Patricia Wu-Murad Update to April 20, 2023 Blog Posting

A number of you have expressed concerns, hopes and positive thoughts after my initial blog post regarding Patricia’s disappearance as well as wondering what the current status of the search is. 

Murphy Murad...Patricia’s 27 year old daughter has posted a comprehensive update which is included below. It answers a number of questions. I have chosen not to include the short video clip regarding the Japanese Camino Documentary pending word from the Documentary team. The English translation of the two Local Paper articles is off in places however the general ideas are there. Bottom line at this point is that Patricia has not been found...no clues...simply vanished. 

It has now been 3 weeks since Patricia walked out the door of a guesthouse on the Kohechi trail at 7am JST on April 10th. The effort coordinated by Patricia’s family...a testament to how deeply they care about Patricia is simply incredible...countless volunteers...professional search and rescue teams...extensive social/print media coverage…gofundme $ raising for the significant incurred search expenses etc. 

The last known picture of Patricia was taken at guesthouse where she stayed April 9th 

Guesthouse owner, fellow walker, Patricia

One meets many people while walking Camino paths...many are a quick “Hola Buen Camino”, some are more memorable and a few become life long friends. Patricia was certainly memorable and a potential life long friend...admired her determination, sense of adventure, positive nature. 

However something else was special...my family has many times mentioned that I have a certain tell or look when I am about...in their words...to say something “stupid or silly”...I prefer “funny or witty”. Patricia caught on early...here is how I described it to a close family member of Patricia's in a recent exchange.

"Many would have known Patricia way more than me. Our paths crossed on the Camino Primitivo early on…Patricia mentioned the Camino Japanese team and right away I really wanted to be in the same Documentary.

At subsequent little meetings which are so common on Camino walks it became a running joke between the two of us. Patricia was kind enough to encourage and laugh about my goal to be in the Documentary. Special memories for me.

This became a frequent topic in my daily blogging. In the end when the documentary came out I estimated Patricia had 8 appearances for 6 minutes 15 seconds…I had 1 for 12 seconds and Paulo my walking friend had 1 for 6 seconds! 

Patricia fully deserved the increased exposure…maybe she was responsible for me even being in it as I did ask if she could use her “pull” with the Documentary team to get me in. Patricia just laughed and told me she had no such “pull”.  In her message which I sent to you as she started walking towards her Dual Pilgrim goal she even pointed out I was in the Documentary! Special friend based on maybe max 1 hour total exposure to Patricia"

The family member replied "I can hear her say those things with her laugh too... Thanks for sharing.  It's getting harder to stay positive, but we aren't giving up just yet."

To provide some perspective on the Koyasan/Kohechi trail to obtain the Dual Pilgrim designation a few stats:

- Total Dual Pilgrims                        -    3,746

- Nakahechi route (one I walked)     -    2,611 (69.7%)

- Other routes                                    -       903 (24.1%)

- Koyasan/Kohechi                           -       232 (  6.2%)     109 women, 123 men

Patricia was walking on the least traveled route...note I estimate than ~80% of the women who have walked this route did so alone like Patricia.

Facebook photos of the search efforts

A few photos to provide perspective of the search operation...team members and off trail searches ie areas where a slip or fall could lead to. My understanding is that while the trail itself is very demanding…it’s mountainous country with no switchbacks (zigzag back and forth trail) ie you go straight up or down… it is not a considered a dangerous walking trail in normal weather conditions for a seasoned hiker like Patricia. Clearly care is always required walking and it’s a very rugged difficult area to search once off the trail itself.

Murphy Murad’s posting

Todayby Murphy Murad, Organizer

Search and Rescue (SAR)

Nara police have received support from neighbouring prefectures to increase the amount of resources available to our case. They have also brought in officers from mountainous regions who specialize in mountain rescue to help with their planning and logistics. The police have been out everyday since April 18th.

Mountain Works has been out everyday since April 16 (except for April 28 but they have resumed again April 29). In the most recent days, they have brought two hunting dogs out with them as they search the trails. The dogs are trained to detect human remains, a fate we hope is out of the question but have to explore.

From April 22-April 26, we had 21 volunteers from the US, specifically trained in search and rescue, helping cover more ground. Their expertise and knowledge was quickly recognized by the local police and private team which resulted in mutual respect between all parties. The collaboration between these three organizations allowed us to cover a large area in a small amount of time. My dad, Uncle, brother, and local volunteers also participated in the search by walking adjacent trails to the Kumano Kodo that my mother may have strayed onto.

