- 2024 Mini Series # 1 - Reflecting on Past Long Walks
- 2024 Mini Series # 2 - Sept Long Walk Choices Under Consideration
- 2024 Mini Series # 3 - Sept Long Walk Decision
Before I move on please have a look at this...incredible 🤣
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| So so so very tempting! Should I? It’s me 😊 ☺️ |
I recognize this blogpost may not be of interest to many however the trip down memory lane has been great fun! These walks have been significant events and looking back allows me to enjoy past walks and most importantly look forward to new possibilities! ☺️
Life permitting there will be a few more long walks and a similar walk down memory lane in 10 years time...or maybe I should make that 5 years ☺️...and then 5 years after that 🤔
This blogpost (still feels weird to not refer to this blog...however I stand duly corrected ☺️) has two major parts.
Ranking the long walks - more detail below however my fascination with trying to gauge the difficulty of long walks continues. Consider it my Sudoku, Wordle or Crossword puzzle type unique (read perfect for retirement 😄) pastime.
Reflecting on individual long walks - I have extracted excerpts from the blogposts on the 9 long walks along with favourite photos. Excerpts are straight copies from past blogposts...in chronological order within a long walk. No attempt made to weave a story here unlike my usual well thought out blogposts 🤣😂. People, funny stories, adventures and interesting surroundings including the good/tough times are what interest me most.
Some of you have been receiving blogposts since its' inception dating back to 2013...many have joined since then. So nothing new for some...a lot new for others.
Once you reach Long Walk 1 - Via Jacobi - Rorschach Switzerland to Geneva Switzerland then extracts from previous blogposts begin.
While this blogpost is crazy long the new material at ~ 1,600 words represents 4% of total words…the rest are excerpts from previously published blogposts…so you can do the math 🤣. Keep in mind there are 269 past blogposts. If you do take the time to read the blogpost excerpts I hope you enjoy. So here goes...
Long Walks in sequential order
The idea for my initial long walk started many months prior to my official August 1, 2013 retirement date. 35 years on the nose with a great company in Winnipeg Great-West Life Assurance (now Canada Life Assurance).
Somewhere in my dream world I heard about the Camino de Santiago a pilgrimage walk through Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrims had been walking for well over 1,000 years from their homes in Europe to Santiago de Compostela where the bones of Apostle James were to be found. In doing so they would be absolved of past sins and healed of sickness.
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| Multitude of Camino Routes through Europe...the highlighted route in dark red in Spain is the famed Camino Frances |
While I respected the religious aspect to the pilgrimage walk, this reason frankly had no appeal for me. I was fascinated by the adventure...the chance to meet folks along the way...opportunity to see countries on foot and test myself physically and mentally. While I had fairly extensive hiking experience with my brother Marc in the Canadian Rockies this was clearly very new territory for me. Could I do it? Would I enjoy it?
Well like countless other pilgrims/walkers the answer to first question was yes and the second question a resounding yes...way beyond my expectations!
Now my initial thought was to walk the famous Camino Frances from St. Jean Pied de Port (France) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain) a distance just under 800 kms. Well...like so many dreams my project grew and grew to the point where I had stitched together a 2,400 km walk over 95 days over 5 Camino routes from the Rorschach on the Swiss/German border to Finisterre which in Christopher Columbus times was thought to be the end of the world. You know the idea just sort of took off. 🤓
With my last day at work being Jul 12, 2013…off I went Aug 1, 2013. Did the Long Walk go as planned? 🤣 OMG so many things happened. I persisted...had some tremendous help both from the home front and on the Camino paths...got it done in the end!
Humour me for a few minutes...cooking up a ranking scheme to gauge the relative difficulty of long walks has been a joy! ☺️ The time I can spend doing this is well...😱
The latest Ranking system I have created is based on an equal weighting of 15 key metrics as follows:
- Adjusted Walking Speed per hour - (Total Kms walked / Estimated hours). Estimated hours = Total Kms walked / 5.5 kms per hour + 1 hour for every 1,000 meters Elevation gain + .6 hours for every 1,000 meters Elevation loss
- Elevation G/L Adjusted Kms per Day - Estimated hours (as per above) / 5.5 (assumed flat surface walking speed)
- Actual Kms per Day
- Days Walked
- Total Kilometers Walked
- Elevation Gain Meters
- Elevation Loss Meters
- Elevation Gain per Day Walked
- Elevation Loss per Day Walked
- Red Days = > 40 Adjusted Kms
- Yellow Days = 30 - 40 Adjusted Kms
- Green Days = < 30 Adjusted Kms
- Overall Days = > 30 Adjusted Kms
- Adjusted Km per Day / Actual Kms per Day %
Ok so a lot of mumbo jumbo resulting in the following ranking for the 9 long walks to date as shown in the Graph below. Note Ranking = 1 means that the walking route is the hardest on all 15 metrics while a Ranking = 9 means the walking route is the easiest on all 15 metrics.
Easiest - 8.6 score Thames River Walk - Oxford to Windsor
With two meaningful exceptions being the Coast to Coast England Walk and the Camino Portuguese the relative ranking from hardest Via Gebennensis & Via Podiensis to the easiest Thames River Oxford to Windsor is pretty accurate based on my experiences.
The Coast to Coast England Lake District was certainly the hardest 5 walking days of all my long walks...and it was not simply due to being “over the hill, decrepit and old” 😂. Factors such as the most difficult terrain, worst possible weather, tough route finding cannot be measured with “fun with numbers”...I feel like Sheldon on Big Bang Theory “fun with flags” except I don’t have his smarts and am only slightly less nerdy 🤓
The Camino Portuguese was simply the most difficult overall long walk had the second highest ranking at 6.7. Terrible early monsoon rains and very poor decisions on my part made this an intense tough physical and mental effort. However it likely remains the most satisfying to have completed.
So the ranking is not perfect...but it’s pretty good and meets my good enough bar! ☺️.
Long Walk Summary
Countries Walked - Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Japan
- 4,367 kms walked over 168 days averaging 26.0 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 77,622 ; Elevation Loss 77,527 resulting in an average G/L adjusted 29.3 kms per day. Stated another way this represents walking up/down the 553 meter CN Tower in Toronto 140 times 😰
- Walking Partners - 66 days walked alone, 102 days walked with someone
Long Walk Memories
For each long walk I have reread previous blogposts and picked out meaningful memories with a number of photos. So so many memories...it’s hard to distill to so few moments however it represents a good cross section of why these experiences have been so incredible.
Long Walk 1 - Via Jacobi - Rorschach Switzerland to Geneva Switzerland
Country - Switzerland
Year - 2013; Age 56
- 471 kms walked over 18 days averaging 26.2 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 9,444 ; Elevation Loss (9,199) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 30.7 kms per day
- Walking Partner - Alone
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| Proof that I was there at the start! |
Today was a day of many firsts. Obviously my first day on the Camino so I was really pumped and ready to go. It was 24 degrees at 7:00 this morning...it might have reached 30 degrees plus for sure this afternoon.
It was a tough long 8.5 hour day (Marc consistent with some of Rockies hike...not from an elevation point but simply long) which included all of 20 minutes for lunch in St. Gallen...but was it very good...quiche with broccoli!
In all my trusty Bad Elf device indicated I did 39.5 kms...which is consistent with a 5 km pace...not sure about the distance. I got lost a few times in St. Gallen and especially Herisau (where it turns out the signs were reversed...I kid you not)…..
I had my first "Am I going to be lost forever" in a few places where the signage was a little sparse...however I trusted and I was going in the right direction…….
I persisted and finally reached Schwellbrunn where I used my international cell phone for the first time...well I didn't really know how to use the phone (hate instructions) and I also did not understand how to phone using the country code. I had done some research however it wasn't on the mark!
Finally I got it...my phone conversation went something like this...Hi I am at the church...Do you speak English? What a stupid question...of course the answer is something like nein. So then I said Jakobsweg, church, pilgrim...and Katherine said something promising ( don't know what) and hung up.
I was staying at Christian and Katherine Kollar's Sleep in Straw farm...about 4 kms from where I was.
So I waited and by this time had decided that if they did not come I was prepared to take a taxi to Barcelona (where I fly from) and fake it in future blogs. Or I was prepared to die right there on the church bench. Just then the church bells rang for what must have been 5 minutes at least. It was really a cool sound however I was worried that I might have set out some secret alarm or something!
My girls....especially Claire...tell me consistently that I look terrible. Well I looked worse than that and I thought that if someone was picking me up they might just refuse and drive right past me!…
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| My first meal …first came the salad then the white sausage which I loved! |
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Cow incident
Sooner or later I was worried this would happen...face to face with a Swiss cow with no fence between us. Well it did on one of the off the beaten path trails...the cow (see facsimile below) was essentially blocking the trail...and not moving.
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| Disclaimer - not cow in story...it was much bigger! |
The mind does funny things in times of severe stress...mine went into option mode...I could think of five options.
Option 1 - try to sneak under the cow
Option 2 - attach my 2 trekking poles and pole vault over the cow
Neither seemed like a good option...pilgrim dies when squished by cow or pilgrim seen riding a cow in pain after failed attempt to pole vault it.
Option 3 - try to shoo it away...however after all my limited communication attempts with people what were my chances with a cow...limited
Option 4 - go behind the cow
Option 5 - go ahead of the cow
Option 4 was possible however was worried it could "backfire" on me if the timing was off so to speak.
I went with Option 5 keeping my eyes locked on the cow ( it had no horns and it's ears were swishing) and all went well until...the cow starting following me. This lasted only a few minutes however I was already wondering how I would explain this at the B&B.
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Speaking of language it was explained to me that the Swiss learn some French early and then German...don't know if High/Low however my friend Dennis would know as he knows most everything. Swiss people speak a dialect of German among themselves...it is a language that is handed down through families as opposed to being learned in school.
So the Swiss understand Germans however the Germans do not understand the Swiss. I don't understand anything!
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| My own spot in Sleep in Stroph with my own table! |
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| What a beautiful trail around Lake Thune |
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Sometime this morning I came through a village (most have no posted names) and there was a fork in the road with no signs. A very elderly gentlemen who was trying to weed said "par la". I thanked him and gave him a Canadian lapel pin. He looked at it and said "pourquoi ca"... "Why that". I told him it was a small thanks but I could tell he was unimpressed.
I left chuckling to myself for a few minutes as I could almost hear "what am I going to do which this...I'm 94 years old!" Perhaps he chucked it...but he is right at some point we have to stop accumulating stuff (Pauline!)
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I was bound and determined to find the Via Jacobi trail in Lausanne and I came with a few feet of doing so...entered a business 15 minutes before they were to open to ask...5 people there...5 Canadian lapel pins.
Some time during the day I added another pin for a lady's help. I have received a number of questions about how many/weight of the Canadian lapel pins. Before leaving I weighted them at just over 300 grams...I have about 250 left and am not sure how many I have handed out. What I have I plan on handing out before Le Puy en Velay as I have a re supply waiting for me! I know that taking the pins has added unnecessary weight and is not rational...however some might say this trip is not rational! For now I am having fun with it!
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Via Jacobi (August 17, 2013) Day 17 - Allaman to Nyons - Camino Journey is over
Friends,
My Camino adventure came to a sudden and abrupt end yesterday. Essentially I developed a serious eye problem which necessitates an immediate return to Canada to determine next steps.
Yes I am finding this extremely hard to accept at this moment however I have so much to be thankful for. The problem surfaced on the day leading to Nyons which was the last day prior to Geneva and the completion of the Via Jacobi...almost anywhere else on the planned 100 day route would have been much more serious.
When I really noticed an issue the B&B owner drove me to a medical centre from which I contacted Global Medical Assistance a program offered through my prior employer Great-West Life. The folks there were incredible and contacted a specialist in Geneva and he was waiting for me after a train/taxi ride. Note I waited 3 minutes from the purchase of the train ticket to actual boarding.
The doctor at the Geneva University hospital was extremely competent and compassionate. He diagnosed the problem and it was clear that an immediate change in plans was necessary. He went so far as to say he was sorry to deliver the news that I could not continue...my phone was dead and he used his to talk further to Global Medical Assistance...my last 3 Canadian lapel pins were given to him.
Global Medical Assistance kept working and set up a flight for the next day to get me home.
Dawn (my spouse and best friend) was super supportive when I really needed it and Heather (Dawn's sister) was an immediate source of much needed information as she dealt with her professional colleagues.
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Long Walk 2 - Via Gebennensis & Via Podiensis - Geneva Switzerland to St. Jean Pied de Port France
Countries - Switzerland, France
Year - 2013; Age 56
- 1,092 kms walked over 40 days averaging 27.3 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 24,227 ; Elevation Loss (24,373) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 32.6 kms per day
- Walking Partners - Alone Via Gebennensis, Via Podiensis - Cyrille France 21 days, Georges Belgium 16 days, Yoshi Japan 8 Days
Via Gebennensis
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Feeling very fortunate, excited and a wee tad anxious...received the green light from my ophthalmologist yesterday. A lot of support (Dawn...huge thanks...je t'aime!) received over these past weeks for which I am really thankful! So...I return next Monday Sep 23rd to Geneva, take the train to Nyons Switzerland... will take a moment to reflect at the outdoor table outside the B&B where the journey went a little off the rails.
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Back to yesterday which was a long day flying in to Geneva, train to Nyons and then a few kms to the B&B run by Vrena and Ulrich Baumgartner. I arrived around 3:00 in the afternoon and sat by myself quietly for 30 minutes or so marvelling at the fact that I was back where I had to leave 38 days earlier...
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| My beautiful room! |
I was warmly greeted by Vrena when she noticed I had arrived asking me how I was...she was pleased I was back. When Ulrich her husband arrived a short while later he immediately came over, shook my hand, and also seemed quite happy to see me.
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People are basically honest I find...bought a croissant with ham for 3.10 Swiss Francs. I had a 20 centime coin and handed this with a 10 Swiss Franc note indicating that I did not want change for the 20 centimes as these coins are a nuisance. I was leaving with my croissant when I heard the lady yelling out for me...seems like I had forgotten my 7 Swiss Francs change!
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I came across two more World War 1 memorials today...I know there will be a number of these however I feel I should pay homage them in a small way.
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| WW1 Frangy - 47 names with 6 of them with the same family name...Frangy’s population today is 1,600 |
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A little later in the day as I was leaving Les Malpas I started down a major roadway for maybe a minute. It didn't feel right...a motorist whizzing by stuck his hand out the car window and I immediately understood that I was going the wrong way, had to go back and then uphill. Amazing sign language...he deserved a Canadian lapel pin but I couldn't run that fast.
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Dangerous animals...all quiet until I passed through La Motte! Then at least half a dozen loose barking dogs...one of them very large who really did not pay much attention to me.
One of them was barking outside some of type of workplace area...a guy in his overalls came out shouting "maudit chien!"...you can translate on your own and yelling things at the owners of the dog. Basically out of a cartoon setting...He likely does this many times each day! The funniest part was when he saw me passing he told me to "whack the dog in the head with my walking poles. Linda I did not do that.
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Hot chocolate sure tasted great! After breakfast I gave Mme. Lupin, the auberge owner, 3 lapel pins as she had a few other employees. Well here is the ensuing conversation...first her daughter spent the fall semester as an exchange student in Matane Quebec. I mentioned that one of my daughters, Claire, had complete a similar exchange in Troyes France while in University...Mme Lupin was quite familiar with city of Troyes.
Mme Lupin asked me where I was from in Canada...when I told her it turns out that 3 weeks ago a couple from my home town spent 1 week at her Auberge. They were cycling in the region and it was their 12th trip to France to cycle! Scott you must make the trip!
I mentioned that two of our daughters, Lise and Jeanne, were currently working in Japan. Well last spring Mme Lupin and her husband went to Japan...told her that Dawn and I had visited Japan in the fall of 2012.
This conversation started with 3 small plastic Canadian lapel pins.
A comment received from Kristen our family lawyer…what a small world!!!
Hi Guy - those cyclists who stayed at Mme Lupin's? That was me and my husband Wayne - as soon as I saw your photo of breakfast I knew where you were. Her fig jam was particularly good. Good walking on the rest of your trip.
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The Clos des Capucins was first built in 1642 and twice in their history the Capucins monks were expelled...last time in 1903. There are 28 guest rooms.
All good...WRONG!!! Can you imagine the history here...all alone. This place must have ghosts! Can they go through locked doors? I will be sleeping with my trekking poles tonight!
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| Tough Trail Section |
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| Yosef and Albert from Germany |
Last night's supper was the most interesting of my journey (Switzerland and France) so far. The food was great and the company a lot of fun!
It started at 19:30 which is the standard time French people eat...I am starving by that time. Claude, Patricia (wife/friend), Joseph (not Yosef) and Albert were there.
Claude speaks German quite well, Patricia not at all...so the conversation over the next hour and a half was Claude speaking German with Joseph and Albert...Claude translating for Patricia and me...Claude, Patricia and me speaking in French and Claude translating to Joseph and Albert...Albert and I having a hilarious broken English conversation and my translating to Claude and Patricia and Albert translating for Joseph. An absolute zoo of a conversation yet a lot of laughs and some very serious animated conversation between Claude and Albert.
Small world...over 30 years ago Dawn and I backpacked through Europe and one day we went on a real journey to a very small village called Bois d'Amont in France as this is where my family name originates from. For some reason I mentioned this to Claude...guess what...Bois d'Amont is one of his favourites places to cycle to and to spend time in and around the village. How could this be?
As we were getting ready to retire for the night Claude brought out his guitar and sang one of his songs about the mountain...really strong melodic voice...everyone was clapping as he finished.
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| Beyond Delicious! |
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I DID IT! I have completed the 350 km Via Gebennensis route from Geneva to Le Puy en Velay. I am sitting in a reception room in le Gite Saint-Francois writing this blog entry...arrived around 2:30 after walking the 25 or more kms from Queyrieres and am waiting for the 4:30 room availability.
It's hard not to jump up and start exploring...I.e. the Cathedral is just around the corner however I need to take it easy for a bit...I plan on staying likely two full days in Le Puy en Velay to soak in what there is to see in this historic city and take care of a few other essentials.
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Via Podiensis
This morning I woke up with a real long list of things I needed and wanted to do. First I wanted to attend the 7:00 am pilgrims mass in the cathedral as I had heard that it was an experience not to be missed. There were probably 30 or 40 attendees of which 15 or so were pilgrims.
The service was a typical Catholic service...well maybe shorter than normal, but the real interesting part was when the priest asked pilgrims to gather around the statue of St. Jacques. We received the pilgrims blessing and each of us were asked to introduce ourselves. Most were from France however the exceptions were..two ladies from Switzerland that I mentioned in yesterday's blog, a Japanese man from Tokyo, a Canadian (moi), a tall bearded man, Georges, who had walked for 34 days from Belgium and Ulrika, from Linz Austria, the elderly pilgrim mentioned in earlier blogs.
Georges and I had a nice brief chat...Ulrika greeted me as a long lost friend. Unfortunately she had to bus the last 10 kms and is going home...this winter she is having a second knee replacement operation and hopes to be back next year. I wish her well...greatly admire her tenacity.
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| Rocher et Chapelle Saint-Michel-d'Aigilhe |
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Again a 10 minute walk up a stone spiral staircase...clinging to the inside and I was at the chapel.
The Saint-Michel-d'Aigilhe chapel was built in 961 thanks to the bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay who had just returned from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. A stunning and almost impossible structure to conceive how it was built!
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After 6 hours of walking over 24 kms I entered Saint Privat d'Allier ready to warm up. First I stopped at what can only be described as a French greasy spoon place run by a gentlemen who was anything but and had hot chocolate...which was awful and I am not fussy! I saw on the tv that all of France was under a cold spell...7 Celsius where I am...normal is 18.
No matter the rain had tapered off quite a bit and I was close to my destination. WELL I HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE THE GITE SINCE 1:45 and using the time to add additional clothes on and typing my blog on what I think is the Gites mailbox. Everything in the village is closed until 4:00 including the Gite La Cabourne!
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In the morning it was suggested that the pelerins who were at the Gite should have a group picture with a group hug! Not so sure about this group hug thing however decided to go along with it (see Marg, Dinah, Brenda and Amanda I can be flexible!)
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| Group Hug Picture - I was the only person in Gite 🤣 |
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I tried pissanlit (dandelion) and myrtilles jams...pissanlit, raspberry, flower and Spanish honey. All delicious...I remember when I was very young my grandmere sending us out to pick dandelions for making a salad...seems like this plant is very versatile!
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Today it started snowing softly and then as the day progressed, especially in open areas, it started falling quite heavily at times. With the wind blowing in my face it felt like being back home in winter thankfully with mild temperatures hovering around zero. Honestly at times the visibility wasn't great and I had to be careful with route signage.
Because the temperature wasn't that cold I was never too concerned however gloves and layers were really required...being Canadian also helped.
Sometime before La Clauze I came across pelerin tracks in the snow
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I was quite excited and started tracking the pelerin and making deductions based on the footprints. First guessed he was male based on shoe size which was at least 11...then that he was at least as tall as I was based on the stride. I thought he would be a smart fellow as he walked on the right hand side facing traffic and that he could be distracted based on the weaving pattern of the second picture above.
Finally I guessed he was French based on the pattern of the footprint (ok a wild guess here), that he was approximately 11 to 12 minutes ahead of me based on a number of clues,..too complicated to get into here.
I normally have a decent chance of closing the gap however I couldn't in this case...he was either walking at or better than my pace...until I rounded the corner in a small village and there he was hopping on one foot trying to get rain gear on. Both of us were battling the weather at that point...a quick bonjour and I was on my way.
Twenty minutes later Jean caught up with me and we walked together for 15 minutes or so. Powerfully built guy, likely 6 ft 4 inches at least and French from the Haute Savoie region. I learned that Jean had represented France twice (93 and 94) in the World Mountain biking championships and that he was walking to Santiago and further...until Christmas time...sold his house...quit his job and walking to reflect.
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| Pretty rough trail |
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| Alligot with sausage...potato and cheese mixture which requires s knife and fork! Really tasty! |
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| Entering the Aubrac Plateau - a few rough spots |
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First last night where supper was very good both from a company and food perspective. I was joined by 3 pelerins Patrick and his niece Delphine who are walking to Conques and Cyrille from the Bretagne region in France. Cyrille is an interesting young guy, likely in his 20's, who cycled from his home in Nantes France to within a day of Le Puy en Velay. He then sold his bicycle and is walking to Santiago de Compostela to fulfill a wow for a friend who is ill.
