Last fall Annemarie and I were invited to be part of a team from our local chapter of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims as we presented a one day seminar aptly called "Camino 101". The course was designed to help folks who had previously never walked a Camino prepare themselves for both the physical and spiritual elements of the Camino. Annemarie and I were primarily asked to present the equipment we used.
As we went through our presentation there was a fellow who asked us quite a few questions. During the lunch break we introduce ourselves and Ted asked me a bunch more questions. No problem, the day was all about sharing information from our own experiences. We gave out our email address at the end of our presentation and then moved on with the rest of the day. A very good day!
A couple of days later I receive an email from Ted asking me a long list of questions. I answered, and then another list of questions appeared. Interesting. One of his issues concerned wet gear. I made arrangements to help Ted and 4 others secure Altus ponchos from Spain (myself included as Margarita suffered badly during last falls barge and bike trip). It was a long process as the ponchos were difficult to find, but I eventually secured them through a business in Verdun, Quebec. In the mean time I invited Ted to join me for a training walk so that he could ask me all his questions. Boy did he ask me a lot of questions!! Over the following months there were more emails with more questions. The ponchos finally arrived and we again met for a walk. Ted brought along his new Gregory pack and I set him up then off we went. It was a great walk! We talked and talked. Ted shared some of his reasons for walking and I shared my own. I felt that we formed a nice connection.
Zip ahead to April and Ted was finally on his way to France to begin his Camino. Ted's anxiety was high, but I told him that with his first steps out of St John Pied de Port that all that would simply melt away. Well, Ted is now sitting in Ponferrada with 'just' 211 kms to go before he walks into Santiago. We have stayed in close touch and he has had a journey that he tells me is far, far beyond his expectations. He has experienced it all. A heavy chest cold complicated by his severe asthma, cold mornings, wet days, full rooms in albergues, mud, the wonderful food, comradery around the communal dinner table, hot sun, steep climbs, a too heavy pack, lost underwear...all the physical stuff. He's also experiencing a profoundly spiritual journey with plenty of self discovery, reflection, resolution and growth. He typically walks alone and doesn't appear to be making too many lasting friendships. But clearly he's walking 'his' Camino and finding what he needs out there. Something quite special. He's given himself the handle, "Camino Man".
These last 5 days Ted has walked from Leon to Ponferrada, a very special part of the Camino Frances which has further kindled my own excitement. Rob and I will be starting our Camino in Leon just 3 months from now and walking to Ponferrada before leaving the Frances and heading off along the Camino de Invierno for two weeks into Santiago where Annemarie will greet us at the beginning of September, and she and I will continue onwards together while Rob returns home...to work. There is lots of living to do before we depart. A trip this week to Tofino, a visit in Vancouver to see Caitlin's convocation from UBC Nursing later this month, Annemarie's 60th birthday celebration (never ending!) and then a week long kayaking journey with Rob from Nanaimo to Victoria via the Gulf Islands in mid-June. During all this Annemarie will first undertake a June road trip with her sisters through Oregon and will take off in July for a long anticipated trip north to HaidaGwii with her pal Libby. Following all this we will then finally begin our more focused preparations.
So thanks Ted for the stories and helping to rekindle my own excitement for walking this year. Really looking forward to it. At some point in the next month or so I'll post a more detailed outline of our plans. The map above shows the Invierno Camino route, the first of three legs I/we hope to walk this year.
Buen Camino Ted. Have fun Camino Man!
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