Despite hundreds of hours and miles of ground covered, we still haven't found a single piece of evidence that Pattie was ever on this part of the trail.

We appreciate the effort of everyone involved and are grateful for the number of volunteers who have offered to help but my family needs everyone’s continued support. As long as we have your support the search can and will continue.

Investigation

There is an open investigation regarding the disappearance of Pattie. The underwhelming amount of evidence found after 19 days of SAR efforts naturally leads to contemplating other possible outcomes. I would like to address some common questions we’ve received and provide other details that I believe are important to this case.

-CCTV Footage: There are 3 cameras along the part of the trail where Pattie presumably went missing. Police have collected all footage from both April 9 and April 10. They have also requested footage from all vehicles that have cameras (buses, taxis, delivery trucks, etc). Whilst we are unsure how fast they are able to comb through all of this data, they have been able to answer all of our questions & concerns thus far.

-Phone Data: Apple does not keep last location data after a certain amount of time. We missed our window of opportunity to retrieve information from Apple since my family was unaware of her disappearance until April 14. My mother was using an Esim while traveling in Japan and we were able to login to her account to see how much data she had left (about 2GB). We were also able to determine which Japanese mobile phone companies have a contract with her Esim. We are still pushing to get this information! Another avenue we have explored is contacting Meta and Whatsapp to retrieve any location data they may have.

-All hospitals, jails, and morgues have been checked and accounted for

-We have put in a request to check any and all cars with front end damage that have been to a repair shop since April 10

-Unfortunately, my mom is the only person in our family who does not have a smart watch or google account

-There are currently no suspects

Additional Information

-There were rumours going around nearby villages that my mother had already been found. The local government made a PSA (utilizing systems that warn people of natural disasters) on April 28 to set the record straight.

-We have managed to secure two interviews with local papers in order to spread our story across Japan

Local Paper Article # 1

Local Paper Article # 2

-Pattie was featured in a Japanese documentary while hiking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage the second time (2022). This was something my mom made us all aware of by texting us (her family) updates and sending us a picture of a crew following her. What we were unaware of is that this documentary had been finished and released by one of the largest media corporations in Japan - NHK. We are hoping NHK reaches out to our family to follow up on her current circumstances.

Please watch and share this video to get an insight into my mom’s spirit and why she loved going on these hiking trips. 

-If you would like more information on a daily basis please check out the following pages:

IG
@helpfindpattie2023
@murphymurad

Twitter
@helpfindpattie

Facebook
Help Find Pattie Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/818271996483575

If you would like to volunteer or have any important information regarding my mom’s case please email

Shocked and Very Saddened - Kumano Kodo 2015 Dual Pilgrim Update

This is an incredibly difficult blog post to write. I am feeling very worried and extremely sad concerning the recent developments regarding Patricia’s journey to become a Dual Pilgrim. Her message to me sent April 8th at 20:21pm Japan time is shown in my intended blog posting below. I was overjoyed to hear from Patricia...wished her well...and the memories of my Kumano Kodo walk came flooding back.

Her reply to me April 9th at 5:51 am “I will take a look and take a picture at Honda”. A followup text from me sent an hour later was read.

My plan was to send the blog posting below “as is” tonight. Something pushed me to do a Google search “Patricia Wu Dual Pilgrim” and the following newspaper article was the first in the news feed.

 Patricia Wu-Murad Missing

Article indicated that Patricia, 61, recent retiree and avid hiker was reported missing when she moi did not check in to her accommodation on April 10th. Police searched for 72 hours...stopped...family from US have hired a private search party. Patricia's husband of 32 years and 2 of their 3 adult children have flown to Japan. 

Patricia was walking the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage which is 1,200 kms long. To achieve the Dual Pilgrim status from where Patricia contacted me is 65 kms long. Between the time I messaged Patricia on April 9th and her reported missing date is certainly less than 2 days. The newspaper article was written April 19th or over a week after Patricia was reported missing.

Another news story indicated that Patricia’s husband last heard from her April 7th and that the family wondered if she had been missing since April 8th. The article has a helpfindpattie gmail account setup asking for any information…I have forwarded all my April 8th correspondence with Patricia along with associated times. More information they have to work with the better…such a helpless feeling.