A few years ago Cyrille walked the St. James way to Santiago in 22 days or an average of 35 kms per day! He did say that he would not do this again this year.
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| Delphine, Patrick and Cyrille |
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After Saint-Chely d'Aubrac the Chemin for the next few kilometres was quite simply brutal...very rocky, steep and extremely slippery. It was a physical and mental struggle all the way. That is one stretch that I have no interest in redoing!
During this descent I suddenly found myself in a small herd of Aubrac cows with horns and no protective fence! I gingerly sidestepped a few of them, within a meter or so, and made my way to a gate where I lifted the latch.
Bad move as a small electric current went through me...electrical fence! I backtracked 10 metres or so and found where I missed the trail...and there was a giant cow. There was no way around it and vice versa so a Mexican cow standoff started. The cow put his head down and made a snorting noise...so I climbed over the stone fence into a pasture...
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...and promptly fell into mud or so I think it was mud...will need a good shower tonight! I then moved to the side of the cow and it moved forward...PHEW... I was on my way!
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Along the way I met and briefly chatted with 5 pelerins from Perpignan who were walking together. I gave them each a Canadian lapel pin...one of them said she had heard of me along the way because of the pins!
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Last night turned out to be a very very special time for me. It started with supper where I shared a meal with 25 or so pelerins from different countries and walks of life. At my table were Georges, Raymond (his last night), Yosh and Daniel.
The highlight of the evening followed which was organ music...wow that was spectacular sound for 45 minutes or so...could have listened to this all night. We were in the loft beside the organ and then downstairs in the Cathedral where the music seemed to be everywhere.
At some point I met Jean-Pierre from Perpignan who went into the history of this region of France and Spain where 6 million people live and are seeking independence. I gave him a Canadian lapel pin...he was super delighted! Shortly thereafter he was on the phone to his daughter and apparently she had asked Jean-Pierre if I had a spare peenz...sure I have lots!
Jean-Pierre then asked if I would speak to his daughter as she wanted to thank me...must have been a 5 minute thank you that seemed to go on forever...again really excited over this momentous gift!
In the hallway I had 3 or 4 pilgrims approach me and ask if I was the Canadian giving away lapel pins...they wanted one which of course they received. Now I have an inkling of what rock stars must feel like...I was a celebrity on the Le Puy pilgrimage route!
I later found out that Jean, 50 km a day walking machine, with whom I had walked in the snowstorm had hurt himself and had returned home. Too far...too fast unfortunately.
Breakfast was again a time where everyone gathered at a table. Overnight I became part of a walking group comprised of Georges, Cyrille, Daniel , Yosh and me. Reservations were made by Georges for the group...this was the last time I planned anything for the rest of my walk. I simply let go and everything became much simpler!
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| Lunch - Georges, Daniel, Yosh, Frank & Cyrille |
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A funny encounter at the restaurant where the organizer of the Perpignan group of 7 or 8 walkers came and joined us as we were finishing up. He sat beside Georges and just unloaded about his group. He whined, complained and said that never never again would he get involved in such a walk..."they don't know how to walk...they get tired quickly...they get lost...they don't like the accommodations...they let little hurts get to them etc. etc."
Daniel, Cyrille and I watched as our Perpignan pilgrim would place his head in his hands, shake it vigorously from side to side and wring his hands...all the while looking for support from Georges who was stuck trying to listen. We killed ourselves laughing...trying our best to cover it up with stories not to insult.
However on the way back to our dump in Figeac the tables were turned as the Perpignan gentlemen, scarf and all, who by this time had had a fair amount to drink went to say goodbye to me. I extended my hand, he took me by the shoulders and embraced me (huge hug) and kissing me on both cheeks.
Georges and Cyrille thought that was hilarious in that apparently I went stiff as a board...I told them that I thought that was how things were done in France. They thought that had I not turned my head in time I would have received a greeting full on the lips. For the rest of the day they kidded me about my "special friend"...maybe it was the gift of a Canadian Lapel pin...may have to be more careful going forward.
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| Carjac |
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But I digress as other supper attendees were two hospitaliers...Monique and Sylvie (people who help) and 25 or so nuns...likely averaging 85+ years old. All received Canadian lapel pins after Monique and Silvie introduced us as pilgrims. Clearly some of the nuns were unaware of what they had received...Georges asked Monique if she could make a special announcement that the pins were not to be swallowed. Thankfully that did not happen...pilgrim humour after a long day!
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The major scare, sorry I did not get a picture, was a small snake on the trail. After all the talk of poisonous vipers I don't know what it was...however I'm sure I came very close to dying. Georges has been talking for days about vipers (dangerous and small) and larger snakes (not dangerous) that he came across in this trail section last year.
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| Cyrille - typical picture as we leave in the morning. Une veritable tortue! |
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Last night's supper was a hoot...went to a local restaurant where there were 17 pilgrims including ourselves...2 women from France, 2 couples from Belgium and 8 women of various ages who are walking for 4 days utilizing a baggage transport service.
The noise level at the table was incredibly loud...I gave out a new record 18 Canadian lapel pins including 4 to the restaurant staff.
My head felt like it was going to explode as I left the restaurant as the noise from the group of 8 ladies was unbelievable. Cyrille thought this would be a good time for me to taste Armagnac before leaving for the Gite.
How to describe Armagnac...well think fire in a glass! It took me 20 minutes to drink what may have been half an inch of the stuff. I even had 2 small fruit flies somehow find their way into my glass. Wow the only other time I have had something this strong...read awful was in Kathmandu many years ago.”
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I set off first at 8:15, after a short food run at l'Epicerie. IT'S MONDAY AND FRANCE IS CLOSED...A MIRACLE TO FIND AN OPEN EPICERIE!
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| Pont D'Artigne |
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The highlight of the day was lunch where Georges and I left the GR65 and went for a few hundred meters to la Chapelle Rouget. There we took two rickety chairs from la Chapelle, placed them at the edge of the terrace graveyard and ate overdoing a huge vineyard in a valley. It was sunny and a great rest.
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Last night's supper was again an absolute treat..Claude, Micheline, Cyrille, Georges and me...Ruth and Brook (Canadians) have chosen to eat at a local restaurant. Ruth speaks some French but Brook does not. The others wondered why they chose to eat out...I told them that one possible reason is that it is very hard and tiring for them to follow the conversation.
Even with my French Canadian background it can be at times fatiguing due to the speed of the French being spoken and the various local sayings used. I could tell the group had not considered this. I gave Claude and Micheline Canadian lapel pins...I also offered them to Ruth and Brook however for some reason they politely declined them.
Prior to supper and aperitif and olives were offered. At supper wine...after supper Floc Armagnac. Each time I have Armagnac I take the smallest quantity possible...doesn't take much of this stuff to feel a little light headed!
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In and around where the photo with the poles was taken I heard a gunshot which couldn't have been more than a hundred meters or so from where I was walking. Hunters again...not a great feeling to be walking in fog on a country road and wanting to shift to walking on my hands and knees!
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Just before 4:00 I saw what at first thought were 4 beaver pups with a mother beaver cross the trail just ahead of me...talk about dangerous animals! Cyrille later told me that they were large rats! Come to think of I am not sure why I thought they were beaver (homesick maybe?) as they had skinny tails and were in a cornfield!!!
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At some point I met a couple from Normandy France, Claude and Marie, who are walking from Lectoure to Pamplona. Claude completed the Via de Plata Spanish Camino route earlier this year.
I gave them 2 Canadian lapel pins at which point Claude said "I heard about you from others". I am clearly famous up and down the length of the The Puy route.
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An interesting moment when I passed by Larreuselle at 11:00. I had been passing signs for well over a km saying "SNACK BAR" I was excited as I didn't have a sandwich so I entered the snack bar and asked the lady....sorry no bread!
THIS IS FRANCE...HOW CAN THERE BE NO BREAD! SURELY BABIES ARE FED BREAD WITH THEIR MILK!
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Last night was interesting, challenging...weird and funny as there were 5 of us in a dorm room...Anna, Georges, Cyrille, Jean-Michel and me.
I quickly fell asleep however at 11:30 or so Jean-Michel started snoring loudly, making all kinds of noise and madly flailing his arms. He had warned us that this could happen. Cyrille cried out "Pas croyable!"...apparently I say this frequently. We all burst out laughing...I dozed for a while but the noise continued. During all this time Jean-Michel slept through it all.
Cyrille in total frustration took all his stuff and went downstairs to sleep on a sofa. Last time I looked at my watch it was 2:30...woke up at 6:30 and simply started to get ready.
Before leaving I shook Georges' hand and wished him Buen Camino. The agreement we are to exchange post cards when each of us gets to Santiago de Compostela.
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Only one way to describe today...absolutely BRUTAL walking...30 kms in 7.5 hours of which 5+ hours were in rain. A good portion of the day was spent in a hard driving rain...the type where you feel like every part of you is going to...and eventually does get wet.
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Arrival in St. Jean Pied de Port
I'm here...success!!! Over the past 58 days of walking just under 1,600 official kilometres I have walked across Switzerland, a good part of France and completed 3 Caminos...Via Jacobi, Via Gebennensis and Via Podiensis (The Puy route).
In the past 8 days alone I have walked 245 kms or an average of 30.6 kms...that kind of distance was not in the plan however the planning went out the window some time ago!
Today was another really tough day...it rained all night and the wind was howling. This morning the wind was still really strong and it was pouring out there.
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Long Walk 3 - Camino Frances & Camino Finisterre - St. Jean Pied de Port France to Finisterre Spain
Countries - France, Spain
Year - 2014; Age 57
- 892 kms walked over 30 days averaging 29.7 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 14,944 ; Elevation Loss (14,923) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 34.1 kms per day
- Walking Partners - Marc Canada (brother), Paulo Brazil 26 days, Cyrille France 8 days
Camino Frances
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Rough start
We breezed through Customs in record time and were at the baggage carousel with a few hundred other people. We didn't have much time to waste as we needed to get to Paris Montparnasse train station to continue the long journey to Saint Jean Pied de Port.
We waited patiently as the bags started disappearing, joked a bit about our bags not being there, waited some more until there were 5 or 6 of us. Then THE MAN came out and said there were no more bags!!!
Shock kind of set in...we started talking about completing Camino as is which would have meant 30+ days without a change of clothing...or washing clothes and buying a small towel to cover up while things were drying. Tempting but not too realistic.
Nice lady at the baggage counter told us our bags might come in the next day...same flight from Toronto. After a few... for my ears only good old fashioned curses...plus every swear word I had ever heard of...we set off to replan.
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He confirmed the tickets were only good for today however offered to phone his Supervisor...who by chance was only a few minutes away.
God I must look pathetic when explaining our plight...next thing we knew he wrote on our tickets that they were good for tomorrow...no charge. Three more Canadian lapel pins.
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| Foggy morning - Official start at Porte St. Jacques |
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Marc unfortunately continues to experience some technical problems. The first happened in Bayonne where he entered a public WC (I cannot verify this story)...to get in the WC one must hit a button and a door automatically opens at which time hitting another button closes it. Marc then proceeded to sit on the throne however the door opened, by itself, leaving him a little exposed to the people eating at the restaurant across the street...apparently some quick action by rushing to a hidden corner of the WC saved the day!
Nancy, Pierre and Jacques I am sorry to report that early experience with the new iPod is also a struggle. Taking pictures, surfing the web and sending emails have been a tad troublesome...the air is a little blue. I am not sure my technical experience is any better...I will try
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Yesterday evening was simply fun as we had a Pilgrim meal with three guys from Brazil...Paulo, Daniel and Chico...the latter two from Rio de Janeiro. I forgot my usual food picture however the soup, chicken and dessert hit the spot. We had a good time talking about everything from the upcoming World Cup and Olympics in Brazil to our horror stories about Canadian winters. Can you believe that in Paulo's home town an all time low of 17C was set last winter. We may of course may have embellished the Canadian winters just a tad...for story telling effect only!
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| Chico, Marc, me, Paulo and Daniel |
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Sleeping last night was a joke! In our wing...now called the SNORING/COUGHING A LUNG wing there were about 40 of us. Paulo slept in the bunk just under Mr. Special after which the wing is now named. Marc claimed he did not sleep...I slept off and on...Mike across from me slept a bit...Paulo considered leaving the building. You get the picture...impossible noise levels through the whole night...oh my this is going to be a long Camino if we don't sleep!
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| Now some of you may not think I am a brave daring soul...well think again! Yes I went over those blocks to cross this stream! |
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Coming into Larrosoana we went straight to municipal Albergue...I had heard this was not the best and should be avoided but we knew better. Wrong! The room was really cramped, the bed sheets were rubber (very cold and slimy to the touch)...shower facilities poor etc. the place simply was...well...terrible... yet we were staying UNTIL I SAW MR SNORING/COUGHING UP A LUNG walk in. Unbelievable...Paulo and I had the same unspoken thought...we can't stay here...plus he chose the top bunk over Paulo. Too funny!
Within minutes we were at the front door of Pension Tau...a super nice place. Paulo did an amazing job involving a half dozen Por Favors (please) and voila we had a room with a cot rolled in...cozy!
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So after dodging the municipal albergue and the gentleman snorer we thought we had died and gone to heaven until...we go to sleep and no sooner Marc is sleeping and snoring like crazy. I mean really loud...Paulo is being polite however both of us can't believe what is happening. So I gave Marc a gentle brotherly love tap and he rolled over a bit and stopped. If he hadn't...a short Camino I am afraid!
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A plus for the day was once again the Canadian lapel pins...gave out 30+ for sure. It started at breakfast where I gave Jean-Louis and Renee a pin each...and innocently asked whether they would like extras. Well Renee has 4 children and 10 grandchildren (youngest 8 days old) so I gave her 15 pins.
As the day progressed Micheal (Chicago), two unsuspecting German ladies sitting at a table, a bartender, Malte from the Netherlands and the gentlemen who snores so badly and his wife (Italians I learned) were recipients. I thought by giving the lapel pins to Mr. Snorer that this might relieve some bad karma...
Best part was a group of 5 Koreans who were so clearly overjoyed to receive the lapel pins...they started talking excitedly between themselves and then gave me two key chains with a Pope Frances picture. I was really touched by their generosity and gave one key chain to Paulo.
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| A nice way to spend the late afternoon with new friends Paulo, Malte |
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Back to last evening where we had a Pilgrims supper, United Nations style, Paulo (Brazil), Malte (Netherlands originally from Germany), couple from Sweden, Julia (Germany), Marie-Claude (France), Derrick (Ireland), German and French guys. Super interesting!
Supper was very good but the highlight was dessert where most of the group received an ice cream treat, three others a banana (lactose intolerance) and your truly...NADA, NOTHING, TOTALLY FORGOTTEN!
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| A picture of my dessert - NADA! |
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Nancy, Pierre and Jacques you should know that as I am writing this Marc is having major problems with the iTouch device...it just bounced off the bed!!!
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| Alto Perdon - Famous Sculptures |
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A long walk today of 34 kms completed in just over 6.5 hours. We were really moving through the day...I felt quite strong however no question this pace was quick. The walking was relatively easy with a few climbs...the wind though made the going difficult...had to dig deep at times.
Everyone has sore feet...a few blisters (I am ok so far) have magically appeared!
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As I was walking I was comparing the getting lost experience of the Camino Frances to my previous Camino's in Switzerland and France...no comparison at all. On the Camino Frances you really have to work to get lost...signs well placed, pilgrims ahead of you and local people letting you know when you stray. I may regret these comments in days to come however no problems to date.
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| Lunch was real treat as we were at a local tapas bar...local drink called Sidras natural |
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| Guiseppe (champion snorer) and wife |
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Today it really struck me how we keep meeting the walking same pilgrims frequently again as we go our separate ways. Yesterday we came across Ed (Lithuania), Guiseppe and spouse (Italy), and Daniel in the cathedral...today Marie-Claude (France), Daniel and the Swedish couple (Zariquiegui) and Klass and Sitka (Netherlands), All of these pilgrims we met previously, stayed at different Albergues and in some cases towns, and never expected to see again...such is the Camino!
On the Canadian lapel pin front I keep giving them away...from what I can remember a New Zealander, two Brazilians, four young Germans, Ricardo from Italy, two Korean women and the owner of the Albergue. I am going to keep at it until my stash hits zero!
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| An example of how Camino signs can be misleading...where the rays of the sun converge points to Santiago...where the arrow point is also Santiago so do I go Left or Right? |
Every day I learn a little bit more about Brazil...did you know that Recife where Paulo lives has 5 million people and it's beach is one of the top most dangerous shark attack areas in the world. Hammerhead and Tiger sharks account for most of the attacks which kill people every year.
Paulo tells me that going waist high is ok and that everyone does it...no problem! He has invited Dawn and I to come to Recife to have one of his famous 7 hour lunches followed by a swim...lunch sounds great!
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Pilgrims on the move…all going to Santiago de Compostela |
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A monster day today at 38 kms over 7.75 hours with a fair amount of uphill climbing. We are all hoping that this will be our longest day on the Camino Frances route! 102 kms over the past 3 days is a lot!
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| No longer afraid Cyrille…walked right past them! |
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After lunch we were in for some stiff and challenging climbing over a number of kilometres. Many a pilgrim was struggling on this stretch. Shortly after the climb we entered the MOST BORING CAMINO STRETCH EVER which lasted 8 or 9 kms.
It went on and on forever on a lousy road in the woods...no signs...no towns..nada. Marc and I simply put into high gear and walked like madmen to make it to San Juan de Ortega. As we neared the town we were laughing hysterically and cursing everything Camino...Marc indicated he was hallucinating...oh what a good memory that will make in future years. Those who know us best can well imagine what happened here.
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Yesterday's supper was a fun international affair as 18 of us sat at two tables for supper...everyone received a Canadian lapel pin...turns out two pilgrims were there from Quebec Canada.
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And now for the STUPIDEST PICTURE EVER...I put sunblock on this morning in the dark. After walking for a while and sweating my eyes started to burn like crazy as the sunblock ran into them. I have used some Visine and things are a little better...however look AT WHAT I LOOKED LIKE!!!
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I actually have a University Degree and was a Manager in a large company...some people even think I am a little bit smart...hah proven you wrong! Paulo and Marc how could you let this happen! |
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I thought about Paulo's sayings about walking like an elephant and "rapport". Paulo is attempting to walk like an elephant...proud, confident, steady...master of the jungle. I meanwhile am somewhere between a snail and a cheetah.
Paulo's law office had a significant training session for 10 days over a 2 month period on rapport which is essentially working through difficult situations with a win/win approach in mind. Paulo yesterday once again used "rapport" when we were at the Burgos Cathedral...needing our Pilgrim passports to get a discount but of course not having them on us...we got the discount.
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Another very pleasant, but long day, on the Meseta...36 kms in a little over 7 hours. So far the Meseta is my preferred part of the Camino...scenery is understated but striking!
I felt great today...simply loved the walking in the Meseta as it led to a very peaceful...relaxed thinking day...more later. Walking with like minded pilgrims like Paulo and Marc is helping me out a lot...basically we all have a "get the job done" type of approach once a target has been set...it would be so easy to stop earlier as fatigue sets in however walking together helps with the motivation.
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| Yes I know that I already looked very sharp with the Tilley hat and beard...sort of George Clooney style...but the new shades...super sharp looking! |
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We started just after 6:30 and within minutes the skull and cross bones (see picture) appeared in the darkness...talk about an ominous start! We were all shaking in our boots for some time after this!
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Before pictures I thought I would broach a delicate subject in a way that maintains proper decorum in a blog read by millions across the world. Bio breaks on the Meseta...what do you do? I know you have all been wondering about this!
In small villages...no problem...all bars have servicios available however on the Meseta? I have perfected a method which works well for me...
Pilgrims tend to get into small groups with decent space between these groups. I get behind a small group and similar to a high class cyclist draft right by them in high gear. I then accelerate very quickly and just before catching up to the next group step to the side behind a small bush or high blade of grass and all is good. The group ahead never looks back and the group behind thinks I am taking a picture.
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| Not the real Mona Lisa |
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Next it turned out that the quoted price for the room was not being honoured as we were in a quadruple bed room...only 5€ more for the three of us however it left a somewhat bad feeling of being taken advantage of...oh well not a big deal.
I mentioned to Paulo that we should have had the assistance of a lawyer to ensure our rights were respected...he kind of smiled...Paulo is of course a lawyer who specializes in consumer rights in Brazil. I may have lost my invitation to his house in Brazil with my cheeky comment!
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Paulo had received advice that the Compeed blister protection had to be removed, antiseptic cream applied and toe covered up with a bandage.
Marc and I had already decided that if Paulo needed to take off as a rest day we would stay with him in the hope that it would allow us to journey to Santiago de Compostela together. Paulo thought he could go today however agreed to our suggestion of a shorter day (Marc worked out logistics).
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We have just spent a few hours outside eating lunch and having a cervezas at a sidewalk cafe...not the most difficult thing I have ever done.
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| Marc & Paulo |
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By now you are probably wondering if I am slapping any old picture on my blog just to take up space...no it's just that my pictures from today are just too boring!
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Now the human interest story...turns out Paulo is an artist similar to Marc and a few years ago had what can only be referred to a Picasso or Rembrandt phase. His paintings were creative and a little different.
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| Boy and the Ear |
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| Special pilgrim bridge...shortly before Leon |
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The world famous Leon Parador!!!!! Our special treat...saw other pilgrims here as well. Yes I know it's ridiculously luxurious (58€ each for a two bedroom suite...somehow we got a free upgrade!) but this kept us going for more than a week and Martin Sheen did this in the movie The Way!
A few early pictures as I wait for my turn in the tub...we each have half an hour (Marc did the schedule) to soak in the tub...apparently there is special bath stuff to soak in!
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| Leon Parador! |
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| View from our room! |
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A tough walking day today...30 kms in 6 hours. Quite honestly the day was pretty boring and very very tough on the feet...they are burning! First we spent an hour+ to get out of Leon in what can only be described as a mostly industrial section. We had a nice short stretch on a gravel road and then asphalt for what seemed forever.
Then the last 4 kms into Villavante were simply brutal in the hot sun...gravel road straight as an arrow...holy smokes you need to dig deep to keep moving forward. No matter we are in a superb private Albergue called Albergue Santa Lucia in a room for three with our own bathroom! With supper 21€ each...cannot be beaten!
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On the physical side Paulo's feet are holding their own...bad blister mending but he has a soreness in the ankle area. Marc has at last count at least 5 blisters...a few whoppers in there...using Compeed. Marc has just had some blister surgery from Dr. Paulo...I have a picture...however prefer not to publish. So far I am ok...feet are very tired walking on hard surfaces but used to this by now.
