarie’s last post, her knee has almost fully healed and she has returned to training. This is very good news as she has sufficient time to reestablish her endurance and build up to walking with a full pack. While it will understandably be a bit disconcerting for her, the decision to meet me on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees is probably wise. I’ve long wanted to hike in the Pyrenees...sure hope we get a nice couple of days....no doubt Annemarie will feel much better about missing this part if I set off in the rain!!

We have finally managed to accumulate just about all the gear…a surprisingly long process. The walking poles I ordered from the UK arrived, and I have being trying to figure them out on various types of terrain. They do provide a nice boost on hill climbs and seem to help control descents over difficult terrain. My pack ‘dry’ weight should be maximum 16.2 lbs (7.3 kg) depending on weather conditions. Adding food and water to the mix increases the maximum weight to about 18.5lbs (8.4 kg), which is just slightly over 10% of my body weight (rule of thumb goal for this sort of thing). Of course, a nice feature about food and water is that the pack slowly gets lighter through the day as you consume both (gotta look for the positives)...as long as I keep very well hydrated.

For the present its walk, walk and walk again, finding hills whenever possible. At this point and until we depart, its all about the length of time spent walking with the pack. I’m presently walking with 17lbs, and this will increase to the full weight by the end of the month leaving about 5-6 weeks to train fully loaded. We have planned a couple of back to back 20-25km weekends to get a sense of things...with the first one this weekend. I recently experienced some left heal blister problems and have been busy trying to resolve the problem...I hope I have this right or its going to be a very, very long weekend!!

Less than 2 months until we begin…time does fly past. It may finally be appropriate to start distributing this blog to those who may wish to follow our journey. On the other hand, while I don't want to over think this…I may not want to send it out too soon or there might be a few awkward moments when we return…”So when are you going on that walking thing anyway?”

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much....Ralph Waldo Emerson, Country Life, 1858

---- I like his message and would only add that a smile with a pleasant greeting to others along the way is also just as important...as is a good supply of Band-Aids.

Wise Decisions...

I stood at the top of the hill overlooking Cadboro Bay and thought longingly of walking down the hill to the beach to drink in the glorious summer view....and then I headed back through to Mystic Vale, which is flatish, and enjoyed the dappled sunlight streaming through the trees. I am not someone who does well with restrictions, nor have I previously had an injury of this sort. With fibromyalgia chronic pain ebbs and flows, and in my experience letting the discomfort impose restrictions on my mobility really has no benefit. With this injury the opposite was true - rest and gradually re-building were the order of the day, and no down hill treks until I could feel confident no further damage would occur - so my first wise decision was not to walk down the hill to the beach.

I would say I am now 98% recovered, and I have been down the hill with no ill effect this week. My next wise decision will likely be tougher ... I’ve decided not to walk the first climb up to Roncevalles (in the Pyrenees). My doctor, massage therapist, and physio (not to mention Geoff, co-workers, etc.) all think this is wise...and I know it is too, but on that second day when I watch Geoff set off on the trail with his pack while I head to the bus, I know it will be tough. However, just as my recovery has seen steady progress, through my earlier decision, this decision will greatly increase my chances of successfully completing the rest of the walk. Our original plan was to leave from Pamplona, (a few days down the road) and Geoff is happy that he will be able to send some of his stuff with me to our second night’s stop. All of this is supporting the decision I’ve made, but not really making it any easier. Publishing this as my intent is another way of ensuring I will stick with my decision and will remind me, why it makes sense. Who knew that at my advanced age making a wise decision would be so tough?

PS…Of course Annemarie’s brave commitment not to hike over the Pyrenees clearly commits me…sigh. However, it will be nice to send 1 or 2 kilos of stuff along with her on the bus. It will be a long climb that day complete with jet lag, but I’m hoping for a little sun and clear skies to enjoy the views and will try to take a few photos to share with Annemarie over a glass of vino at dinner.