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While the Canadian lapel pin giveaway continues...easily 15 to 20 or so today in various situations I did have a sad meeting. On our walk we met the young woman from Italy to whom I had given a lapel pin a few days ago... she had referred to my gesture as giving her good luck as she had lost another pin. Well she looked a little saddened...she had now lost the Canadian lapel pin! No problem as I dug in my pocket...NO PINS left!
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We have 10 days left with Paulo as we walk to Santiago de Compostela...roughly 289 kms to go...completed 500 kms! After that we Marc, Cyrille (joins us on May 12th) and I will walk three days to Finisterre.
The pull of Santiago de Compostela is getting stronger each and every day now...
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| Marina, Paulo, Marc, Larry, me, Alessandro |
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| Uh...which way to go? |
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When I woke up this morning I knew I had challenges...very sore throat and clear signs of dehydration. On the latter I take full responsibility for being stupid in my water drinking habits over the past few days on the Meseta I.e. not stopping on a regular basis to get at my water...even if that means the backpack must be removed! In my prior walks I had a water bladder...I chose to go with water bottles this time to save weight on my back...maybe not the smartest decision!
So I laboured through most of the day...it was by far my weakest walking day so far. The legs were simply not driving forward. As I have commented before when the thinking get's negative the body follows...that is what happened today. This type of day has happened on each of my Caminos...perhaps I am getting a little rundown as well.
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Their comments really set the day off to a great start...Claire (my youngest daughter) commented that I was so pathetic in yesterday's blog that she would not make fun of me in her email...a first I think...I chuckled to myself most of the morning thinking about this.
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Coming into Ponferrada we came across a Spanish couple who were clearly walking a short distance (small backpacks)...what a show the gentlemen put on. He was talking Spanish non stop...clearly angry at times...mostly as he was reading from a sheet with complex directions. At some point he followed us as we went the wrong way...and had to scramble up a hillside to get back to the road. We were killing ourselves laughing...trying not to be too obvious ... Quite the spiritual adventure his Camino
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After a couple of hours of walking we stopped for breakfast in Villafance del Bierzo. I went into a cafe with Paulo...however the service was extremely slow...Paulo suggested I might go elsewhere...so I did. Really he just abandoned us to see what would happen...well DISASTER!
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This is supposed to be hot chocolate...was like a pudding and tasted awful...no idea what I ordered!
Then Marc and I had some kind of tortilla thingy meant for a late night snack AND to top it off we had some type of Twinkie reject chocolate ugh...lousy donut something or other. A pathetic breakfast...thank you Paulo for your help this morning! See what happens to two Canadians left by themselves ordering food in Spain!
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Sometime in the morning we met the Spanish couple I mentioned in yesterday's blog...the one where the gentlemen talks non stop. While we found him irritating yesterday we treated each other as best of friends today..and I gave them Canadian lapel pins!
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Now I have tried to hold off long enough...yes a terrifying dangerous animal event happened today
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| Pequeno Dangeroso Deadliano Vipero |
I survived but it was very very close...however I made it through alive!
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An absolutely stunning day of walking as we entered the Galicia. I have had the good fortune to hike in some spectacular areas in Canada, Nepal and in Europe...this day ranks with the best.
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| Marc, Paulo, me |
Marc, as per his usual approach, was really moving quickly as we were going uphill that he uh missed a critical turn into La Faba. I was pretty sure he had missed it so I yelled as hard as I could up the road as did Paulo. Thankfully he heard us otherwise he would have continued an additional 2+ kms on the bicycle route...missing our breakfast meeting place in La Faba...and hopefully meeting us in O'Cebreiro. He came back down the road...thanking us...then he quickly took off up the next road and we saw him in O'Cebreiro!
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| Cyrille joins us in O'Cebreiro |
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On a sad note my George Clooney sunglasses are gone...quite upset at having left them wherever...also missing a sock. You may think it would be so easy to keep track of so few possessions yet all the packing and unpacking is a real challenge!
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| Famous Tarta de Santiago |
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Friends I thought this was worthy of a special blog entry...I am not making this up!
After supper when reaching into my top pocket of my backpack and sorting out the wash...
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| George Clooney shades and missing sock found! |
Yes folks Camino miracles do happen...sleep tight everyone!
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After showers, etc. yesterday we went for a bite to eat and cervezas...pulpo...or octopus a Galician delicacy was our tapas.
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| Pulpo |
I ate some of each type of pulpo...yes including the swirly type! I enjoyed the taste...the texture was a bit chewy...I likely will next taste pulpo in a few years! Marc adamantly and respectfully refused to taste it!
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Before supper Marc, Cyrille and I went to a Farmacia (Paulo had to work on a Legal case) where Marc was looking to purchase Second Skin for his blistered feet! What happened next was one of the funniest , most pathetic, purchase attempts I have ever seen.
Nice lady pharmacist approaches us Hola..."can I help you" in Spanish. Marc looks at her and says "I'm Canadian". That's it folks...nothing else...not even an attempt to point at his feet and try to convey why he was there. The pharmacist looked nonplussed and smiled and walked away. Marc then proceeds to purchase something which as it turns out is not Second Skin at all! Only my brother could have pulled this scene off perfectly!
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After supper Paulo disappeared for a while...when he came back he gave Marc and I a picture...nice gesture on his part which we appreciated! The day in pictures...
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| Pretty Awesome! Guess who I am! |
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This morning the planning team (Marc and Paulo) planned to stop after 11 kms or shortly after 2 hours...however the intended breakfast place was not open...probably hadn't been for a few years...so we kept walking. Finally after 3 hours and openly fantasizing about the Leon Parador breakfast we found a breakfast stop!
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This was the day before Santiago de Compostela and we were all walking very strongly!
At some point mid morning we met a significant number of pilgrims over a 45 minute period. It was quite the sight to see so many pilgrims at once and I just went into high gear to get out of that mass of people...must have passed 50 or more walkers during that time...2 young women just breezed by me as if I was standing still!
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| An example of the pilgrim push to Santiago de CCompostela |
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An interesting twist today was meeting a herd of cows coming down the path towards the many pilgrims. These were huge cows...likely in the 50,000 to 100,000 kilos each range. A lady with a big stick was leading them saying in Spanish what I expect was "Don't worry they won't hurt you" as all the pilgrims squished to the side of the road! Yeah sure...I saw some of the cows actually fighting each other!
Unfortunately no pictures...just a frightful memory!
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| Ah...so good! |
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As I reflect on this long walk I wanted to take the opportunity to thank fellow pilgrims which with I have had the good fortune of walking with...all strong walkers...all great people.
On the Le Puy route in France...Georges (Belgium), Cyrille (France), Yosh (Japan) and for a too short period of time Daniel (France). On the Camino Frances route Paulo (Brazil), my brother Marc and to finish the long walk Cyrille (France). I have been so very fortunate to have met each and every one of you...many thanks for your laughter, encouragement and support!
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| And the final marker for the day! 18 KM to Santiago de Compostela!! |
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Short and sweet today...no food pictures!..we are in SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA!!! We got up early at 5:00 this morning and were on the way by 5:30...totally in the dark! 20 kms in 4 hours.
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| Marc and Guy leading the way! |
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| My Jump!!! |
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| Cyrille, Marc, Me, Paulo |
Somehow we found seats...the cathedral was packed...and somehow we were guided to the right location in the church. I did not understand the Spanish mass however understood the Botafumeiro was going to swing.
Amazing that we were going to see it...it infrequently swings. No picture can do this justice...an incredibly moving experience.
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| Botafumeiro |
As mentioned I can't describe the beauty of the Botafumeiro swinging over my head in its graceful arc. I started to think of all the steps that I took to get here...the many days I spent on the road...the sacrifices of others so I could be here...and I started to cry.
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Camino Finisterre
This morning I found it hard to get the motor going...a lot on my mind and 89 kms left to go seemed like a long way to go. I had to remind myself that my personal goal had always been Finisterre as opposed to Santiago de Compostela so I started to walk...
On Saturday evening we had a great last meal with Paulo just outside the train station...in a super classy move Paulo quietly slipped into the bar and paid the bill in full. That was unexpected but surely appreciated. After our meal we walked with Paulo to the train station...gave him some guy hugs...you know a handshake and an arm on the shoulder and wished him safe travels. We were so very lucky to have met Paulo and walked with him.
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| Tarta de Santiago…courtesy Cyrille |
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| Follow the yellow arrow |
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| Beautiful Medieval bridge at Ponte Maceira |
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Not much to be said today...absolutely soaked as we walked 34 kms over 6.5 hours. The day was split into sections...the first 3 hours it rained/poured continuously...the next 3 hours it rained lightly on and off with the sun making a brief appearance...the final 30 minutes it just poured!
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Last night's supper was, without any question, the best of the entire Camino. We ate at the Cafe Imperial where home cooking is the main feature.
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| Unfortunately I did not get this woman’s name however she went out of her way to help us choose our food which was delicious! |
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| Lentil Soup |
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| Veal cutlet...a little big! |
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| Salad for two! |
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My long walk is complete...I made it! A great day of walking 38 kms in 7.5 hours...one of the best days of the 88 walking days! For me this is the completion of my walk from Rorschach Switzerland to Finisterre, for Marc he somehow physically persevered to walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Finisterre and for Cyrille he completed a promise to his friend to cycle and mostly walk from Nantes France to Finisterre.
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As we approached the Faro and km mojone 0 Marc was ahead of me...he stopped...turned to me and said “Guy go on first finish your walk”. A very classy gesture...meant a lot.
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As I write this Marc is trying to type an email on his iPod Touch...Nancy, Pierre, Jacques...one of my fondest Camino memories. Please take the iPod Touch away from Marc when he arrives home...please!
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| Walking it home to Finisterre |
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| Marc and me at the cross at the Faro |
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| Marc at km 0 |
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| Me at km 0 … YAHOO! |
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| A lone shoe at the end! |
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Long Walk 4 - Kumano Kodo - Nakahechi route Takijiri-oji to Kumano Nachi Taisha via Hong
Country - Japan
Year - 2015; Age 58
- 76 kms walked over 4.5 days averaging 18.1 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 3,940 ; Elevation Loss (3,665) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 26.1 kms per day
- Walking Partner - Alone
Kumano Kodo
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Well what does one do after the long walk across Europe? Opportunity knocks and I'm in Japan about to start a short 4+ day walk on the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail on the Kii Peninsula. The reason I am in Japan was to accompany my daughter Lise and my 4 month old grand-daughter Rose back to Japan after their 4 week visit to Canada (the sacrifices one has to make 😃)
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I was lucky enough to stumble on an incredible website www.tb-kumano.jp. which provided me with the opportunity to pre-book with them accommodation at traditional Japanese inns on the walking route. Really looking forward to the Japanese food and traditional hot springs after some good walking during the day.
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| Kumano Naichi Taisha Shrine |
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I also hope to obtain the Dual Pilgrim Designation for having walked the only two Unesco recognized pilgrimage routes being the Camino de Santiago and the Kumano Kodo....that would be pretty neat!
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Today was basically a travelling day with a challenging short 3.7 km uphill walk. Before going into the day a few pictures from yesterday's excursion to Gyoen park in Tokyo with Steven and Rose.
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| Cherry Blossom |
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Today started early as I caught a 6:00 Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. First though I needed to get to the Tokyo metro station by subway. I caught the 5:04 subway...arriving a few minutes before the gates were to open! In my books that's perfect timing...had a half hour to spare!
In Kyoto I had a half hour to spare and promptly frittered it away trying to follow the signs...finally after asking and receiving conflicting information I was on the right platform...however I needed to sprint with backpack on to get in the right car. I was standing on number 5 on the platform but the train pulled up short...that just does not happen in Japan.
The train from Kyoto to Kiitanabe was a local train which means Japanese only...I received very good advice from Steven...know when the train is to arrive...trust it is on time and get off the train. A little disconcerting to do it this way but it worked!
After that a local bus ride for 40 minutes and voila I was at my destination by 12:30...and so the walking begins!
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| My Kind of Sign |
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| Up and Up! |
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| Sure no problem will do as requested! |
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| Oji Shrine with Pilgrim stamp. |
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| Met 6 groups of 25 or so Japanese today...they were kind enough to let me through |
With the first Japanese group I used all my Japanese - Konnichiwa (hello), Arrigato (thank you) and Kumano Kodo...well I suppose this really isn't Japanese!
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Well I have had my Japanese bath - enter room which says Gents, remove clothes and place in wicker basket, enter another room, shower with water which is a little too cold and finally enter a hot spring bath. You sit there for as long as you can take it and essentially reverse the process. I have no idea if I did this right as no one else was there...have a feeling that my bathing suit will not be required!
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The trail today for the first few hours was amongst the best I have walked...anywhere. For the most part it was cut into the forested mountain side...beautiful walking. While there is no real risk one still has to be careful as there are sections where one could roll/fall a very very long way by being careless.
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Last night's supper was a real treat as are all Japanese style meals. Presentation is key with a lot of variety in small quantities. One simply has to be unconcerned about what is being served as all of it is delicious!
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| Supper - Sashimi of various types, tofu, vegetables, pickles, small portion. Incredible! |
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One aspect of Japan which is unbelievable is its high tech toilets...yes I know this isn't typical blog material but these aren't typical toilets.
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| High tech Japanese toilet - take a look at this side arm console! |
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I haven't come across any scary animals yet however I did cross some quite dangerous bridges
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Many may be surprised to know that it can be very cold sleeping in Japan...houses have no heat!!! So I slept with my warmest clothes and two big blankets!
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| Sleeping quarters in the Minusku was Japanese style |
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There was absolutely no way for me to sit properly...my lower body and legs are not ugh "flexible" enough. I must have tried a dozen positions...in the end sitting on my legs worked best. The Minusku owner even offered me a little stool which she must reserve for incompetents like me!
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| Delicious Supper! |
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I met very few people on the Kumano Kodo today...a young Swedish couple, a pilgrim in full attire and his assistant I think which was quite neat
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| Pilgrim in full attire |
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As mentioned earlier I became a Dual Pilgrim today...everyone has 15 minutes of fame...here is mine...it's all downhill for me now!
Upon arrival in Hongu, after visiting the Komano Hongu Taisha, I went to the Hongu Visitors centre to get my Dual Pilgrim pin. Little did I know the excitement this would generate. First the young lady at the desk expressed real excitement upon hearing what I was asking for. Next thing I knew a young man was phoning someone...mentioning Camino de Santiago - Canada.
Then four staff members came out to greet me and they took photocopies of my Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage stamp book and my Kumano Kodo stamp book (stamps are found at Oji shrines along the path). Next came the official photographs which I am told will be displayed in a glass case at the centre and their website.
So why the fuss? It turns out the Dual Pilgrim recognition is new in 2015 and I am the fifth person to ever receive it! The first Canadian! An American and three Japanese pilgrims are ahead of me. A few pictures from the Hongu Visitors centre...
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| Credentials |
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| Huge area of landslide reconstruction |
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| Supper - notice my sitting style! |
There were 4 Japanese people seated a few meters from me...they spoke no English and likewise for me no Japanese. The only point of contact was when through hand gestures I indicated that I would take their picture with one of their cameras. In return they took my picture.
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I decided it was time to branch out and take my chances. I started with the section where the head was no longer there (thank goodness) and worked with way down to the tail. When finished nothing was left of the fish...it was tasty...I am still alive.
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The remainder of the Kumano Kodo trail was on quiet forest paths...as good a trail as you will find anywhere. I was dawdling as I knew that I would arrive way too early at the Minshuku Momofuku...basically in a meditative state when it happened! Yes a very dangerous animal!
I almost jumped a foot as I came upon it and it in turn also moved quickly. I believe it was a lizard of sorts...almost certainly deadly poisonous...I made as wide a berth as possible on the path and motored past it...looking back over my shoulder for quite some time to ensure it was not stalking me. Finally after a few minutes I relaxed...all was ok...that was close though!
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| One must careful to stay on the trail! |
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A day to remember walking to Nachisan over 14.5 kms in 4.75 hours. Rarely have I pushed myself so hard as the ascent of 800 meters was a never ending staircase made of stones placed centuries ago.
The walk was incredibly inspiring so time flew by and thankfully I was very strong today.
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| Another incredible supper 🙂 |
Yes I ate every last morsel of the 13 dishes however had a small serving of rice. The tempura alone was the best I have ever had. I even was able to sit on a chair! It took me close to an hour to finish!
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| Super comfortable |
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| Mr. and Mrs. Nakazama |
Oh I forgot to mention in yesterday's blog that one does not have to freeze at night in Japan. It turns out the air conditioners on the wall are both heaters and air conditioners...dah!
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| Last day at the start |
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| Kumano Kodo for those who can’t read Japanese 🤣 |
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The last comment on the Echizen-toge Pass picture written by a famous Japanese poet in the 12th century "This route is very rough and difficult. It is impossible to describe precisely how tough it is" what really struck me is was written around year 1200...expect not much has changed on the route since then...neat stuff!
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| Tori Gate |
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| Three story pagoda with Nachi waterfall |
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| Nachi waterfall - highest in Japan at 133 metres |
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Tomorrow I leave for a few days in Tokyo and then home sweet home! Here is what awaits me in Tokyo!
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| Rose (grand-daughter on far right 🥰) holding hands with BFF Elizabeth in middle |
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Long Walk 5 - Thames River Walk - Oxford to Windsor
Country - England
Year - 2015; Age 58
- 119 kms walked over 9 days averaging 13.2 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 0 ; Elevation Loss (0) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 13.2 kms per day
- Walking Partners - Dawn (spouse), Elaine & Dennis Canada, Dave United States
Thames River Walk
In a week from now I will be walking for 9 days over 119 kms, not counting getting lost and detours to pubs, from Oxford to Windsor along the Thames River in England.
I am not walking alone as we have a merry band of five on this walking trip which is patterned after a "Relaxed Pace" itinerary used by a reputable (I hope) walking company. Relaxed in the sense that our average daily distance is 13.5 kms...with the longest day 16 kms and the shortest 6 kms. Our bags will be moved each day to our next accommodation by Move My Bags and we will have a rest day in Reading in the middle of our walk.
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Elevation gains are always a challenge on a long walk...the Thames River promises to be no different.
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| Here is an example of what we have trained so hard for and will face on a daily basis |
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A brief introduction to our five walkers:
Dawn my wife of 36 great years is joining me. Dawn is a super mom of three adult daughters and mamie to our super cute little grand-daughter Rose. Dawn is an Actuary (run to the dictionaries on that one!), whose wide range of interests range from physical fitness training to learning to play the piano. While we have had walking holidays together in Vermont and the Eastern Townships in Quebec this will be our longest walking vacation...really looking to walking with Dawn on this adventure.
We are joined by long time friends Elaine and Dennis who asked us if we would be interested in the Thames River walk. Twist my arm why don't you. Remember it's their idea when reading upcoming blog posts!
Elaine is a former school teacher, super mom of 2 adult daughters and an adult son as well as being an incredible volunteer to many organizations. I suspect Elaine has also been the financial genius behind the construction empire run by her husband Dennis.
Dennis is quite the guy. He is CEO of a major construction company of which he is the only employee. Dennis has also been a commandant in the Canadian Navy on multiple ships. Thinking about it Dennis is sort of a cross between Santa Claus (looks) and Rodney Dangerfield (considering the lack of respect shown by the next walking party member Dave).
While we fully expect Dennis to do well on our walk we have also made provision for emergency support to help Dennis move ahead should he tire. All of us have agreed to take turns pulling Dennis in a red wagon as required....note front pocket is for Dennis's lunch.
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| Red Wagon for Dennis |
Dave the final member of the walking group is a recently retired senior executive with a large U.S. insurance firm which is a sister company with the Canadian insurance firm I worked for 35 years. He has known Dennis for longer than I have, poor fellow, as they first met in their Navy training days way back. While having just recently met Dave I know we will get along great given our common working backgrounds and our mutual respect for Dennis.
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My role was to book all accommodation and the company moving our bags each night on our walk. I am also the official route finder
Dawn and Elaine will represent the common sense part of the group...ensure we rest as required, enjoy the views, find good places to eat...stop in small interesting shops.
Dave will be charged with seeking out and finding pubs to sample local beer.
Dennis...well...he will be in charge of nothing...absolutely nothing.
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However the Thames River walk presents a much greater danger...GHOSTS....😫😱😰... I have always been fascinated with ghost legends...believe in them...and have to admit am deathly afraid of them!
Britain is known for its ghosts and hauntings...the island is teeming with them!
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Dawn and I had a bit of fun in Heathrow airport going about 10 Km's (ok slight exaggeration) from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 to catch our bus to Oxford...turns out Terminal 2 is closed for a week or so. Then due to my exceptional route finding skills (note I write the blog...not Dawn) we found our bus and voila...we were on our way.
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| Dawn and me in front of flower gardens |
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| Falafel Sandwich |
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| L to R - Me, Dennis, Dawn, Elaine, Dave |
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| Christchurch College |
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| Merry band - note shorts - either hardy or a fool? |
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| Red wagon has not shown up … must improvise |
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| Bridge of Sighs - patterned after Venice bridges...1.5 ft longer than Cambridge's |
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| Hogwarts hall where hat sorting took place! This is a real special room! |
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| Where we had lunch - open since 1242!!! |
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First day went extremely well...weather cooperated under sunny skies and mid teens Celsius...could not ask for a better walking day!
Now the exception, as some of have guessed, is Dennis. Generally he is in good spirits and walking well but he does slip into a whining mode "you promised me a red wagon" quite often. We will buy him a candy sucker at the store tonight...hopefully that will soothe him a bit.
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Well let me tell you that this tour was exceptionally scary and I had to hold Dawn's hand throughout as she shivered constantly...she might say because of the cold but I know better! We walked for an hour and 15 minutes through the streets of Oxford never knowing what was around the corner and who was going to disappear next from the group.
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People all along the river live in boats moored on the riverbank...
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| I am sure he lived here! |
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| Stiff fines on the Thames River Walk |
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Well we saw many animals...cows, geese, horses but none of them I would classify as dangerous until I stumbled upon THE footprint.
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| THE Footprint! Try and convince me this was not created by a leopard or tiger! |
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| Another time we almost lost Dennis |
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From my perspective everyone is walking very well considering this is the first time for long distance walking for the group...with one exception. While I consider Dennis to be a good friend I must say that his walking speed is somewhere between an injured snail or a slow turtle. PLEASE where is that red wagon!
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| My fish and potatoes |
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| Elaine why? There had to be better choices! |
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| Dawn’s breakfast kippers |
Dawn had kippers...if you ever want to hear the most boring story ever ask Dennis about kippers...apparently when he was second in command on some war ship his job, read only job, was to carry kippers to the commandant...so he doesn't like kippers. That's the story...the whole story.
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We started off bright and early at 9:45...and very quickly Dave and Dawn got us lost...at that point I resumed route finding however because of their poor sense of direction we came upon a local fair day.
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| Ok not ghosts but aliens!!! |
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| To Dennis’s family I tried to get him to use bridge |
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| WW2 "pill box" where machine guns were set up to ensure a Nazi landing in opposite field would not be successful |
All along the river there are series of locks which are quite interesting...I.e lift one gate to equalize water...boat enters between both gates...then lift second gate then let boat out.
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Well it's time! Here is what happened as best as I can remember...I am shaking as I am writing this. First the sign (ok the sign was after we saw the cows and protecting walkers coming from the opposite direction however folks please pretend!)
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Next we are in the field where Dave and I are quickly are surrounded by cows...most of them looking mean and hungry! They seem to have a leader too. We were really scared and each picked up the best weapon available....cow patties.
Just when we were ready to throw them along strolls Dennis and he walks right into the cows...and unbelievably they part. He is like Moses leading us through the desert! We are stunned and grateful until we get too close to Dennis and understand why. Hmm...his shirt has not been washed for who knows how long and the cows accepted him as their new leader! We were really grateful for Dennis' leadership...he has earned the title "Master leader through cow herds" and we will have to find a way to fully recognize this feat of bravery.
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| Before they circled Dave and me |
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| Pretty neat walking! |
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| Dennis needing some help again |
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| Licorice candy from sweet shop! |
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Last night we ate at the Queen's Head pub...all of us had the traditional Sunday supper of roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and associated vegetables
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| How can one go wrong? |
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| Local sausage, roasted potatoes and house chutney! |
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| What a relief not to have Dennis in the picture |
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Another perfect walking day...the weather has just been unbelievable so far! Whoever was in charge of the weather for our group has done an admirable job!
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| Ah another English breakfast! |
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| Sunroom on the Thames River |
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| Not sure what Dennis is doing |
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| I would like this house! |
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All along the Thames River you see people fishing using very long poles.
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Like everything else in life it is the unplanned moments that stand out...today we had a brilliant example of this. We were just about through the village of Whitchurch-on-Thames when a lady stopped us and mentioned that we should have coffee/tea and cake just up the road.
We saw the local sign for the event and decided to stop and see what it was all about...I thought for a few minutes...Elaine suggested 30 minutes...she was right!
We paid our £2.50 each and were ushered into the small room which had numerous older ladies and a few gentlemen outside of Dave and me...Dennis I'm not sure how to refer to him. We chose our treats and sat down at a table...many folks stopping by to chat.
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We found out that this was a fund raiser for the McMillan Cancer Society so all for a good cause. One lady, who seemed particularly taken by my debonair looks, wanted to sell us first raffle tickets then a whole cake followed by four cupcakes. We said we couldn't possibly carry the goods!
A gentlemen then talked to us about a 50/50 draw which required us to estimate the number of small round candies on a picture. I paid the £2 entry fee out of a disputed £10 that was not properly accounted for the previous night...as per Dennis that is!
I looked at it and said to Dave maybe 275 or so...Dave then started to analyze things more carefully by estimating the candies by small quadrant and ended up guessing 567.
We wrote down 567 and beside it "if won donate back" in the person spot on the card. I then went to use the facilities and Dave and Dennis followed...Dennis always follows. Upon coming out of the restroom a very elderly lady with a walker simply cut in front of Dave and went in the restroom...this is important!
Then when Dave was using the facilities a gentlemen called everyone together and announced the winning number 576!!! He turns to me and asks me to read out who won...I said it's me! I also added that the prize money would be donated back to the charity and a huge cheer goes up! I am both a wizard and a hero at the same time!
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| Dave with the magic card |
Dave get's no credit at all and Dennis...well...let's say he was not involved in this effort! I am then asked to pick raffle tickets for other prizes and after a few minutes we are in our way...we chuckled about this for quite some time. That was unplanned and great fun!
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| Yours truly picking raffle prize |
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Yesterday we also visited Mark's and Spencer's which was a real treat...just looking at the food and maybe buying a little candy!
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| Sampling of bakery items from Mark's and Spencer's |
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| Boring! |
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There are some really nice houses along the Thames River as you would expect
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Finally we had a great breakfast this morning at the Bridge B&B and Dennis got a real surprise. Apparently the ladies in the kitchen overheard him whining a lot about the two poached eggs being not symmetrical.
One lady came out of the kitchen and was extremely apologetic and told Dennis that this horrible problem would be corrected immediately, she took his plate way. Being closest to the kitchen I overheard one lady say..."The nerve of that guy..."... The other lady said "I know exactly how to fix this..." Then hysterical giggling started and the following was presented to Dennis...I kid you not about the presentation!
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| What a way to start the day as we all had a real good laugh...breakfast presentation for Dennis!!! |
We made it to Windsor today...yes a tired group...yes some blisters...yes tired feet etc. However we are still talking to each other and from my perspective walking 119 km's of official Thames path plus many additional km's within villages etc is a feat all of the group should be proud of.
Very well done! Be proud merry band!
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Tomorrow the surprise mentioned in my first blog will I hope unfold as planned...assuming the email address I had was the right one! The flag on Windsor Castle is flying which means Her Royal Highness the Queen is in residence I have worked through the various protocols and have arranged a private tea party with the Queen at Windsor Castle for Dawn, Elaine, Dave and me.
The only stipulation from the Royal office is that Dennis muck the horse stables...I readily agreed to this. There will be no photographs allowed therefore you will simply have to accept my word the tea party took place.
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| Dennis finally had a job...carting the garbage |
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Great trip...thanks Dawn, Dave, Elaine and Dennis (supposed to be nice to Dennis). With regret I must let you know that the Queen did not show up for tea...I'm sure that website I set things up with was legit...oh well!
Happy adventures to all!
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Long Walk 6 - Camino Portuguese - Lisbon to Santarem; Porto to Santiago de Compostela
Country - Portugal
Year - 2018; Age 61
- 373 kms walked over 17 days averaging 21.9 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 4,808 ; Elevation Loss (4,566) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 24.4 kms per day
- Walking Partner - Paulo Brazil
Camino Portuguese
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Now back home I had 3 months ago ensured that the phone carrier had unlocked my iPhone...”yes sir your phone is unlocked” A week before leaving I double checked...same answer. Well...not so at Vodafone counter!!! “Sorry your phone is locked...dummy”. So 3 phone calls on a toll free line...emails...2 visits to Vodafone....many different stories such as “you have to go back to factory settings...which I refused to do!” and 8 hours later my Sim card works...ah the joys!
Honestly I think the technology Gods are punishing me for being nice to System Architects in the past!!!
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| First meal with Paulo…hamburger…was really hungry! |
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Quick update...after a long night for Paulo we are good to go...well at least get started. A small kidney stone which should go on its way in a few days.
Apparently Paulo has had this once before and a relative recommended to drink beer and water. Prior to his hospital visit Paulo drank 5 bottles of water and 4 beers!
The small kidney stone has been nicknamed “Marc” in honour of my brother by Paulo. Paulo thinks he may have eaten too much salami in preparation for the Camino!
On the serious side we talked about health always coming first...can always walk another time if stopping is the right decision! Little did we know how important this health discussion would be…
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Well it rained...it poured...we are soaked but it was great to walk again following the yellow arrows! Map my Walk app measured 14.3 kms from our hotel in Lisbon.
Essentially key rain defences worked ...passport...euros...iPhone. All other defences failed miserably starting with my world’s best Arteryx rain jacket...I had puddles in my pocket...no I did not forget to zip the pocket!
The bottom of my backpack was super wet...rain cover could not handle the heavy downpours. My pants were drenched (on the plus side they dry quickly) as I forgot to wear my rain pants...yes I simply forgot...not kidding! It happens to the best of us!
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| Here is a selfie taken mid morning |
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| Oh my that looks good! |
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Brutal! Today was my 90th day of walking Camino trails and I will remember it very fondly!
Let me see... 36.2 kms (was supposed to be 32 kms) over 7.5 hours with 5 hours of rain. There was a stretch of maybe 45 minutes where the rain was freezing, heavy and whipped by a wicked wind. It got so bad that I was worried that my prized Tilley hat held by two straps would fly away and it had to be hidden under a hood. Imagine that I no longer looked sharp!
Oh and did I mention the mud (see pictures) walking through massive puddles and getting many booters. I felt like I was skating on mud and came very close to a number of pratfalls.
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And to cap it off two beautiful good sized blisters ON DAY 2. I managed to walk through France and Spain without blisters...go all the way back to Switzerland for my last blisters. Frustrating as socks were drenched...no point in changing etc etc. Dr. Paulo recommended immediate needle surgery...I have opted for Compeed blisters which worked for me in Switzerland. The next few days could be fun!!!
Ok now I feel better with this off my chest! I have to remember that a day walking is better than a day in the office!
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Paulo mummified both feet and off we went. Yes it was painful however better than what I expected...hopefully in the next few days Compeed starts doing its magic!
As we expected there is a lot of road walking (hard on the feet😳) on the Camino Portuguese...walking on the left facing oncoming traffic is a must! Drivers so far have been considerate and move over as best they can.
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| If you think I making it up about the rain…look at those fields!!! |
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At some point I turned a corner and there were some very dangerous chickens and a rooster within a few FEET. I was so scared that I froze with my trekking poles at the ready...no picture available as it was raining however the two pictures shown are close to what I saw!
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No rain today however it was another long day at 33.7 kms almost all of it on paved roads with some gravel as well. Two more blisters tonight...suffice to say that I am hurting and Paulo and I are discussing options. We will see what tomorrow brings and take it from there.
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Tons of sheep ahead of us…no option but to keep walking!!! |
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Anyone who knows me will realize how tough it was for me to say “enough”. This morning after another taping session with Dr. Paulo and hobbling for a little over a kilometre I decided that it was not possible to walk today. Paulo flagged down a bus which was going to the train station and voila I am at the Casa do Largo in Golega our stop for the night.
This morning the conversation focused funnily enough on tomorrow Friday. The forecast is dreadful with thunderstorms, local flooding with some areas up to 200mm of rain etc. The area of forecasted rain seemed more north however we were already talking about taking the train to Tomar. Probably a given now.
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As I lay there on Thursday from 10:30 to 4:00 when Paulo arrived at the Casa do Largo (he was a little steamed at signage issues which extended the days walk) I considered possibilities:
1) I could simply erase all blog entries about the Portuguese Camino and like President Trump simply say it was “fake news” if someone asked about past blogs - nixed that as cowardly
2) Could simply return home in shame - no way would my conscience allow this given everything Paulo has done
3) Re plan and throw away preconceived ideas of what this Camino had to be - clearly the best choice
So a potential plan formulated - train to Porto, rest for 4 days and then walk to Santiago de Compostela walking an average of 18 kms a day rather than 30 kms a day.
The problem with 3) is that the plan seemed totally focused on my needs and not Paulo’s. When Paulo had finished his mini rant about the walk today we both said we had an idea. Told Paulo my misgivings about my plan however I was to go first...incredibly except for a few details we both had the same idea!!!
Paulo had an additional suggestion that I visit a medical clinic and he researched and set up a 4:00 appointment that day...incredibly the only available appointment and perfect for our time frame. Dr. Olga of the Vita Saude clinic in Porto was incredibly knowledgeable and kind! She worked on my feet for over an hour doing various procedures (will spare you the details and the pictures Paulo took) all for 40 euros.
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| Dr. Olga - some of you will know I am an awkward hugger |
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Two main errors on my part
1) Compeed blister pads on small blister is fine but on an already large blister does not work. The blister simply grows in size under the Compeed pad as mine did
2) My socks (which had worked for over 2,000 kms) were too thick and trapped in heat...plus hmmm were old
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Apparently Porto is an incredible city to visit...a few pictures from Paulo’s day
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Dr. Olga gave me the good to go...resume your walk with some advice. Blisters have healed nicely however the skin is understandably tender so plan on walking shorter distances averaging 18 - 20 kms a day - doctors orders
A real Camino blessing to have met Dr. Olga. She even said that if we have trouble we should call her and she will try to help. We told her we would send her a picture of us when we arrive in Santiago de Compostela...she seemed very pleased to hear this! I will be sure to wear my Tilley hat to look sharp!
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| Gondola into the harbour in Vila Nova de Gaia |
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| Pastel de Nada’s!!!! |
So new day 1 of the Camino Portuguese starts tomorrow!
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Paulo and I think we are reasonably intelligent people...he is a lawyer and I am...well nothing really. We are using Map My Walk app in flight mode on our respective smart phones. Both of us use it at the same time and guess what the results are consistent. As we entered Vilar do Pinheiro both our phones died at 20.5 kms and we had no idea where Metro Vilar Suites our stop for the night was.
So Paulo started asking people...walk straight ahead...cross a highway...go under an archway...continue etc etc etc. I wanted to ask someone however my Portuguese is limited to obrigado, por favor and WC (not really Portuguese).
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We wound our way through Porto which was quite interesting with many ups and downs which was a welcome change from the flat walking so far. What was not so great today and really hard on the feet was 100 % hard surface walking cobblestone road, cement sidewalk, asphalt. What I would give for a gravel road or a simple country grass and dirt trail!
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| The cobblestones…toughest walking surface EVER!!! |
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| Possibly the highlight of the day...chocolate cookie for .40 Euros!!! |
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Last night we had a great Portuguese style meal although a cab ride was required to get to the restaurant as Metro Vilar Suites was too far away...and feet needed to rest!
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| Beef, incredible potatoes and kale I believe...shared by two of us which is common way to order food in Portugal |
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This morning at breakfast we met two pilgrims who also started from Porto...Allan and Steffan from Denmark. They have some previous Camino experience and are walking at the same 20 km a day pace as us. Pleasant to talk to and hope to meet them again on the road to Santiago.
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Now for a Camino miracle! In a previous post I mentioned that my only long sleeve shirt had been lost in the wash...well as I was looking for my rain pants in a side pocket voila!!! I may have a bit of a track record of misplacing keys, my wallet and finding them on my person😊
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It seems like every home has a fierce dog behind a supposed fence who takes great delight in surprising pilgrims with crazy barking at the exact instant a poor pilgrim is passing by! Twice today we had dogs run out of their yards...this is where the walking poles come in handy as they (so far) back off reasonably quickly!
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Water, water, water...it’s absolutely everywhere in fields, streams running down roads, roads turned into mud but mostly on my head, soaking my shirt, in my pants and turning my shoes into waterskiing shoes.
Today it rained...sometimes in buckets...other times a light drizzle...some stretches of no rain! We walked in beautiful countryside for 21.9 kms in 5 hours. No new blisters (well maybe two upon closer look) however the feet are not impressed with my adventure!!!
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Without hesitation...having walked various Camino paths, hiking in the Rockies, Nepal, Japan, the infamous Thames River walk where we almost had to carry my friend Dennis to Windsor, walking on the cobblestone paths of the Camino Portugues is my toughest foot test ever.
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| Portuguese rooster in Barcelos |
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| Ugh!!! |
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At lunch today we walked into a restaurant which was really Camino friendly and met Allan and Steffan pilgrims from Denmark...77 and 72 years old...incredible.
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Nice short day today walking 15.7 kms over 3.5 hours. Started well however struggled a bit towards end the day. No idea if there are any new blisters... if yes well they have a few friends to talk to :).
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| Supper…lamb, potatoes, rice…excellent!!! |
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| Picture of my Camino Portuguese Credential to date |
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| Steffan (72 years old), Inga and Allan (77 years old) |
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A typical Portuguese speed sign 🤣 |
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| I walked right by this dangerous animal…no big deal! |
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A great day to walk today...15 drops of rain (counted them quickly!) and sunshine for most of the day! We walked 22 kms in 5 hours...
Last night we stayed at Quinta da Cancela. The owner was a real nice host... he cooked up a great meal which we shared with Steffan and Allan of Denmark...salmon! The four of us are becoming old friends as we bump into each other at lunch and sometimes we stay at the same accommodations!
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| Trying to stay warm! Me, Paulo, Allan and Steffan |
You may have noticed that we are all wearing our jackets at supper. There is a reason for that... combine a stone walled structure, cement floors, a heating system which could not keep a Smart car lukewarm and rainy conditions and voila ... freezing cold supper conditions.
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| Salmon!!! |
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| Getting ever closer |
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We sent a picture of my feet to Dr. Olga who responded quickly with some suggestions to improve the healing. One of which was to change socks when wet...which I was already doing but today was another matter!!! What an incredibly nice lady Dr. Olga...I am so lucky!
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Something happened which Paulo and I will remember forever (well in my case as long as I can remember things).
Two kilometres in we came to a portion of the trail that we estimate the water was likely 20 - 30 centimetres deep. We noticed the young woman pilgrim just ahead of us backtrack and climb up a small wall into a vineyard to detour around the submerged route.
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No problem...Paulo went first and I followed. Now you should know something about me...my centre of balance or ability to manoeuvre gracefully as demonstrated on numerous canoe outings has been questioned by others. Notably questioned by Dawn my wife, Carol and Leonard good friends and my brother Marc.
In a canoe I am always in the front (bow) and on multiple occasions the canoe has tipped as I gracefully make my way to the bow. Sometimes I fall in...sometimes the person in the stern does...however the common denominator in my mind has always been that the person in the stern has simply screwed up. Think about it if you are shifting your weight erratically trouble awaits...stern partners please be more careful!!!
Ok so we have to climb down the side of the detour into slick mud gumbo...say a meter high from the path. Paulo successfully navigates this and then it’s my turn.
Paulo yells “you are too tall”...what does that mean? Then he tells me to stop...why? So I move forward to descend a meter onto the slippery mud gumbo and...well...I lose my balance. Paulo gave me poor directions I am afraid! A 180 degree tumble later I am turtled in the water. My backpack was virtually submerged and I managed with some skill and dexterity to keep my head above water!
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Two young German women pilgrims came by shortly thereafter and I explained why I looked like I had had a mud bath...one of them was very kind and said “it will dry” :(
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The climb up to the Alto was tough and reminded me so much of some trails in the Canadian Rockies...tree roots...boulders... water on trail. One has to be so very careful not to twist an ankle.
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At the Casa we have a whole house to ourselves! Our clothes are being washed as a service and we were asked if we would like a light lunch...presto!
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A very tough day physically and mentally for me ...it happens! You know when a black cloud is following you a foot or so just above your head.
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| The exciting news...we are now in Spain! |
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Last night Paulo once again contacted Dr. Olga and she responded on a Sunday with some suggestions. For some reason the morning was really tough (call it a new skin foot problem) ...walking on this type of surface is essentially like walking on a bed of nails...damn those rocks!!!
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| Very tough walking surface 😅 |
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In my last blog I mentioned how impressed we were with the Casa Olivierinha and the host Fernando who owns it.
Well this morning the bill came and the Casa Olivierinha good feeling balloon burst in a spectacular way!
Paulo and I made assumptions based on Fernando’s being a super nice guy so we accept responsibility...we did not ask prices...nor were they posted anywhere!
Fernando took us to the cleaners...in more ways than one! Supper was 20 euros each...in Portugal menus come in 1 or .5 doces where 1 doce is meant for two people...to date the highest we have paid in good restaurants for 1 doce was maybe 18 euros - Strike 1
Our lunch yesterday which was positioned as an almost goodwill gesture was 9 euros each sorry - Strike 2
Then the real ugly part...cleaning clothes which has been done by at least one other host for nada or 0 euros was 35 euros!!! - Strike 3
We paid and left...oh and Fernando asked if we could write a review on Trip Advisor and/or Booking.com but only if we have a good review! OIE! I will first send him a pointed email suggesting that he post prices or at a minimum advise clients before they accept his services. Not sure if I will make a review or not! Maybe best to just accept that’s what can happen when one is not careful!
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| No I did not fall in ☺️ |
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Today was a much much better day walking 19.5 kms in just over 4.25 kms. Cool conditions but not a drop of rain. Feet still recovering however a dressing change by Dr. Paulo after 10 minutes of walking...on a park bench...really helped. The little black cloud from yesterday disappeared!
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Just before the meal Paulo had a very animated lengthy (maybe 20 minutes) phone call from Fernando, the owner of the place where I felt our additional charges were excessive. Seems like my direct but tactful email was not well received and amongst other things he compared me to a fierce cat with claws.
I will spare other details however it appears my suggestion of having a rate card for various services will be implemented...novel idea!
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On the Camino one meets some interesting pilgrims. We first met Emile from France two days ago, then yesterday in Tui and again today. Emile is a very heavy set man wearing a large cross carrying a huge backpack. He walks very slowly possibly as slowly as my good friend Dennis. He starts every day at 6:00 am and in his words never stops so magically he appears ahead of us when we expect him to be well behind!
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I have mentioned numerous times in my blog how tough the Portuguese Way is ...cobblestones, asphalt, cement, rocky paths etc. Paulo bought the same walking shoe for the Portuguese Way as he used for the Way of St. James where his shoes were undamaged after 800 kms...see picture for Paulo's shoe after 300 kms.
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Last night we stayed at the hotel International... suffice to say the hotel has seen better days...
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Flora the owner changed profession (was a librarian I believe) 6 years ago to open her peaceful little Camino stop. She really goes out of her way to make one feel welcome... she told Paulo a little story in Spanish ( hola, gracias ...ugh what do I say now?).
Last Sunday Flora’s was closed however she noticed a young Korean girl sitting in front of her shop crying. Communication was difficult but Flora understood that the Albergue was full and the Korean was really worried given the late hour. Flora invited her in her home, provided supper and breakfast the next morning and refused any payment. Camino magic... I expect the Korean pilgrim will remember this kindness for the rest of her life!
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| Flora and Paulo |
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My feet are just starting to be a little less upset with me as the healing continues. This has been my toughest Camino from a mental fatigue perspective as everyday self doubt creeps in... take the bus... take the train etc. As I write I am allowing myself to believe that barring something new I am going to make Santiago de Compostela!
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| Even I could not miss this arrow |
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We did not meet Emile, Steffan or Allan today...however we are meeting more and more pilgrims. Interestingly to date we have not met a Portuguese pilgrim and one sole Spaniard pilgrim...surprising.
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A nice moment occurred when walking on a busy road when a car suddenly stopped beside us... rolled down the window and the gentleman handed a card to Paulo. It was simply a Bom Caminho with no advertising of any kind.
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Paulo was telling me that his father, a lawyer who started the family practice where Paulo is a partner, likes to place small bets (bottle of Johnny Walker whiskey) with a particular client and Paulo. It seems he decides what he hopes will happen and then bets against this outcome.
So in 2014 he bet that Paulo would not finish the Way of St. James Camino and this time he has bet I won’t finish it. Sure hope I don’t let Paulo down!
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Last night was a different matter altogether as Dr. Paulo and I consulted and decided some minor surgery was required. This was based on past advice from Dr. Olga...all went well until Betadyne was applied (infection prevention). Oie that was not a good feeling and this persisted through the evening and most of the night.
We were discussing options for today which included my stopping to walk and taking the bus. I was prepared to do this if things had not improved by morning. Talk about the subconscious at work...I had only 60 kms to go.Morning came and I had recovered well and was good to go! Man what a mental and physical effort this Camino has been!
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A highlight of the day was walking through some forest paths. We are in the Galicia an area of Spain known for a lot of rain and green vegetation. I believe it has been compared to Ireland that way.
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Last night another chapter in the Dr. Olga miracle was written. Paulo received a phone call just before 10:00 pm from Dr. Olga. She had not heard from us since Sunday and was worried about me!!! She was so happy to hear that I was on the mend and still moving towards Santiago de Compostela.
Dr. Olga then mentioned a few key medical procedures to Dr. Paulo (will spare you the details) and was very pleased to hear we were already following these. She told Dr. Paulo that she was keeping me in her thoughts.
So a brief recap...Friday in Porto first see Dr. Olga and she spends 75 minutes doing all kinds of things for 40 Euros. Monday she spends additional time and gives me the green light. Over the next week we have some concerns and phone her at home both Saturday and Sunday and she gets back to us. Yesterday a followup call...no additional charges...encouragement and practical information given at all times.
When I return home to Canada I will send something to Dr. Olga to thank her for her time and kindness. I would like it to be a uniquely Canadian gift...to anyone reading this if you have an idea for such a gift I welcome all suggestions.
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Today we met again with Steffan and Allan and started leap frogging each other through the day. Once we came over a bridge overpass and saw them a 100 meters ahead looking totally lost...they had somehow gone under the overpass... into the mud and come up the other side past the Camino turn sign. We waved them over and I offered to guide them for the rest of the day...they politely declined!
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| Pulpo and beer |
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Paulo and I had chosen Os Lambruns as our last night’s accommodation prior to our final day...a luxury which turns out is 3 kms out the Camino way. After a long day we decided to take a taxi from a specific Camino point to Os Lambruns and the next morning return to the same specific point and resume our walk. Totally kosher.
Seemed logical however hopping into a taxi might be misinterpreted by fellow pilgrims so I was determined to be careful. What followed in my recollection of events. We wanted a taxi...none to be found. We start walking in circles asking people. At one point we are directed to a booth to phone in front of a million pilgrims for a taxi!!!!
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| Telephone booth for pilgrims |
While walking around helplessly... estimate 2 kms, Paulo thinks 500 meters, so let’s say 1.75 kms we turn the corner and see Steffan and Allan wave to us from a bar. Panic sets in...if they see us entering a taxi we will NEVER hear the end of it no matter how logical our reasoning is!
During the walk which I estimate would be 30 to 45 minutes...Paulo might say 15 - 20 so let’s settle on 40 minutes it starts to rain!!! Monsoon like rain, Paulo might say light rain so let’s settle on a heavy downpour.
Finally a nice woman in a supermarket provides Paulo with a phone number and a taxi is there in a few minutes.
At this point I gave Paulo some very specific pilgrim avoidance instructions for the taxi...remove hats and slouch in our seats as low as possible...who cares what the taxi driver thinks! We must not get people who do not understand our logical plan providing FAKE NEWS to others!
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We made it! Today we walked 26.3 kms in just under 5.5 hours with significant elevation gain. There wasn’t much to see and the adrenalin kicked in so we set a fast pace.
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This will be my last Camino... hopefully there will be other more modest adventures in the future. Overall I enjoyed the experiences immensely ...clearly not every single minute.
As well this is likely the last posting for this blog. So todays blog will be very different from previous postings as I am including only a few pictures.
Well I actually thought this was going to be the case…not so fast…easy to forget the past and assume the next time will be better 🙂
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| Paulo and me in front of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral!!! The feet finally stopped moving! |
Thanks to Dr. Olga without who’s kindness, thoughtfulness and professional help I would never have made it. Rarely does one meet a Dr. Olga in life...I was so very very fortunate!
Thanks to my good friend Paulo which whom I have walked a total of 43 days on Camino paths. Without Paulo I wouldn’t have had the slightest chance of making it on the Camino Portuguese. Always positive, encouraging with a great sense of humour. Dr. Paulo never complained about the twice a day dressing changes... by Camino end 10 meters of 4 cm tape had been used to hold down dressings on my feet!
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Long Walk 7 - Camino Primitivo & Camino San Salvador - Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela; Leon to Oviedo
Country - Spain
Year - 2022; Age 65
- 443 kms walked over 17 days averaging 26.0 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 10,771 ; Elevation Loss (11,241) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 31.7 kms per day
- Walking Partner - Paulo Brazil Camino Primitivo; Alone Camino San Salvador
Camino Primitivo
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We made it - but it was so close 😱
So now I can finally WhatsApp Paulo…well his story is incredible…plane 1 hr 20 minutes late into Lisbon. Has 2 hours for connection…must go through Customs. He gets to Custom Agent…tells his story…Agent says no way you will not make it. Paulo…his words…runs like a madman…may have elbowed someone to the ground along the way and makes it 10 minutes before plane leaves.
Without that we were scr*wed! Then he sleeps on plane. This is the story I get when I contact him with my new SIM plan!
So I say I will go to T2 arrival area…well over 1km walking…communication problem and Paulo goes to T2 exit area and sends this picture to meet.
Ok just look at this picture…this could be taken in any airport in the world! How am I going to find this under time pressure…so I make a call “let’s meet at T4 where we will take Iberia flight” All good…I board the T1-T2-T3-T4 terminal shuttle bus except the bus stops behinds another bus after 15 minutes and we have to get on the T4 bus???
Finally we meet and by this time we have 45 minutes or so before plane leaves so this now becomes a piece of cake
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| For the life of me I could NOT figure out how to repackage the Packa so I did the best I could on the trail! |
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A highlight of the day was meeting other Camino walkers…more than I expected. Fun to introduce oneself … walk 15 minutes or so with someone…then go your own way knowing that paths may/may not cross again.
Also for me a chance to blab about past walks 😂 as the common question is « have you walked past Caminos? » Why yes do you have a couple of hours to hear my stories?
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Finally…have no idea how this discussion came about but Paulo had a proposal for me which involves my family. He said that he would be happy to carry 25 grams of my ashes on the Camino when I am toast. Sooo…I counter proposed that I should have the same option to carry his ashes should he become toast before me.
We shook hands on it and Paulo has already discussed with his wife Andrea. Funny how a cerveza and being tired affects one 😂🤔
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Perfecto! In many ways today was a carbon copy of Day 1. Walking strongly…perfect weather in the 20C range, a very quiet day again! Nice scenery, varied walking surfaces… forest paths, some road walking, met some new people…had a great and funny meal (more later). There was however a dangerous animal incident…
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My packing routine in terms of organization is still abysmal…really it sucks big time. I don’t understand why…carefully place stuff in separate bags…throw the bags in (closest bag to me goes in first etc). Then I can’t find what I need!
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I noticed him ahead of us talking with someone…interestingly the gap between us was decreasing huh! Then a little plan formed as we got nearer and nearer…as I came up to him and the Spanish guy (likely talking football) Gabriel was surprised that I was passing on the left!
So I calmly said “Slower pilgrims stay to the right please!” and motored past Gabriel (maybe 40+ years younger) and leaving him in my dust!
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| Rough Walking |
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Today was the 108th day of Camino walking for me since 2013. An awesome day…I think the most memorable day ever!
Walked 33.2 Kms, 1,048 meters elevation gain, 672 elevation loss totalling 1,720 meters total over 7.4 hours.
Fantastic weather, very challenging physical day, incredible views, walking very strongly, meeting new pilgrim walkers AND starring in a future Japanese Camino documentary (NOT JOKING 🙃!).
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| Breakfast |
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Ok the big story of the day…this is ALL TRUE!!! In Tineo about 20km a Japanese film crew came up the street shooting a scene with a woman and male pilgrim. Then they reversed direction and came back down and said Hola and Buen Camino to Paulo and me. I was facing the street so the camera crew focused on me! So I thought wow…who knows what this means!
Sometime in the afternoon we came upon the woman pilgrim who was being filmed…her name is Patricia.
So we walked together for 20 minutes or so as she described that the film crew was documenting a Camino film…they previously completed a very successful first film in 8K 🤔 a couple of years ago. Hey that’s exciting…maybe I will be in this new one!
Fast forward a while and we have 3 kms left to Campiello and we have to walk on a highway! Brutal stuff to finish a long day’s…so I simply decided to go hard and pulled away a bit from Patricia and Paulo. Maybe a km from the finish I pass the full camera crew on the side of the road.
I finish and wait and wait for Paulo…meanwhile the director of the documentary asked Paulo and Patricia to do a retake of the downhill walk to where the cameras are😂. Yes go back up and walk again down! 🥵
Finally Paulo, Patricia and the male pilgrim crest the hill with the whole camera crew on them big time. I see them and I am peeved thinking Paulo has just stolen my chance at being in the documentary😩.
Then the director asks if Paulo, Patricia and me can sit down for a little session…with complimentary drinks. Sure redemption time…maybe I can be in the documentary after all!
Half an hour of questions “Why do you walk?”, “What is your Camino history…my chance to blab”, “How did you meet?”, “Why have you walked together again…because I like punishment!”, “How has Camino changed?”, “Impact of COVID?” Etc etc
At some point Paulo even told them about the “ashes deal” Geez Paulo!
Now I know what it’s like to be a celebrity…as soon as I started to answer a question the camera guy was 3 feet away from me! I kept my cool though…may have some potential here.😂
Ok it ends…thanks all round…group picture below, gift from Director, his card, we provide our contact information.
Documentary comes out in 2023. I seriously think we will be in it…well at least I will…not sure about Paulo. Main reason…had my Clooney’s on. I will sign autographs upon request!
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NOTE: I include this as it was a very special moment however with significant sadness. As I detailed in future blogposts Patricia went missing on April 9, 2023 on her second day of the Kumano Kodo walk in Japan. She had texted me on April 8, 2023 late in the day
“ Hello, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to let you know I am on the Kumano Kodo Kohechi today. I’m going to be a Dual Pilgrim just like you 🙂. I also wanted to let you know that you made it into the Japanese documentary on Camino Santiago”.
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| Patricia |
No trace of any kind has been found despite a massive search effort. Breaks my heart for her family and everyone who has met this wonderful adventurous woman. To this day the sequence of events knowing I was one of her last contacts simply leaves me at a total loss.🥲
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Another amazing walking day… we are SO lucky as we were able to walk the Hospitales Route a superb mountain walk above the tree line. Everyone wants to walk the Hospitales Route…however the weather has to cooperate otherwise you won’t see much and/or it can be dangerous. Perfect sunshine…cool at first 11C, foggy with wind which in my books is totally acceptable shorts weather 🙂.
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We walked strongly for 27.7 km over 6.5 hours at an average speed of 4.2 km per hour with a total elevation gain of 986 meters and elevation loss of 702 meters for a total of 1,688 meters combined G/L. It was an exhilarating day and a bit tiring 😮💨
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Sometime on the Hospitales we passed Patricia who had stopped to quickly chat. As Paulo pulled away I asked her if she had editing decision making on the documentary. She laughed saying likely no…so I asked her IF she did and IF only one of us could be in the documentary could it be…Patricia cut me off here saying “you want it to be you…right?” How did she guess? 😂
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Rounding a corner in a small Pueblo we heard intense barking and saw a very large dog running out of a field towards us. No time for my Packa as two other dogs were also running towards us. Geez we were in big trouble and a little rattled. The lead dog got on the trail with us…we moved slowly away and thankfully that was all guard dog wanted us to do. Phew 😅.
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The highlight was walking the Hospitales route which was amazing. I have always found walking in the mountains is very special…I become very contemplative as I walk in the mountains.
Today was no different and I always come back to a specific thought “Guy you are one very lucky person…family, friends, health and simply having the opportunity to walk like this!”
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However once the Hospitales route was finished the other shoe dropped…I think because the highlight for today was over. Now 9 kms to go, sun is beating down, I am tired, running out out water, one of the worst downhill rocky stretches I have ever done…leads to when is this day going to end?”
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| Is there anything better than chocolate…even if it isn’t dark chocolate? |
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Believe me the steepness of the descent to start the day was very tiring and over a number of kilometres
Today reminded how the mind impacts a long walk. Essentially you know before you start that you plan to walk a certain distance and the profile of the walk in terms of ascent/descent. Mentally one gears up somehow for that distance and when you have 4-5 kms left I really start thinking about the end…upon finishing the gas tank is empty. What always amazes me is the “gas tank empty” applies whether it’s a 30km, 25km or 20km walk.
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This morning was a little concerning as I felt stiffness in my lower back. This happens from time to time and goes “back” to my 3 summers working as an orderly in a Winnipeg hospital. Let’s just chalk it up to improper lifting techniques 😞
I mentioned this to Paulo and he quickly dumped umpteen non prescription drugs on the bed. Ok I am always leery of taking meds I know nothing about…especially 🇧🇷 ones! However Dr Paulo recommended a muscle relaxant one…showed me the specs in English and I said ok and took a tablet along with a very warm shower.
Essentially did the trick although later this morning I wondered if I had taken some type of magic hallucinant when I saw the incredible views around me…clouds covering the valley below. The experience was surreal being above the clouds, then passing through them and then below. An experience I won’t soon forget!
Others around me also had the same experience sooo I concluded the pill 💊 I took was not the reason 🤣
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This may be repetitive…maybe even boring but the summary of today is music 🎶 to my ears! We are halfway to Santiago de Compostela…unreal! Fantastic walking day…brilliant sunshine…walking strongly…met some new people…good food…mostly (not all) good walking paths…tiring but a good 👍 tired feeling…superb countryside views. 🙂
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There were some rough ascents early and at the very last coming into Fonsegrada where I met Pierre from Belgium (kept crossing paths over the day) at the side of the trail. I blurted out “This isn’t fair making us work so hard at the end of the day!” Pierre laughed and agreed…then Paulo arrived and I suggested taking a taxi 🚕 for the last 150 meters…I was overruled!
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Salad in Spain!!! Delicious! |
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Along the way we briefly met Patricia (Japanese documentary). She had a small amount of water left and the Bar cafe was closed so Paulo very nicely offered her some of his water.
A nice gesture however I did manage to briefly chat with Patricia…first acknowledging Paulo’s gesture AND nicely letting her know that I hoped this would not influence any decisions she would make about who would be in the final cut of the documentary…I think she laughed…well I hope so.
I deserve (don’t have a solid reason for saying this…I just know) and want to be in the Japanese Camino Documentary. It’s my only chance at fleeting fame. I will definitely consider going to Japan for the premiere showing!
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The magic continues with a few bumps and bruises…perfect weather… strong walking over what felt like a tougher day…a few new walking friends…a very peaceful day overall.
What made the day more challenging was a very steep section which seemed to go on forever…ok maybe 30 minutes with about 8 kms to go. Holy smokes at times I thought we were walking at a 45 - 50 degree angle…Paulo thinks 40 max so let’s agree on 47.5 degrees.
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Going back to last night we had a special dinner with a number of other pilgrim walkers…it was good fun! Starting from the front center and going clockwise…Chris - Germany, Didier and Sylvia - France, Paulo - Brazil, Pierre - Belgium, me - Canada, Syp - Holland, Georg - Germany
Of course many languages are spoken…one understands parts of conversations but somehow it all works out! Unfortunately Syp has suffered a shin splint injury (had to take a taxi part way) and will stay an extra day in Fonsegrada so not sure if we will see him again.
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The morning started a little tough as were a bit lost getting out of Fonsegrada. Wikiloc wanted us to go one way…the Camino signs said the opposite and other walkers were of course following the Camino signs.
Paulo prevailed and we ignored Wikiloc and I blurted out “what’s the point of this stupid app…it’s of no use“ Anyone who know me well is aware that I can lose perspective at times however I did notice Wikiloc saying “Do you want to walk in reverse?”
So I clicked yes and voila all was good and Wikiloc was in my good books again. My little mini meltdown…”this is a piece of 💩”only lasted a few minutes and all was forgotten…except Paulo mentioned it an hour ago 😂
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Met a few new walkers today/last night:
Sylvia & Didier - France
Barbara - Switzerland
John & Carmel - Ireland We walked quite a ways with this nice couple.
They are walking for a week at a time and will leave from Lugo. John retired 15 years ago at 50 from the Police force and now renovates houses…he referred to it as his 180 degree turn in life!
John volunteered two facts about bees 🐝 which I thought you should all know:
1) In small African villages where the risk of stampeding elephants is high they hang bee hives around the village crops…apparently this stops the elephants cold
2) On a NASA space mission they took some bees and let a few loose…bees wing receptors do not work in the non gravitational space therefore they cannot fly…only float.
It is very possible that John was pulling my leg on these and is currently telling others about the gullible funny looking Canadian…but I choose to trust 🤣
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Feeling a bit tired 🥱 Just had a cerveza and tortilla and back to our accommodation for blogging and a rest. Paulo is having cerveza X and then he will wash clothes at laundromat. Then Paulo will blah blah with half of Brazil 🇧🇷 for an hour or more.
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Given I did all the initial walk planning (stages, accommodation etc)…Paulo does practical Spanish stuff…clothes washing, language interpretation etc. Overall works well…my Spanish speaking skills are once more essentially useless 😂.
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I could not open our room with our key…no way no how…so here comes Paulo to the rescue fully expecting to solve this problem easily…cheeky young fellow! No way for him either.
At this point I had visions of sleeping in the hallway all night waiting for the local locksmith to come. Geez 🙄 my Tilley hat and Clooney’s were in the room!
Paulo gets the receptionist to come over and she had a heck of a time but managed to somehow open it giving us a “geez are you guys dumb or what look”We had no idea what she did and could not repeat it sooo…Paulo suggested we take Passport, Wallet, Phone (the big three) and leave the room unlocked as we went out for supper. We also left the room unlocked during the night for fear we could not get out! Phew 😮💨
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Had a vivid reminder that being careful…especially in the dark while looking at Wikiloc GPS tracks is critical! I suddenly found myself one foot on the path and the other in the ditch 😞
Thankfully I was able to recover in time however that is how a Camino (or any walk) can suddenly come to an end by twisting an ankle. If this had happened day 1 the end result might have been different however after all this walking on uneven surfaces the ankle responded quickly and well. 😮💨
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Some may wonder what it’s like to walk with someone day in day out. The reality is Paulo and I, while walking within shouting distance of each other, likely walk 80-90% of the day apart…where possible talking to others on the route. This is quite common along the Camino…it works well. Nearly always near the end of the day…say last 4-5 kms when the “when in the h*ll will this be over” feeling takes over we tend to walk together and chat to help finish as strongly as possible.
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| 350 year old tree!!! |
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Today was…a perfecto day! I was thinking that I will either have to start exaggerating a few things or even provide information which is totally useless to anyone reading if this continues.
Then an epiphany - I have been doing this all along 😂🤣…really this is too much fun!
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Note the picture below…I am sooo proud of myself for having learned how to store the Packa!
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Believe me I am extremely grateful that we are both walking so well with…touch wood…no major physical issues. So far the physical, mental and aspects out of our control such as weather have all aligned… can’t beat that!
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Last night we had a fun supper and said goodbye to Carmel and John from Ireland 🇮🇪. How is it possible to know someone for a few days and feel that good friends have been made? That’s the magic of the Camino. Who knows maybe a visit to Ireland in the future could result in a getogether!
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| Carmel & John Ireland, Pierre Belgium, me, Paulo |
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| Roman walls of Lugo |
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Here is an issue with highway road walking.
Anyone who knows me realizes that I have a let’s say “well developed startle reflex” 🙂. If I am focused on something…which happens a lot…and you approach me and either saying something or worse touch my shoulder/arm I am liable to fling whatever is in my hand in the air…can be a little embarrassing 😳.
So imagine walking on a busy highway…as has happened numerous times this Camino and having a car/truck honk their horn (a greeting to say Buen Camino) just as they pass me. Geez I am walking with trekking poles…it’s a miracle they have not been flung on the highway or I have flung myself in the ditch! So please don’t do this 🙏
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| Lunch with Jaroslav - Czech Republic |
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Emotionally today was a complex day…the first such day on the Camino Primitivo so far.
Black Cloud - we knew that we were going to join up with the Camino Frances in Melide. In 2022 in excess of 300,000 pilgrim/walkers will walk the Camino Frances a number of them the last 100 kms only.
I thought I was mentally ready for this however in and around 15-16 kms we started walking on a busy road into Melide. Absolutely dreadful…boring walking…so the Black Cloud crept in and the mental energy simply decreased rapidly.
To boot an actual black cloud appeared in the sky. I am convinced I conjured up the black cloud alla Harry Potter style!
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Sometime on the road walk I noticed my left fancy Gossamer Gear trekking pole was slipping ie it had become way too short . I tried to fix this but couldn’t and concluded that what was just 5 minutes ago a great piece of equipment was now a piece of 💩!
I asked Paulo for help (When this black cloud mood hits I know very well that others around me will be much better at resolving my issues…it happens fairly frequently at home 🤔) Paulo quickly solved my problem…I had forgotten how to tighten the poles…it happens to the best of us when the black cloud appears.
Trekking poles were once again in the good books.
The black cloud started to lift a few kms past Melide as we entered nice forest paths and totally disappeared when we finally stopped for a bite to eat with about 7-8 kms to go.
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| Rest after a long day…black cloud long gone! |
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Sunny day in all respects. ☀️We are now 20 kms or so from Santiago de Compostela…for both Paulo and me our 3rd time walking into this amazing city!
As we approach the square in front of the Cathedral we will go through a tunnel where someone will be playing the bagpipes…it’s so neat to hear this…then when we will emerge onto the large plaza where there will be many many pilgrim walkers there! Some will be lying down on the ground exhausted…some will be dancing…some will be simply milling about…hopefully we will meet some pilgrim friends made on this walk.
I cannot wait for that great feeling of accomplishment having reached the 310+ km goal on the challenging Camino Primitivo!
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| Simply delicious! |
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Today was an easy walk…nice paths…not the stunning countryside of the past 10 days…however the main story was the sea of people moving to Santiago de Compostela.
Unlike yesterday I was simply thankful to be part of this big wave of pilgrim walkers. All shapes and sizes, gender, ages, countries of origin, reasons for walking (some were reciting rosary prayers), levels of fitness, with/without backpacks, injured or not etc…
All walking in unison towards a common goal reaching Santiago de Compostela…nice to have a common goal!
It is really quite amazing to be a small part of this mass movement of people.
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I found this sign to be amazing!!! What a nice and true sentiment! |
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We made it!!! Walked into Santiago de Compostela shortly before 1pm
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| My best attempt at a selfie ever!!! |
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Today did not unfold as expected…the throngs of pilgrim walkers were steady but not nearly as much as yesterday! We did leave early 😂…it was very dark and foggy…maybe we beat the rush?
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Food pictures today are from yesterday afternoon where we had a salad and pulpo (octopus) from a Pulperia. In 2014 I had pulpo and thought it tasted like shoe leather however it was delicious! Maturity I guess 😉
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Major Black Moment…it happened within 5 kms of Santiago de Compostela…stopped for a break of sorts here
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Oh boy once again I will go on a limb to show how stupid I can be however I do so to ensure anyone reading this drastically improves on my approach!!!
We wanted to Air Drop a few pictures…usually very simple however no way would it work so Paulo suggested we turn off our phones and restart to see if that would help.
I do so and on restarting my phone I get a message “you have 3 tries before your phone is locked”
My life flashed before my eyes…Major Black Cloud consumed me…my Camino is over! Why? Simple I don’t know the d*mn PIN number. I search everywhere that I can think of…no PIN number. I remember seeing the pin on a small plastic card that was given to me in Madrid Airport but…Paulo notices (how could he not) that I am not doing so well…the air was shall we say a touch blue also. This is serious stuff.
Paulo says “do not panic…we will fix this”…ok how? We are both thinking 3 tries and the phone is dead…however Lesson 1 - This is not true! The message relates only to the SIM card …WIFI would still work. Paulo pairs our two phones and on his I logon to Google email. I have kept correspondence with the SIM card company and notice the service rep left her WhatsApp phone number.
Paulo phones her…turns out she speaks English as well and she answers immediately…how lucky 🍀 is that! Service rep has dealt with many people like me before so she says 1) enter any PIN number 3 times and wait for a PUK number. Paulo gets the PUK number and I enter it and voila…the Major Black Cloud disappears!
I spent the next 5 kms thanking Paulo profusely…clearly I was very fortunate this happened when it did…he did a great job!
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OMG - Late Breaking news…there was a third possibility where my Bell SIM card and the SIM card with the PIN could be. I wore a special money belt just for the plane and guess what…I should have written where I put these items on my arms or hands. Oh my how could I do what I did? 😂😳🤔
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Tilley Hat
Paulo has been pestering me that my Tilley hat stinks so I bowed to pressure and washed/dried it🙄
A few pictures below (selfies) this is NOT a good look for the upcoming Camino San Salvador! Maybe if I soak in water and let it dry it will regain its shape…anyone out there have ideas let me know!
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Cyrille, unfortunately will not be able to join me on the Camino San Salvador, due to a last minute issue. Both Cyrille and I wish it were otherwise but these things happen. He is a good friend and hopefully we will walk again together at some later date.
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Camino San Salvador
In many ways this feels like my very first day Camino walking Aug 2013 in Rorschach Switzerland where I arrived alone…in the German part of Switzerland being able to count 1 - 10 in German. Ok I can do a little better in Spanish but…
Paulo just sent me a 2 minute audio of key words in Spanish with the English translation… clearly he is worried a bit…it will all work out just fine.
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A very peaceful walk…did not meet a single pilgrim walker all day! I knew before starting this would be a quiet Camino however it was still somewhat surprising.
Perfect weather again…I was concerned heading into today as I was feeling rundown over the rest days in Santiago de Compostela however I walked very well.
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I started walking shortly before 7:30 so still dark and it was pretty chilly!
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Now you will notice my headlamp has a red glow and not white! This was NOT intended however no way no how could I get a white light shining for the longest of time.
There is only ONE button to push on my fancy Petzl headlamp… NO instructions came with the headlamp. I went online at home to test out the various lights. I thought I would remember while walking however sigh 😔 another one of these “I should have paid more attention to instructions”
Now that I am in the Pension Mundo I press the button - one white light, press again second white light, press a third time both lights are now bright…press fourth time they turn off.
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Around 1:30 or so came upon first bar so stopped for a bite to eat…ordered an Aquarius Naranja drink and I thought an empanada…clearly my Spanish failed me very very badly on the empanada and I left quite hungry but not “hangry” as I thought this was all funny! Two tiny chicken thighs!
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Wow!!!…weather perfect again…up to Buiza a very pleasant easy walk with some nice views…after Buiza the magic of this Camino started.
Pilgrim walkers met so far - zero so new friends - zero 😂
Mountain walking at its finest..some trails reminded me of Nepal on a much smaller scale…others of the Iceline trail in the Canadian Rockies! That was enjoyable…that was fun!
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Last night I received iMessages from my Family group (in Toronto)…”Pizza night who wants in?” Before I even had a chance to respond I saw “Papa you are not invited!” WHAT? Just because I am in Spain? So I decided I wanted pizza also and found a great place in La Robla and…it was delicious pizza! Even had a little Postre to finish!
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In an earlier Blog Posting on Fear of Heights I indicated that I am not comfortable with heights generally except…on a hiking path which allows access away from the height exposure drop.
This was such a path and I walked comfortably…nevertheless it is wise to concentrate at such times and not lose sight that going too far to the right is not a good idea!!! Here a a few pictures of a particularly interesting trail path section.
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Tomorrow on to Benduenos Albergue…the owner here reiterated “The best day…spectacular”. It will be a long monster day…with high elevation gains/losses. Wikilocs trail stats - 30.2 kms, 1,142 meters elevation gain, 1,753 meters elevation loss…by far the most challenging day yet on either the Camino Primitivo and the Camino San Salvador.
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Awesome day …mountain views and weather incredible…however I am beyond tired. It was a challenging day physically and mentally…as tough a walking a day as I can ever recall.
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One incredible story today…a Camino Angel. I use Angel not in a religious sense but as someone who displayed extreme kindness to me at exactly the right time. This has happened a few times in the past on Camino walks.
In an around 14km in today, after completing the most difficult sections of the walk I was really struggling. My energy levels were dropping…I had 3 snicker bars, 1 chocolate bar, almonds and 2.5 litres of water. No bar, restaurant of any kind anywhere over 30+ kms.
I was coming down a steep hill…covered in loose rock…scree and my left foot slipped. Down I went…not hurt however for 30 seconds or so I could not move. No energy at all!
So I gave myself a pep talk “quit feeling tired Guy…get up and get going…no one is coming with food and drink!” So I rolled on my knees and using my poles to lever myself up…think newborn horse!
I continued slowly and a couple of kms later I came to a small village. A man came out of his car as I was passing his house and asked “do you need water…breakfast…anything!”
I stopped and am not sure what I said but before I knew it he had spoken to his wife and I was upstairs in his house! Picture below was waiting for me! Secondino and Julia and I talked for half an hour…they even offered me a place to stay the night as pilgrim walkers often can’t make it to Benduenos.
I will never ever forget their kindness! After thanking them profusely I walked with renewed energy with tears in my eyes …these people moments are the real highlights…they saw a need and completely met it 🙏
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| Secondino and Julia |
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Quite a different day from yesterday 😊 easy walking except for a few tricky descents, limited views as most of the day was on various road surfaces. No rain 16 days in a row!!!
This is the type of day I personally refer to as Point A to Point B walking…the main objective is simply to cover the distance. That’s ok as not every day on a Camino is scenic and the reasons for walking the Camino San Salvador are now great memories 😊
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Yesterday after arriving at the Benduenos Albergue I was surprised that I was the last one in AND that I was not alone…6 pilgrim walkers were there! How did that happen? Well that was solved quickly when someone asked me where I started this morning.
Poladura de la Tercia…hmmm I got some very surprised looks and comments…”really…holy that must have been hard walking etc” Sooo…the 6 other pilgrim walkers had completed the same stage as mine in 2 days!
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Here is a group picture of the pilgrim walkers taken at supper time. From right to left Byron Malaysia, Jean-Pierre and Nadine France (walked most of my Camino routes and more), me, Jose-? Spain, Jose-? Spain, Victoria Slovakia.
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The setting for the Benduenos Albergue is stunning at the top of a ridge overlooking a valley surrounded by mountains. It’s run on a Donativo basis…give what you can or want…I looked at it as another night so likely left a generous € amount.
I’m very glad I went out of my normal comfort zone to stay at Benduenos Albergue…met some really nice folks …the first in 3 days. Most of the conversation was in Spanish however Nadine was kind enough to translate key points.
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Success…made it!!! I am in Oviedo…I have received my Salvadorum certificate of completion for the Camino Salvador!
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Somehow this walking adventure all came together…wow..looking back to 2018 Camino Portuguese I hobbled into Santiago de Compostela the last day. I enjoyed this last day so much…an 18.9 km walk in the park!
So many changes were made from 2018…equipment, physical training…essentially walking a few kms in Toronto 😂 and getting my mental side focused on what I believed I was capable of doing. However…as has happened so often in my life…I was simply so incredibly fortunate!
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Late breaking news…in Madrid Barajas Airport…did not even realize that my credit card allowed me access to this VIP lounge…food/drink everywhere…comfortable chairs…I think I only have 4 passes a year but I just waltzed in…holy moly…amazing place…must do this more often 😂. Can’t get too comfortable here though…flight leaves in 5 hours…no gate yet 😊.
Too funny after all this time walking on roads, trails of all sorts…getting a little 🤣 muddy…I even tried to clean up a bit….cleanish clothes …I think I just fit in…other than my backpack… but NOT wearing my Tilley hat!😂 HOKA Speedgoats are a dead giveaway though…they look like they have been through a war…
I think the trick is to just pretend like I belong here…wonder if someone will pick up my dirty plate once I leave to sit in a comfy chair…they must don’t see anywhere to return it 😉
What a crazy way to finish the walk…
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Reflecting on the 2022 Caminos I can only reiterate that there isn’t much that could have gone better...an amazing experience! Having said that I also must admit to myself that on a least one day (Day 3 Camino San Salvador - Pola de la Tercia to Benduenos) I went right to the edge of my current abilities...good fortune was with me that day.
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Country - Canada
Year - 2023; Age 66
- 583 kms walked over 29 days averaging 29.8 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 1,605; Elevation Loss (1,615) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 29.8 kms per day
- Walking Partner - Alone
PEI Island Walk
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Back to the hotel after yesterday’s shopping scouting trip where I was picked up by Lilly (sister of Manitoba friend Doris) and Maurice. They welcomed me warmly in their home…had a really nice easy going chat about many things…time…at least for me 🤣 flew by.
Maurice who is officially retired now works part time in a very large potato processing plant. He then laughed and admitted that he actually operates a high tech machine that takes 200+ images of potatoes as they move through all kinds of quality control checks…then into a number of quality rating queues. At the very end a few long time employees…in their 70s or so…pick out missed defects.
Incredible…had no idea potato processing was so mechanized…I did say to Maurice that I thought the minute I left he and Lilly would burst out laughing “Can you believe Guy bought that? What do you expect.. he’s from Toronto! 😂”. I was assured that would not be the case…I am pretty sure they wouldn’t do that…well sort of sure…oh well I will never know so all is good!
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| Lilly and Maurice |
A delicious meal and great start to the Island Walk. As I was leaving Lilly mentioned that if I needed any help during the walk to let them know. Noticed a couple of e-bikes in the garage…I wonder…would be a lot easier…no one would have to know 🤔
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Walking down the side of a fairly busy highway facing traffic of course I noticed a white panel truck slow down and stop on the other side of the road. Truck window rolls down and fellow yells out “Hey have you walked a Camino?” We tried conversing…too much noise…so I crossed over to chat.
“I saw you walking on the Confederation Trail in Charlottetown a couple of hours ago as I looked out the window of my house. I said to myself that fellow’s walked a Camino for sure!”
So we compared notes…he has walked 3…2 of which I have Portuguese and Frances…I have walked 8.
Just a friendly exchange over walking…fun…always amazes me!
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Bill’s Van Service was providing the shuttle back to Charlottetown once I hit Dunedin WP #1. He mentioned yesterday that I should take my time as he could only get there for 2:15 due to prior commitments.
So I held off as long as I could this morning,,.got antsy…too excited…simply couldn’t help myself and left the Hotel at 7:45 and started the official walk around 8:15.
Stopped a few times but still got there at 12:30 😱. Sent Bill an fyi text…all is good…know you are tied up…no problem…will keep myself busy! Two minutes later Bill phones “It’s too cold 🥶 out there…my son and wife are not too far away…they will be by in 6 minutes…look for a white RAV 4!”.
So I messed up and they step in and joyfully (had a good chat to Charlottetown…Bill and Susan have 3 granddaughters 5 and 3 year old twins) drive me back saving me a couple of hours by the side of the road! Another special people moment.
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| The start |
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Overall a great day in that I DID IT!…41.4kms I knew early that I was walking quite strongly…sometimes no gas…but not today 😊. It was a cool day again as shown below and VERY windy! Most of the day I was walking directly into the wind which combined with the distance meant well…I simply put my head down…tried to keep my Tilley on my head and just gutted this one out…no other way to describe it.
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| OH that was really good! |
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While physical preparation is very important the mental side is in my opinion 80% of the effort. Once you start thinking “I can’t do it” you're done! Today at Victoria by the Sea I had walked 22 kms and thought “Wow I am half day there” as opposed to “Wow I am ONLY half way done” Huge difference and I have had some walking days with the latter thinking and the result was not pretty!
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Asked Bill the shuttle driver if he has always lived in PEI. Bill said no…he was 2 months old when his parents moved here…therefore Islanders consider him to be a “Come from Away” person! Not that’s a pretty high bar to meet!
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Saw one of the funniest things ever…fellow get’s in his pickup truck…rolls down the window…grabs the garbage bin…drives in reverse slowly maybe 20 meters holding the garbage bin…reverses onto the highway to position the bin and then drives back up to his house. NEVER sets foot outside other than get in/out of truck! Amazing 😂
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Today was another very good day however it had two distinct parts. The first 13.5 kms were very pleasant…secondary road walking
But the wind…really something…currently 48 kms an hour gusting to 63 kms per hour. Walking against the wind is a little …tough at times 😅 The second part was absolutely dreadful 😢…walking along the Trans Canada 🇨🇦 Highway…facing traffic of course…all the way to Summerside! Yikes there many trucks out there…farm machinery etc. Two shoulders…paved adjoining highway and gravel next to it. I stuck mostly to gravel shoulder giving me lots of room and frankly if need be jump in the ditch!
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| Was too excited to start - had a cherry and nuts on top Salted Caramel! |
Happened yesterday and today - large farms dogs come running and barking! Today wasn’t too bad as the two dogs came rushing at me but stayed on the property.
Yesterday wasn’t as much fun…large dog came charging…did not stop at property line and came unto the highway. I immediately did my normal…faced the dog…yelled while clanging my trekking poles together. The dog stopped…I kept walking…dog followed for a few minutes…eventually returning home. This isn’t new…happens most walks…unnerving but so far nothing more serious…a bit lucky there!
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At roughly the 7 km point an Island Walk sign clearly said turn left next street. My GPS track said keep going straight 🤔.
Given the Island Walk is so new it is likely undergoing route changes so I turned left…almost immediately there was an Island Walk sign so all good!
A very pleasant walk…but no more signs…fortunately I have downloaded maps to go along the GPX track that I am following. I decided that if by a certain point in time I had not seen another sign that I would go crazy and create my own path back to GPX track.
And so I did…it was like being an early explorer to Canada…except with roads in place 😂…I walked through farmers fields on red mud roads and eventually hooked up with the original track.
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| Typical red earth field |
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Before getting into a few more details about my day…wait for it…NOTHING happened…
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| The 11km straight stretch |
Other than that let me see over 4h and 21 kms 1) saw a couple run by me and then on their return same 2) older fellow on a bike same 3) another old guy walked past me on the trail. C’est tout…Absolument personne d’autre 😢!!!
Whereas the quantity of social interactions was very low the quality of the people exchanges was extremely high…in all cases “Hi”. 😂 So a low key day for sure!
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Today is a day I will remember for many things…broke my distance record and walked 46.4 kms…felt strong throughout the day. Packa was used for the first time…yes it rained off and on throughout the day. Met 3 Island Walkers and survived the morning pre-walk chaos!
I started the day’s walk just before 6 am in the rain having setup the Packa in advance!
The first attempt was a failure as I had reversed the Packa and it was inside out…of course I only noticed this when I tried it on 🤔. Honestly I do this quite frequently ie shirt inside out in morning etc. I just want to get going and well simply don’t pay attention…in the end it always works out however must admit help is instrumental in sorting me out…here I must do it all by myself 🙄.
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While I am an introvert…put me in a formal setting in a crowd and well 🙄…I really like to meet and talk to people. Find something in common and the conversation flows from there.
Prior to today I had not met a single Island Walker however today I met 3.
On the trail in the distance I could see 2 walkers so I picked up my pace to try and catch them. The distance was closing quite fast…I then realized they were walking towards me. Marika and Joanne from BC were in their 13 day walking with a plan to walk a little more than half the Island Walk.
Upon arrival in O’Leary I phoned Lilly’s Garden Air B&B and was redirected to Vinny’s Restaurant where I met Ron and also had the incredible scallops dinner shown below and maybe the fudge as well!
Ron is from Maine and has walked every major trail in the US ..Appalachian…Pacific Crest to name a few. He is 76 years old and has backpacked 17,000 miles or over 28,000 kms. When this walk is over my total will be 4,100 kms…holy moly I am in the little leagues!
Ron has a tent and wild camps wherever…however tonight due to being soaked today he is staying at Lilly’s as well.
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The only biffy seen to date - essentially the biffies are wherever you need them 😉 |
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Ron and I sat down and had a sparse breakfast before setting out at 7:00 am.
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Ron…neck warmer as it was cool again |
Another few commonalities Ron is an avid fan of curling, he also chows down on Clif bars for energy when walking and a few days ago he also stopped at Baba’s (the day I created my own path 😂). As he sat down to eat the owner mentioned that a young guy with all the gear had stopped by earlier that morning also on the Island Walk.
Ahem that “young guy” was me…no big deal…just saying. 😊 We chatted a bit more as we started and then he said “go ahead speedster”…and I moved ahead hoping we would meet again.
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| Tignish Heritage Inn |
One last thing…an ancient convent…you know what that means…it’s almost certainly haunted! Have never seen a ghost but definitely believe they exist…hope to have a quiet 🤫 peaceful night but a bit scared 😱
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| That was good! Ate my peas and carrots |
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| Tallest spire in PEI |
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Super quiet walking…I met no one all day! Thankfully I have myself to entertain me ☺️ and my mind goes absolutely everywhere! Today it went into a reflective mode as the kms slipped by…
I reflected..as I often have..,over the most impactful job I ever had…perhaps a surprise to many…my 3 summers totalling 12 months working as an orderly in St B Hospital. I was exposed to so much during that time…saw how little gestures can mean so much…forever changed my perspective on things…
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The incredible part of the day was walking around North Cape which is essentially a giant wind turbine farm!
The coast line here is awesome…high sheer cliffs above the ocean. The colours…textures all around are stunning really. While I always kept a very safe distance from the cliffs edge one knows that slipping over the edge is NOT an option. Walking right next to the massive wind turbines is amazing…they are giant!!!
Among the finest 4-5 kms of walking I have ever done. I included a number of photos in the pictures of the day below but really they don’t at all do it justice.
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| Clam strips and sweet potato fries after long walk - delicious 🤤 |
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Walking was challenging for two reasons…primary reason is the d*mn wind…geez felt like a gadzillion kms per hour ALWAYS straight in your face. After a while one ends up muttering…well not me…others do this 😇…”give me a break!”.
Second reason is the legs thought they could essentially take a day off…early on they were not really pumping properly…whining about “I’m tired 😪”! Well they got a good talking to from me “get your act together…we are NOT taking a taxi/shuttle to get there”. Things eventually became much better.
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Somewhere along the walk I came across this church…note most churches are white with the accompanying sign which states 1867 was the founding year. THAT’s the year of Canada’s Confederation…incredible!
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What an incredibly nice place built in the late 1800’s…large lounge area available…spacious area for breakfast…large room. Hubert and Michelle are in their early 70’s having moved from the Alsace area of France 🇫🇷 28 years ago. They moved to Canada because of hockey…Hubert says one son was on a Rotary exchange in Canada and brought back the hockey virus. Two daughters and two sons then played hockey in France with a few years of hockey school in Summerside in PEI.
Earlier today they were out driving and saw me walking along “poles swinging” so they hustled back so I could have an early checkin…how kind is that!
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A little while later Ron arrived at the door…I briefly considered pulling one of my stunts “svp
ne laisser pas ce type rentrer”’but did not 😇
Ron and I had a grand old talk…an interesting fellow. As he was finishing music school…believe he was a clarinet player he was drafted and was off to the Vietnam war unless he had a reason not to go!
He and his buddy…who went on to be a principal (forget instrument) player with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra…applied and were accepted for the US military orchestra in Washington.
As Ron said “I got to play for a number of soldiers returning from Vietnam at their special service” 🥲
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| Oyster traps |
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Hubert told Ron and me that in France all his work was thinking as opposed to physical therefore he decided in his spare time to train and obtain his bakers certificate.
The bread was superb…he brought his own milling machine from France…makes his own flour and of course all the bread served. The yogurt, jam etc are all homemade. The food presentation was what one experiences in France. While I have deliberately stayed away from mentioning any $ to date I will stray from that for La Petite France…$80 per night tax included…cannot be surpassed!
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Hubert and the spread! |
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Everyone has their own approach…knowing what works best for them. Same for me and my approach…other than having packing cubes…is terrible…not efficient in the least!
Upon arrival I empty the whole bag and lay things out wherever…one of the reasons why dorm style accommodation doesn’t work well for me.
The next morning I simply try to guess a logical order and throw the stuff back in the bag hoping that I will have what I need during the day on top 🙏. I have 3 or 4 dry stuff bags for clothes…you would think I have a system…not really.
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| Beehives |
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I went over to Ron’s room as he has been laid up all day…I remember well my situation in Porto Portugal. I had a large sandwich and offered him half which he was glad to have. Man he has had some wild walking adventures including losing his backpack (too long to explain how) and lucking out that another fellow came down a trail infrequently used.
Anyway we both wished each other well and I’m sure we will keep in contact occasionally. He admits his long walking adventures…which are totally way more arduous than mine are a thing of the past at 76. Hopefully he recovers to complete the Island Walk.
Ron - in our little talk last night said « I think when I look back on this walk…whether I finish or not a highlight will have been time we spent chatting and swapping stories »
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I had the Packa on…light jacket and fleece and within an hour removed the fleece as I was walking really well. Rain was very light…the scenery captivating 😉
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| The start |
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| The middle section |
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Nearing the end - note the rabbits! |
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First MacInnis mud road. I am told this road is normally hard packed…today after the rains…it was the worst surface I have ever walked on! At first I was laughing…then I said “You must be [insert whatever word you want] kidding!!! I was slipping and sliding everywhere on a centimetre or so of soft mud! Thank goodness for the trekking poles!
At some point I considered sending a text to my family “Sorry it has come to this however I am about to lie down and curl up in a ball in the mud. Should I not make it please distribute my prized Camino Blog Photo Books equitably without any fighting”
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| My tracks! Sent to Bryson Guptill creator of Island Walk and suggested he NOT use in promotional material 😂 |
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| This is an actual recognized PEI road!!!!!! |
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| OMG you could fall 2 feet! |
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As I was finishing I received a message from Bryson Guptill who was at Willow Bakery and Cafe just down the street so off I went to meet him.
An interesting fellow…in 2019 he had an idea… create a walk around PEI. He sat down and mapped out a route and then his partner and two other people just started walking. No reservations…the idea caught the public’s interest quickly.
Then the fun really started with Tourism PEI getting involved…fighting to get Island Walk signs up (at first the answer was no) etc. The Island Walk now has a separate governing board…funding from various government sources. They have come a long way considering COVID years however now the shortcomings ie lack of accommodations…lack of biffies…short tourist season for many operators etc are emerging.
It will be very interesting to see where this all goes in the next 5 years. As it is The Island Walk is simply too expensive for many due to lack of accommodation options.
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Woke up this morning to some good news…Ron is going to give it a go today to Portage WP! Hope it goes well…I know there will be some discomfort involved ie pain but if it’s manageable he will get there.
Update - Received update email…Ron walked 32kms…first two hours in pain…took a bunch of Ibuprofen and finished. I wrote back “SLOW IT DOWN”…I expect he will keep up this pace…who knows I may see him again…that may well be his plan. 🥹
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Had an incredible B&B breakfast courtesy Greg who woke up early and was ready at 7 am pronto! I must have had 10 choices for omelet filing…seeing as I enjoy most everything I said yes to everything.
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The morning went quickly… I was enjoying the variety in scenery…hey PEI has some rolling country…however I was working hard and grinding out the kms.
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| A Hlll to climb |
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Knock at the door and the Inn keeper hands me this box which says Happy Walking - freshly baked cookies 🍪. These are the moments I remember most!
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| Quite striking really - potato field |
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Once again Rachael my Packa mentor from New Zealand came to the rescue with a detailed analysis and perfect solution. I did think she may have stressed my overall ineptitude a little bit too much however I understand 😊 😂
Solution…apply duct tape I have with rounded corners to prevent peeling to the inside of the Packa! This way the image I am trying desperately to maintain is protected from a patch seen by passersby.
The repair job is complete…note there were two small tears.
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| I have a crazy urge to add a nose and mouth! |
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The walk to North Rustico can only be described through pictures…super nice walking trails…ocean waves crashing on the shore…I basically slowed to a crawl.
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| Hurricane Fiona damage |
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The wind was howling madly…I had taken my gloves off to take a picture…Tilley hat was strapped in…wind shifted it off my head onto my shoulders as has happened a number of times during the long walk and then 😱 the Tilley blew off my head!!!!! On the ground ready to meet it’s maker…
Have honestly been told a number of times that I have pretty good reflexes…whether I actually do or not…my right trekking pole flashed forward at lightning speed and stabbed the Tilley as it started to careen madly away 😅
Phew crises averted except in doing so my gloves fell on the ground and the left trekking pole stabbed one glove…somehow picked the two items and went running after the second glove.
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| Great Blue Heron |
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Email from Ron this morning…
So, Guy you were right about pacing
When I pulled into the motel at Summerside yesterday my foot was a bloody mess. I’m taking the bus to C-town tomorrow and going home.
I have the summer to contemplate a return.
Happy trails
Ron
Note: A few months ago Rons wrote to tell me that he had returned to the Island Walk and completed the missing section. Hmmm...got me thinking about my missing section!
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| Mountains of PEI |
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Kindness, caring, consideration for others - if you are striving for these whatever your station in life you are a Winner! However in my estimation the opposite is true if you are not!
Walking on Hwy 6…busy busy road…large black dog …call him/her Fluffy…comes charging towards me barking like crazy…woman is hanging clothes just watching Fluffy…I stand my ground…yell…bang trekking poles and dog stops maybe a couple of meters away and retreats…meanwhile I am now standing on highway watching traffic.
Fluffy returns aggressively two more times…the final time I screamed as loudly as I could! I was really pissed off!
Woman simply watches all this…at no time did she call Fluffy back, showed any concern, said sorry or even a trite “Oh Fluffy won’t bite”. Nothing at all…simply turned her back to me and went into the house.
Good thing I did not have a chance to express my feelings to her 😉😱
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| Field of dandelions - really stunning |
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It’s quite late…almost comatose…7:30pm and I received an email from George the owner who had already communicated with me a couple of times yesterday
“ Hi Guy,
I just want to make sure you have checked in okay, and if you have any questions. I will be back in Mount Stewart around 8pm.”
George shows up…all smiles…before long he invites me downstairs to his restaurant for a beer and oysters.
Very kind offer…thoroughly enjoyed myself…huge late night…in bed at 9:45pm 😱
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| Shucking oysters…amazing! |
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| Martin - L George - R |
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I came upon two huge fields on both sides of the trail with hundreds of these white boxes on the ground! Pinch photo to enlarge it to better see boxes!
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Walking along the only thing that came to mind was that these were beehives…but why the weird setup like this?
A older fellow was walking towards me and I stopped and asked him if he knew anything about these boxes.
“Sure those fields you saw are blueberry fields and those boxes are beehives brought in to pollinate the fields. There is a large processing plant close to here”
So I asked him if someone collected honey from these hives?
“Well that’s what bees do…I think a local fellow picks the boxes up and likely gets honey from them”
I told him that I always see beehives stacked up but not like this and he told me later in the season they are stacked up.🤔
I knew that bringing in bees to fertilize crops is big business in areas like California so this makes sense.
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Packed lunch today…a very big challenge on the Island Walk and especially today where all walking is on the Confederation Trail is to have something to eat during the day. Zippo places for the most part unless a small town has a convenience store or a gas station. This sure isn’t the Camino Frances where small bars are everywhere!
So you pick up and accumulate stuff wherever you can…for today have a look at the lineup…3 cinnamon rolls…3 cookies…apple…smallest sandwich possible (last one store had) and ginger ale which will likely explode when I open it! Plus I have 4 emergency Clif bars…overall I give myself 8/10 for having food and 1/10 for adherence to basic nutritional eating 😂 The one is for the ginger cookie I have!
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I am honestly writing this under duress Alka Seltzer and Imodium kind. 😪 This has not happened to me in years!
I was supposed to have supper here tonight however went down and stated where I was at with Melanie and Dave. They were so very understanding…Melanie said “you have to eat something and drink, drink, drink!” I told them the little story below and right away they thought some form of heat stroke 🥵 might well be why all this came upon me so very suddenly.
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| Melanie's plate |
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Here is the story…
Around km 3 or so I started noticing mosquitoes 🦟…it was cloudy, humid, swamps to the side of the trail. Over the next 7 kms or so the mosquitoes went crazy…for those who live in Winnipeg (I LOVE Winnipeg) take Winnipeg’s worst and add add add!
I suppose I should have known about this however I was totally unprepared…I now understand how someone can go crazy. I still had 25kms to walk so had to do something…was preparing to go to the next person’s house wherever that might be and ask if they could spare some bug spray.
Then I thought of my Packa…stopped and accepted that I would go through 5 minutes of hell and voila…
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| Tilley had to go on top |
The relief was immediate no more bugs…I thought I was brilliant. As the clouds disappeared and the heat increased I kept removing things…first the hood, then unzipped the Packa and finally walking with the arms flapping in the light wind.
I did notice that my t-shirt was absolutely soaked when I first started removing Packa pieces…I should have opened the side vents allowing maybe some mosquitoes in! Honestly without the Packa move I would not have made it!
Dave picked me up…took me to a grocery store and I felt fine. Within a half hour of lying down everything went crazy…
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Woke up this morning after a restless night feeling ok however quickly realized that walking today would be foolish. Stomach issues settled, Imodium issues were not…felt pretty tired as well.
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| Nice place to sit and watch the lobster boats |
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I was feeling much better this morning however not where I needed to be so I decided not to walk again. I am now comfortably resting in Shanty Stay accommodations in Souris (PEI not Manitoba!)
I had a much more positive blog posting drafted. Then I tried a different type of food to test things out. Result really not good proving that I am not well yet.
Fortunately there is a pharmacy almost right out the door so I made my way over there and the pharmacist was most helpful…with specific changes to implement immediately! Gatorade and crackers for 24 hours…no more meds. If that does not help seek additional medical attention. Food poisoning is certainly as possible as a heat related incident or even a combination of both.
My only plan at this point is to simply get well…likely right where I am staying and take it from there. Once well replanning starts again.
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I can’t express the joy I felt to be walking again…a very quiet road walking day. Cool and cloudy at 11C with very light rain the fast few kms…perfect! As far as walking went I felt solid…could have walked faster…could have walked longer…but I didn’t have to. The plan to cut the original 41 km long day in half was the right one. 😊
In terms of interesting events, people, animals…nada…zippo!
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And now for your viewing pleasure I present…
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| Packa repair smile! |
We are no longer in kindergarten…we must act like mature adults! 😉 I will have you know that my octogenarian friend Ken egged me on to do this after my earlier post where I said I was considering this 😂. Appreciate the poke Ken…I had so much fun doing it!
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After many draft plans finally one stuck…June 4…crackers & Gatorade, June 5 shuttle to Montague, June 6 shuttle to Gaspereaux to shorten planned stage from 41 kms to 20. Then if all works out complete the walk as originally planned 😂🤣 for the final 3 days 26, 20, 27 kms. That’s all the planning I have in me…it sure would be nice to complete a modified Island Walk on a positive note!
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One thing for sure…I have no desire to return to PEI to simply complete the missing 128 kms…would gladly return as a tourist to explore the East end of the Island though! Some incredibly kind accommodation providers to visit!
Note: Well that thought did not last long. I will return sometime to complete the missing 4 days. Unfinished business!
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Sometime in the past two days had nice positive exchange with Paulo in Brazil on WhatsApp…he said something like « you know Guy you should not walk without me…I would have thought of mosquito repellent and bought it from Carlos” 😂
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Admittedly I can be a little too determined…well ok stubborn (Arbez inherited gene)…and letting go a goal like completing a long walk is tough.
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| Heavy overnight rains…AGAIN! |
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| Hurricane Fiona damage everywhere again! |
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The Island Walk has been almost 100% devoid of any dangerous animal encounters…no chickens, no cows, no snakes, no slugs…Fluffy the dog a few days ago…oh and mosquitoes…that’s it!
So when I came upon the following maybe 15 meters away just off the path…I decided to take a crazy chance. I must have approached to within 10 meters but dared not go any further as I had not deployed my Packa protective suit!
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| Nothing happened…no deadly swarm…phew! |
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Dangerous situations where skill and knowledge were required to avert real obstacles
Take a look at what I faced on the path ahead of me…could not go to either side as water was ankle deep so I had to skillfully pick a line through the middle…used my trekking poles to propel me forward and miraculously emerged without a booter…socks weren’t even wet…a proud 😊moment!
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| Scrambling around - bush whacking |
Sometimes it takes considerable skill to weave in and around or under obstacles while walking. One has no choice but to find a way…going backwards is not an option! This happened twice today and both times I had to stop, carefully analyze the situation (thank goodness for the extensive GWL analysis training received over my working career!) and determine the best path forward.
I am happy to report that well thought out solid decisions were made in both instances!
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| Obstacle # 1 |
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| Obstacle # 2 |
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Had time to think about what happened on Day 16…super hot day 31C I am told…crazy mosquitoes…no repellent…Packa to the rescue.
The initial conclusion was a heat related problem however that has never really seemed right to me. Symptoms should have included feeling confusion (no more than usual 😊), hot dry skin, profuse sweating however none were the case. I was just really sick really quickly.
Also I will have walked ~ 4,000 kms on various walks in all kinds of heat. Feeling light headed…exhausted ok but never sick like I was.
One astute blog reader did point out the oysters as a possible cause based on an article she recently read. I suppose I may not have considered this possibility fully…maybe I simply did not want to take away from a great evening the previous night with George and Martin.
However I did some quick research and the following popped up…
“If someone eats an oyster that contains vibrio bacteria, they can contract an intestinal disease called vibriosis. Common symptoms of vibriosis include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. Illness typically lasts two to three days.”
Take away the fever and chills and this describes my symptoms 100% including the associated timing.
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| Lupins |
Very quiet walk again…no people encounters…no incidents of any kind!
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| The long and winding road ahead! |
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| Ok 27 kms…I can do it…let’s go! |
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| Made it! Done! Yahoo! |
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Reflecting on The Island Walk I have asked myself a few questions
Was it worth it?
Yes. An honest answer however this has to be my craziest long walk…I had been thinking about this walk for a few years…was most interested in a Canadian long walk. In the end based on what information I had at hand it essentially followed the script.
I was fortunate to have the chance to give it a go and I will remember it as a positive experience. I hit a rough spot on day 16…and still managed to walk into Charlottetown 😊…that makes me feel good!
Some may ask “geez you must regret eating those oysters?” Well the result wasn’t good but how/why would I regret it? I had a kind offer to spend an evening as a guest of George the accommodations owner. It was one of the highlights on the people side of the entire walk! No regrets for accepting the invitation and eating what was offered to me…an Island style reception was received!
There is no doubt in my mind that I would have completed the challenging walk as planned. Honestly I was surprised how strongly I was walking. However a problem occurred…I dealt with it…and I feel good about the overall experience.
To my way of thinking I am much better off trying something a little challenging than simply wishing and wondering what if I had.
Would I do it again?
No. That is the same answer I would give to any long walk…with the possible exception of the Kumano Kodo in Japan…there are simply so many possible outstanding walks…so little time. Why would I do the same walk twice?
Would I recommend it?
Frankly I don’t like recommending long walks to anyone as there are too many variables involved. Everyone’s goals, preferences, abilities, mindset are so very different. What I am prepared to say is if you choose to walk The Island Walk some key considerations are:
- You must be comfortable walking by yourself for days on end
- You should not simply rely on signage…it is good however GPS tracking saved me more than once
- Be prepared for many days where there is nowhere to buy food etc between start and finish
- Attractions ie museum’s, small bars historical churches etc are few and far between
- Road walking is at least 50% of the walk
- Be prepared for nature bio breaks…biffies at are a premium
- Walk is way more expensive in comparison to Camino walks…no “ pilgrim” type accommodations
- Seriously consider utilizing the services of a professional such as Bill Kendrick PEI Experience. In my opinion the existing Island Walk website and the Guide are not sufficient planning tools
- Above all consider the Island Walk only if your prime consideration is the pure enjoyment of simply walking 🚶
What did I like best?
Easy responses…the friendly people of PEI…the outstanding beauty of many areas of the province…opportunity to sample seafood. What amazes me is simply this…PEI is a lot bigger than it appears to be as a tiny island on the map!!! 😂😮💨
Maybe above all else it spoke to my sense of adventure and trying something new and different!
What did I like least?
Not meeting fellow walkers…mosquitoes on one section of the Confederation Trail…too much road walking on some days…few small towns if any on many days…lack of accommodation choices
What is future of Island Walk?
An honest assessment is unless significant improvements in accommodation choices are made in the next few years The Island Walk will never really take off. It is simply too expensive due to the accommodation challenges necessitating shuttles etc.
Having said this the walk is only 4 years old…and let’s see COVID and Hurricane Fiona! Amazing progress in a short period of time. Having a few dozen homes hang an Air B&B shingle for a room or two in key areas would make a significant difference!
Comparison to a Camino Walk?
No comparison possible to a Camino Walk…anyone reading my blog entries who has completed a Camino walk will recognize significant differences immediately.
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| The End!!! |
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| The Island Walk Map |
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Long Walk 9 - Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk - St. Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay
Country - England
Year - 2023; Age 66
- 320 kms walked over 13 days averaging 24.6 kms per day
- Elevation Gains (meters) 7,883; Elevation Loss (7,945) resulting in an average G/L adjusted 29.9 kms per day
Walking Partner - Greg Canada
Wainwright’s Coast to Coast UK Walk
We made it! A little bit of fun but managed 😊 Looks quite wet out there…but green! Quick recap so far. Met Greg around 1:00pm in Toronto Pearson airport. No problem for time as our flight was leaving at 7:55pm 😂. It eventually left around 8:45pm 🥲.
I thought we would be able to relax…chat…read etc in a comfortable environment. Not sooo…it seems like this airport is not setup ie seating…sparse eating facilities for folks who arrive prior to 4 hrs before an international flight. 🙄 Luckily they have restrooms!
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We did have one snafu very early…supposed to be 4 train/tube trips…we ended up with 5! We had prepaid tickets however we still had to get our physical tickets at a machine after enduring a looong lineup.
Fine go to platform 4 and get to Victoria Cross station…we board the first train however…we do not see Victoria Station as a stop! Greg notices that we can get off at the first stop and board another line…note to self I think the young man will do just fine.
We get to Victoria Station…no signs at all…massive wave of humanity going somewhere…we follow. Finally I see an information booth and am told…”go down the stairs”. Ok we huddle and decide more information is required and I double back. “sorry we aren’t quite sure…do we take the underground…and is there a specific line?” Yes and yes is the reply…hmmm why not say this the first time?
Being bright lads we noticed an opportunity existed to shorten the train journey by 2 hours…Greg used Google Maps…I used the Trainline app. Success…
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| Chicken and mushroom pie, great veggies, chips and apple cider |
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| Still smiling 🙂 |
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A glorious practice walking day…cool to start! No rain but a little windy 😂…oh my 45+ km/h walking on cliff top trails was fun! Two scary…well ok one of them terrifying events today.
Breakfast was superb…
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Had a little trouble getting the Packa on my backpack early…something was wrong…then it dawned on me. I had it on backwards…fixed that …it’s good to have that quick recall ability! Then off we went.
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Not quite…first Greg took me through a 15 minute flexibility routine…which I needed as my back was a little tender. Greg did mention that my back mobility could be improved…essentially it is hmmm 🤔 well…crappy! No problem this will become a morning ritual for the C2C.
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| Yep we are going up to the top! |
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| One of the few signs for the day |
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Walking along the cliffs…often a couple (or less) of meters from the edge…was super enjoyable and spectacular. Must enjoy it early as the rest of the walk will be cross country, cross bogs etc.
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Terrifying incident
My backpack is far from full given the daily Sherpa Van luggage transfer available to us. Greg commented before we started up the climb that my Packa looked like it might take off like a parachute.
I thought…a rookie comment…whatever all is good! Somewhere up on the cliff Greg yells “grab your Packa”…IT IS ON THE GROUND MOVING TOWARDS THE CLIFF EDGE…now there was a fence that might have stopped it!
How and why did it come off the backpack 🎒…clearly I did not cinch it tight enough but geez one day before the start the Packa could have been drifting away in the Irish Sea!
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Unfortunately while the delivery app says Smidge has been delivered Stonehouse B&B has not received it. I can only conclude that Smidge has been Swiped!!!
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| Agility training is key! |
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A very good day with mucho variety! Both Greg and I walked strongly however there were some tiring challenges along the way! Weather wise some light showers…no wind in the morning…lot of wind in the afternoon…could not be better!
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Back to last evening and I got my fish and chips early…it was delicious!
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This morning at breakfast we sat with Craig who is completing the C2C as a personal gift for his 50th. He has done some hiking but a long walk like this is a first.
Interesting fellow…former lawyer who 10+ years ago saw the light “this is boring” and became a writer. Not just any writer…he signed on with NBC and became their premier Baseball writer…as such covered a number of World Series and has authored two Baseball books for youth. Here is a link to one of them…the other is the 28 greatest current baseball players.
Legends of Baseball by Craig Calcaterra
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Ok so the long standing tradition is that in St. Bees you dip your toe in the Irish Sea…take a stone…carry it to Robin Hoods Bay and throw it in. Sooo…tide was out so dipped in a small pool of water where the tide will cover later 😂 Close enough!!!
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The official start.jpeg) .jpeg) |
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Route finding continues to be a challenging exercise. I was following someone’s Wikilocs tracks…Greg the Mac’s Adventure tracks and we also had C2C dotted line on the downloaded UK maps on Wikilocs.
At various points ALL DIFFER…we decided that Mac’s Adventure tracks were the Gold Standard. We also had some kind help from a runner and a cyclist who stopped and pointed us in the right direction.
Greg was following the Mac’s Adventure tracks so he had primary route finding responsibilities…he did a great job!
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Lakeland countryside is really something…spectacular overall. The highlight and by far the toughest part of the day was the hike up Dent’s hill and the way down.
The climb was a traditional grind it out affair…keep moving at all costs…breathe in deep and slow breaths out. Typical situation where a series of false summits appear…it feels like one will never ever get there.
The climb down was long and one of the steepest I have ever done including the Canadian Rockies where at least switchbacks have been carved out. Here straight down!!!
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| Thank You!!!! |
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What a day! Let me see…fairly heavy rain for first two hours and last hour…some sunshine…incredible scenery…very tricky and tough walking around the lake…two scary moments…holy!
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| Cumberland English Breakfast!!! |
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| Suited up for the rain |
We met up with Craig shortly after leaving and spent the morning…into the afternoon…walking with him. An interesting fellow resulting in time passing quickly.
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| Craig |
The final people encounter came on the trail meeting Frances and Richard from New Zealand. Again likely similar ages…they have walked all over New Zealand and in Europe…I think it’s safe to say Kiwi’s have the adventurous spirit!
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We took the low route however it was far far far from easy! The walking along the lake was incredibly rocky, water everywhere on the trail. This type of walking…couple of hours worth… takes significant concentration…twisting an ankle is not on the program!!! Always looking a few feet ahead…trying to find that walking line over rocks and using stepping stones to cross mountain streams. Once through I was exhausted…a few pictures may help…
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The first happened just after lunch…picture below shows a large black shape in the bushes…who would have thought it was possible in the Lakeland District 😰 Never even in my dangerous animal nightmares! I walked very quickly away.
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| YES IT’S a Black Bear I am sure!!! |
Ok fair enough until we came to a major river and had to scamper delicately along huge rocks…lest we slip we are in the drink! BUT at some point we actually had to use chains drilled into the rock to move along the shoreline. Geez…sorry I did not get a picture however this will give you a good idea of what we faced. Not kidding!!!
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In the afternoon we had another major climb up to a mountain pass…man that was tiring!!! However the looong climb down was fairly gradual!
That’s about it for quite an unforgettable day! On to tomorrow where the forecast is dreadful…heavy rain. Short day at 15 kms however we understand a number of stream crossings with rock hopping are required. Hope to stay out of the drink…had a few booters today!😪
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Today defies description…thankful to have simply made it to Grasmere! I characterize today as the absolutely craziest walking day ever for me. The average walking pace of 2.9 kms per hour says it all…we were literally crawling along…normal pace is 5+kms per hour.
Going back to yesterday we were warmly received at the Scafell Hotel by the desk receptionist “take off your shoes…I will dry them for you!” Wow what a start…in the morning we have dry shoes and for the hotels benefit we didn’t trek in wet muddy shoes. Win/win for everyone.
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| Pork slices, roasted veggies…really good! |
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Ok this morning as predicted rain was coming down in sheets…2-4mm per hour. At first Greg and I were trying to avoid water on the trail but this almost immediately became impossible. We simply would barge into large puddles…often above the shoe laces…and accept the nice feeling of squishy socks.
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Then the incredible part of the day started…crossing the various water streams in the paths way. The Mac’s Adventures description indicated there are always stepping stones available. Well sure they are there…often considerably under water…given the heavy rains of late.
So we get to the first of many crossings and within a short time 7 trekkers were lined up. What the h*ll do we do? Finally Greg to his credit takes the plunge and gingerly moves across…water between the ankles and the knees. You don’t want to fall in! The rest of us follow… Every one of the streams below were crossed…always ankle to knee deep. Of course the shortest path across was always taken.
No one fell in …the best way seemed to be to ignore any supposed stepping stones and try to find the rocky bottom…go slow…use poles.
For one of the streams we were all hanging on to a fence…the force of the water was strong!
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We were all drenched from the rain…the wind was incredible…gale force they call it 🥲😵💫 Greg went to his knees a few times from the wind. I slipped at least a half dozen times landing on my side…knees and twice flat on my backpack. Twice I sank in mud…boggy stuff…luckily one leg only and went well past my knee.
On one of these tumbles I fell awkwardly and my left foot toes were scrunched. As I write this bruising has appeared…quite sore.
In the afternoon the sun came out for a while however at that point we were in a valley where there is no discernible trail whatsoever. Greg once again did a masterful job of keeping us going in the right direction based on the GPS tracks.
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Sadly in a pratfall one of my trekking poles became wedged in mud…then bent and snapped over a rock… I will take it home and see if a replacement part is possible.
At that point I was really having difficulty…legs were simply shaking…expect from nervous tension of the entire day. Greg kindly offered one of his poles to finish the day and my confidence was restored quickly. Luckily Grasmere has a few sporting shops…owner simply said this is a strategic location considering the walk today. I managed to purchase a set of Black Diamond trekking poles.
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| Somehow still smiling! |
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« And the toughest section occurs at the very start as you tackle the Lakes (assuming you start your walk on the west coast at St Bees and head eastwards); the terrain on this section is steep and difficult, and the lack of signposts through the national park can make it difficult to find your way. »
Phew if the above wasn’t true I honestly think I would be giving serious consideration to packing it in
Today was a very hard day again…yesterday was an unforgettable experience…today a little less so but merits a very high ranking in my toughest ever walking days.
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Wind - as fierce as yesterday if not worse! At some point today I could barely stand upright…have no idea how Greg does it considering the body weight difference!
Terrain - same same same very rocky, water streaming down the so called trail, slippery etc. Very tough walking where concentration is required at virtually all times…and even then 😪
Beck/River/Stream crossings - stopped counting at 20 mid day…likely 6-8 were ankle deep so you walk in…fill your boots…hope you stay on your feet in the rushing water.
Two of them were knee deep…in one of them that became waist deep for me!!! Was nearly to other side when…stepped into empty space within a foot or so of the other side…made it through wet but ok. Examples of water we crossed…
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Pratfalls - objective for the day was to stay on my feet! Yesterday I had 7-8 falls…today only 3 (not counting the beck slip) but overall they were doozies…quality tumbles resulting in hurts and scrapes as per Injury report below…ouch!
Greg coming out of the shower “Guy come here…there is a step as you enter the shower and I have placed a towel as it could be slippery” Small consolation in talking to others walkers I am far from the only person who has had a tumble over the past couple of days.
Injury Report - Greg is staying on his feet and other than sore muscles is doing well. Honestly I am quite beat up.
Yesterday I mentioned some nicely coloured toes on left foot as a result of a fall. Having broken two toes in the past I was quite worried that I had done the same again. However this morning…no additional pain…no swelling…walked without any problems.
However todays tumbles…one of them on a large rock have left some soreness on the inside of both knees…pain in left hand pinkie…scrapes on right elbow, forearm and a very sore upper right arm. That is all I can feel right now. 🥹
On two of the falls rather than bracing the fall with my hands I rolled and landed on my side and upper arm. Will just have to watch the arm issue…expect shirt on/off will be tough for a while. Asked and received ice here at the Inn.
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Should be a fun supper…so far Diane & Dave from the US and Frances and Richard from New Zealand have made an appearance…the latter skipped stage 3 (yesterday) but walked today. They commented to me that they had never seen anything like yesterday in all their walking days.
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| Typical path we walk through |
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| This crossing was not deep but long ! |
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| Typical where is the trail? |
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We are out of the Lake District! Incredible scenery…an experience not soon forgotten. So many folks…Nina who we met on Day 1 and again this morning summed it best “I have been in the Lake District many times…never have I seen weather and water like this!”
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Frances and Richard from New Zealand were there which made for a fun evening of swapping stories. Today we saw them frequently throughout the walk…they are in Shap in a different accommodation
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At this point I am not sure who is winning the battle…C2C or me. Physically and mentally the hardest thing I have ever done! The mental part is the toughest simply trying to stay on my feet! Man that had been frustrating but it is getting better. Tumble scorecard Day 3 - 8, Day 4 - 4, Day 5 (today) - 2. No new injuries…previous problems slowly improving.
So I am calling it a draw so far between C2C and me! 🤔
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The next 8-9 kms were climbing to the highest peak on the C2C path Kidsty peak. I felt strong..,the legs were cooperating and it was super fun!
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| Me! |
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| Greg! |
The next 2 kms were dreadful…super steep down where you are often shimmying down on your bum. One pratfall occurred here.
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After the descent the next 5 kms were very poor walking for me..black cloud ☁️ time. I was so fed up with water, mud, rocks, up, down…really not a happy camper. One splat on my *ss in the mud!
Greg then offered me half a twix bar and some fruit snacks and voila the black cloud lifted and I walked relatively strongly to finish.
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One last thing…have been notified that Sept 30th there will be a national rail strike…the day we are travelling back to Gatwick airport 🥲
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Today was another very long day at 34.4 kms however it was a very good day. Minor rain showers…elevation gain/loss manageable…good walking speed which was helped by some road walking…route finding not too bad AND NO PRATFALLS! Yes I stayed on my feet 😊.
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Breakfast at Brookfield B&B was outstanding…Margaret the owner was so very nice to us…trying so hard to deliver dry clothes in the morning.
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| Sooo delicious…including a slice of blood sausage! |
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I was struggling to insert the insoles in my boots which were still wet. They kept buckling in the middle…tried it a few times then asked Greg to have a look at my st*pid boots! Greg says “you already have insoles”. My snappy reply “No I don’t look they are in my hand”. Then my brilliant deduction…I have the wrong boots 😂. This can happen to the best of us 😊
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Greg and I have spent considerable time trying to figure out what the h*ll we will do with the rail strike. We have been officially notified our train will not be operating. So many options have been discussed…most leading to dead ends.
Greg kept digging and voila our plan. We will walk as planned arriving in Robin Hood Bay on Sep 29th…spend a couple of hours taking a shower in our accommodation and grab a bite to eat. Then we board a local bus for a 1.5 hour ride to Middlesbrough where we board an overnight bus just before midnight arriving 9:40am on the 30th at Heathrow. A shuttle to Gatwick Airport…short taxi ride and voila in our Gatwick hôtel the night of the 30th. This may not be much fun however beggars can’t be choosers…it’s all an adventure. Thankfully we planned on on an extra day in case…
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Now we are cooking…great day…survived the bogs. We took the Green route which is the safest one considering the rain this area has endured of late . No rain…light winds…no pratfalls!
Sure we had to be careful…often using our trekking poles to poke and prod the ground around us however other than the usual mud…all was good. The walking was surreal in the desolate moors areas…great fun!
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Back to last night’s supper at the Black Swan…a real fancy Inn we are staying at…had a delicious supper.
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| Chicken cutlet on fried egg with green beans! |
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Ok here is what we learned…absolute truth…sheep farming is huge business in this area. Last year the top breeding sheep (just one sheep) fetched 660,000 GBP…the top sheep herding dog 57,000 GBP. I tend to smell out BS pretty well…he certainly said this in a convincing manner therefore it’s incredible!
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As we set out this morning there were a dozen or more walkers…which was good in case I needed to be pulled out of the bog. Had some short but nice chats with:
- Laurie and Nick from Australia. Laurie really wants to walk a Camino however is concerned the Camino Frances is too crowded. She asked for my suggestion…easy… Camino San Salvador & Primitivo
- Kevin from New Jersey…somehow conversation went to US politics where Kevin simply said “things are hopeless in my country”. Kevin walked the Camino Portuguese and was also interested in other Caminos…interestingly in Switzerland…so I was able to talk about the Via Jacobi
- Patrick from South Africa and Laura from Ireland. An interesting couple recently retired who spend their time between these two countries. Patrick talked about the challenges faced by South Africa in recent years due to inept political leadership “our Trump”. Very interesting fellow.
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A few other things I learned along the way
- Shap where we stayed two nights ago had 83mm of rain in 24 hours the most in UK on either our walking Day 3 or 4
- 3 people were airlifted from our Day 3 walking route
- Woman at front desk where we are staying Keld Lodge told us she has never seen rain combined with gale force winds like the last few days. She commented we would have stories to tell for years! Music to my ears and I told her just that…she then said my stories would grow over time…100 mile an hours winds etc. HOW can she possibly know me that well after a couple of minutes!
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| This is where dead people end up in bogs! |
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A gentle walk in the beautiful Swaledale Valley on the low route. Sure some ups and downs…rain in the second half however this walk was an easy one. One foot in front of the other simply concentrating on the incredible landscape without focusing too much on where one is stepping!
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A couple of English guys with whom we crossed paths with over the days…but somehow never made introductions 😪… were leaving today. Last night I mentioned to them that earlier that day they somehow got ahead of us…without them passing us at any time. Asked if they were the fellows we saw sneak out of taxi. One of them cracked a smile and didn’t miss a beat “Oh no you caught on to our game! We do that all the time!” A little offbeat humour can go a long way 😂
Returned to the HOKA Speedgoats …other trail shoes really served their purpose protecting injured toes over past few days.
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| Mud Anyone? |
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| Still smiling…Greg “what did Guy get me into?” |
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Shortly after leaving we met Taito the young Japanese fellow who has been in Europe walking various trails since February. We had previously met him on our long day to Shap.
We walked with Taito for the rest of the day…very enjoyable learning about Japan and what he has been doing in Europe. Likewise he was equally interested in Canada.
He has walked in Norway and the 3 week Kungsleden trail in Sweden…carrying his food, tent etc totalling 15kg!!! This is a world class hike…one which I will not do in this lifetime!
Like all Japanese people Taito is very polite and respectful…he holds gates open for us! Hopefully we will meet again as his plan is also to walk into Robin Hoods Bay on Sep 29th. We exchanged email addresses…hope to keep in touch.
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| Taito |
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| Thankfully I am so slim…geez! |
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Now in the afternoon it was one of those rain on/off type of days. Raincoat on then take it off and return to the backpack…rinse and repeat etc. On one of the “returns” I got lazy and simply stuffed it under my backpack cover…you know the one that flies away every so often. As I cleared one of the many openings, gates, stiles between fields I hear Taito yelling “Guy…Guy”
Taito was holding in his hand my backpack cover AND inside my fancy rain jacket! Holy moly I would have lost them both! 😏
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Today was simply uneventful which was a welcome change 😊. Yesterday evening was not quite the same as it started off with a problem
No details here except to say that it became apparent that locking my credit card was the safest possible action to take. End result will have to work this out upon my return to Canada 🇨🇦. Should I need to charge something on credit…which I don’t expect will be required…Greg will gladly do so…I think🤔.
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| Something very good! |
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On a positive note last evening had a great supper and conversation with Mark from the UK. My second and final fish and chips…same with beer. I find the UK cider to be the drink of choice…it is outstanding!
Mark is 53 and essentially retired. He was in the hotel and wedding business and sold everything off…he seems to be ok financially😂. His story is he weighed something like 300 lbs…working like a madman as he went 5 years without a vacation and decided he either changed or…
He is clearly very fit and we have seen him walking…a machine. Mark walked our crazy days 3 and 4 in one day!!! That seems impossible however we later found out the Johnny a young guy from Vancouver Canada did this also…walking with Mark for a good part of this marathon day!
Greg and I simply had fun talking and trading stories with Mark…he guessed we were younger and certainly was encouraging us on. I of course told Mark about Greg’s recent World Record to let him know that a celebrity was among us 😆
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Had a late lunch…something different thin crust pizza!
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| Chicken and I forget what…very tasty! |
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In a concession to common sense I ditched all laminated sheets today. What was I thinking? Rather was I even thinking? Please no comments…😰
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| Camino de Santiago!!! Sign is crooked |
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| We did not see it! |
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| Apparently sign is upside down due to a dispute with town |
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Crushed it on a perfect weather day…no rain, some wind and cool. A blend of forest, farmers fields and road walking…we knew this would be a long day and both of us were walking very well.
At 5.2 kms pace that was our best day so far…elevation gains/losses were minimal which allowed this. For some this would be boring day..for me I love this kind of walking day. You know what you have to do…keep it simple and enjoy being outdoors for 8+hours.
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Back to last night where we completed our Italian food day!
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| Tortellini |
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Shout out to Willance House in Richmond
Last night we stayed at the Willance House in Richmond. An absolutely fabulous stay…10+++ rating! We were initially greeted at the door by Colin at 1:30 who explained to us that our room would be ready at 2:30…asking if we would like laundry done when we return! Absolutely 👍
Upon our return Colin:
- took us to storage area for trekking poles and boots
- came upstairs to our room and started to explain everything such as:
- how the shower works woohoo 🎉
- breakfast as early as 7:00 considering our big day tomorrow
- had a prepared breakfast menu with easy to read options…please have that down by 5:00pm to facilitate an early breakfast!
- wifi and password card
- showed us how the door locks and unlocks
- bathroom has two hooks…well blow me down two people are showering! Most places have one hook…why?
- laundry!!! Wow 🤩 for 8GBP (can’t figure out how to get the pound sterling symbol 🤔) we were given a large plastic bag and could have 20 laundry items…a pair of socks counts as 1! Amazing we easily found 10 each.😂. Later in the evening the laundry was at our door…have a look! Oh and a note that two pairs of pants would be there the next morning…and there they were at 6am just out the door. Sandra a huge thank you! 😊
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| Folded! Never could I do this! |
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We officially met Ben and Jason two UK walkers with whom we have chatted briefly with over the past few days. These guys are strong…they also combined our Day 3 and 4 into one which is incredible. However at lunch time Ben seemed to be favouring a knee and had KT tape every which way…believe this is a physio approach to stabilize muscles/ligaments?
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Someone along the way had a wicked sense of humour or he hadn’t been very kind to his partner…
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Two rather difficult crossings today…
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| Major highway 3 lanes each way with divider in middle. This was not fun as we had to be super careful!!! |
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| Ok where is the bull? 😰 |
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| That was fun 🥹 |
What a day! I’m 💩‘ed ! This ranks as one of the finest walking days with incredible views in the first half+ then onto the moors which are “barren uncultivated lands often covered in heather” and finishing with a punishing….gruelling…mini meltdown (yours truly) last 4 kms.
In total the 946m elevation gain is second only to our 34 km Day 5 which was 978m. BUT here is the main difference my guess is 2/3 of today's elevation gain took place in the last 4 kms as we climbed 4 hills (mountains).
The wind was also gusting like crazy over this time period…my best guess 50+ kms…I have seen a Facebook post referring to 70 km winds.
If you go up 4 hills you must come down…holy dooley the descents were rocky and quite steep. Mentally it’s fatiguing as you have to be so careful at each step…looking for a good foothold…judging the angle of the rock…side stepping down etc. A spill at this stage would not be good!
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I also had an aha moment and I figured this out all by myself…quite proud of that! Some observers might think “Guy it took you seven days to realize this!!!” No matter…poles leave the hands many times a day and when reinserting through the handle grips there is a 50/50 chance of placing the poles on the wrong hands. A bit frustrating!
However I noticed an R and L printed on the bottom of the strap…and the 💡 clicked…problem solved. 😊 So happy!
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The main topic as we entered the dining room was about Storm Agnes. They had all decided to skip walking today considering the email Mac’s Adventures has sent out yesterday on the advancing storm.
We had also received the email and had understood …as had Mark and Johnny…that the main impacts were the Irish Coast…the UK to the West of us and southern Scotland. NO WAY after what we went through in the Lakes District were we going to not walk…simply keep an eye out and seek shelter if required. Perhaps the high winds were a result of Storm Agnes…no rain 🌧️ again 😊.
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| Still Smiling! |
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Mini meltdown
Best estimate is at the bottom between the last 2nd and 3rd peaks Greg asked me how I was doing. Maybe the very long day yesterday…maybe the cr*ppy breakfast this morning…who knows.
I politely said something like:
“What a sh*tty breakfast this morning. No wonder I am so d*mn tired! You must be joking…are we really going to climb that st*pid mountain ahead of us? Are we really going to go all the way down to the d*mn valley? Why can’t they come in a taxi up here to get us?”
Greg says “There is a way to bypass that hill..do you want to take it?”
“No bl**dy way we are doing this crazy walk following Mac’s GPS route…even if I am super tired and well a little out of sorts.” You have to realize this is all in the heat of a very trying moment!
Greg then calls a halt pulls out his goody bag “Do you want M&M’s, Mars or Snicker bar?”
“Geez thanks…Mars bar please…been a great walk so far today 😂…let’s go!”
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| I always get such a kick from lawn ornaments 😊 |
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| How did they do this? |
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| On the summit! |
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A very strong walking day in the moors…cloudy, cool, no rain. Very quiet day…resulting in a lot of day dreaming 😴 time where my mind goes absolutely everywhere 😊. We had a bit of a climb early then mostly flat for the rest of the day with a fair amount of road walking past the mid point at Blakey Ridge.
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Had a great night’s sleep from 9:30pm…woke up at 5:15am…that NEVER happens. Usually wake up a time or two to you know look at pictures on the wall, tidy up…😂
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Before we knew it we were half way done for the day and stopped at Lions Inn for a coke to maintain energies! Lo and behold some friends were there. This has always been a long walk highlight for me…essentially knowing people for hours over several days and all of all sudden we are old friends!
We needle each other (my specialty 😂), encourage each other and swap war type stories which grow and grow with each passing hour!
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| Mark - UK Had great fun meeting Mark! |
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| Ben (L) - Jason (R) |
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| Kevin - US |
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Ben and Jason are doing a charity walk we understand…saw them later and donated a few quid. For you non UK folks that’s a few pounds.
Guy is a name many have trouble with - “Guy Fawkes pronunciation” would be typical in UK…so often I just say it rhymes with “pee” and this seems to stick 😊.
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Maybe 4 kms from the end Greg hands me some M&M’s. « Greg…why…not even a whisper of complaint from me today…really 99.51% of the time I am good! »
Greg answers « That’s for good behaviour » That was quick and man it’s my style of humour!
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We did it! What an incredible walk…feeling a wee bit tired but oh so very very good! Battled our way through the Lake District, recovered through the Yorkshire Dales and finished strong in the North York Moors.
Without question a superb walk and the toughest long walk for me considering all factors…distances, terrain and weather.
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| Last English breakfast! 🥲 |
Just after Littlebeck we walked through a really outstanding forest…as nice as I can recall.
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With about 10 kms to go we sloshed our way through a really poor stretch of fields, mud and boggy terrain. The footing was poor…I managed to stay away from a mini meltdown 😊
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Then incredibly while we were walking the cliffs into Robin Hoods Bay…really spectacular…stuck to the path walking!
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Walked into Robin Hood Bay until we reached the North Sea…pitched our respective rocks in…C2C walk completed!!! Greg’s rock went further…my shoulder hurt is my excuse!
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| We did it! |
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| Goodbye Little Rock from St. Bees! |
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| My celebratory drink…strawberry milkshake with whipped cream and marshmallows 😂 |
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Greg has been an outstanding walking partner…thank you! Always keeps his cool 😎, strong walker and excellent route finding skills. Sure Greg is a seasoned athlete however long distance day after day walking is a very different experience. No sweat for Greg…he may or may not choose to do this ever again…but the youngster simply nailed a very challenging walk!
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After throwing our rocks in the North Sea I had to light a fire under Greg…he was desperately looking for the following sign.
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| Ben and Jason |
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| Success! Did not realize we had same shirts as Ben and Jason 🤔 |
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My last blogpost was completed with the nightmare traveling arrangements back to London Gatwick airport as the final step…how did it go? Was it really that bad?
It was in a word terrible...worse than I could have imagined 😢 however upon reflection pretty darn funny 😆
One of my all time favourite blogposts is the final one Post Wainwright Coast to Coast Wrapup posted Oct 7, 2023. Rather than take excerpts from that blogpost I will let it stand as is ☺️!
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