To describe my feelings and certainly those of Paulo as well when he reads this is one of extreme confusion...sadness...and hope that Patricia is located safely. We met Patricia on numerous occasions while walking the Camino Primitivo …she is someone whose enthusiasm and positivity simply stick with you.

I was going to scrap the entire blog posting below however thought no...I am sure Patricia would have been joyous to know that she triggered positive memories for me and who knows maybe the act of publishing somehow leads to something positive for Patricia and her family. I have not edited my intended blog posting after hearing this news.

I will admit that my words in the blog posting “Timing is everything” really hurt at this moment. 🥲 Consider hugging someone you care about today.

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A Special Surprise - Kumano Kodo 2015 Dual Pilgrim Update

Sometimes life throws the most amazing surprises at you! A couple of weeks ago...out of the blue...I received the following message from Patricia an American Pilgrim whom Paulo and I met while walking the 2022 Camino Primitivo. Patricia...as described in previous blog postings was the superstar of the 2022 Japanese Camino Primitivo Documentary. 

Patricia 

Patricia’s message...

“ 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”.

I texted Patricia back and wished her a great Kumano  Kodo as well as asking a special favour... Day 3 link below provides the details behind what was a remarkable day…my 15 minutes of fame.

A Dual Pilgrim is defined as someone who has walked the two UNESCO recognized pilgrimage walks…Way of St. James (received Compostela for walking 100kms or more into Santiago de Compostela) and the Kumano Kodo both over a 1,000 years old.

Patricia’s message triggered many happy memories….

In April 2014 I walked the Way of St. James ( Camino Frances) and in March 2015 the Kumano Kodo.

Arriving in Hongu Taisha Center March 25, 2015 I was stunned to learn that I was the 5th person to earn the Dual Pilgrim designation and the 1st Canadian! Timing is everything 🤣! I was ushered to a special table glass display where the photos of the first 4 Dual Pilgrims were displayed and was excitedly told that my picture would be “right there” besides #4 😊.

I asked Patricia as a special favour to take a peak at this table display…confirm if in fact my mug shot is there and if so please send me a picture.

Is this in the Hongu Taisha Center Display?

Compostela stamps required for Dual Pilgrim 

Curiosity once again got the best of me as I wondered what has transpired since 2015 regarding the Dual Pilgrim status. Through brute force data mining…had a few hours to spare 😊 I created the following info for Japan 🇯🇵,Spain 🇪🇸 Canada 🇨🇦 and Brazil 🇧🇷. Country totals indicate pilgrims…of note COVID year Dual Pilgrim numbers are skewed in Japan’s favour for obvious reasons.

Total Compostela’s issued since 2003 (per 100,000 population)

All countries -             4,167,685 

Spain -                         2,174,250 (4,645)

Canada -                          54,318  (140)

Brazil -                             53,240  (25)

Japan -                             14,565   (12)

Total Dual Pilgrim certificates since 2015 (per 100,000 Compostela’s issued)

All countries -                    3,684 (88)

Spain -                                   348 (16)

Canada -                                111 (204)

Brazil -                                    34  (64)

Japan -                                  973  (668)

Paulo you really need to walk the Kumano Kodo and do Brazil proud. Canada you are doing quite well!  

If interested in the backstory to the Kumano Kodo walk links to the 6 blog entries from 2015 are included below. Food, scenery photos including the very special cherry blossom time, practical Kumano Kodo info, NO MATH and well a little story telling 😉 are featured in these blogs. 

I am asked whether I wish to repeat specific Camino walks or the Kumano Kodo. While all were very meaningful experiences my thinking is that a new walk is the best adventure...there is so much to see...why do the same walk twice?

Having said that the Kumano Kodo is the one walk where an exception is very possible...it was that special. I was alone...language issues were laughable...signage could be a tad difficult at times to follow yet I managed quite well...frankly it boosts one’s confidence to successfully navigate the various challenges. Japanese people are so incredibly kind and welcoming and the food…delicious and presented in an art form!!!

Hmmm 🤔 ...2031...I will be 74 years young...the same age as my Dad was when he walked with my brother Marc and me in Nepal over 200 kms in the Khumbu Valley towards Everest. Grandchildren will be a little older..Rose who was born in Tokyo Japan (16), Elodie (13) and Rishi (9). Might they be excited to walk the 5 day Kumano Kodo with their Papi (assuming all is still good!)? If other grandchildren arrive they would of course be welcome to join…as well as any other helping hands for sure.

Seems reasonable…ok maybe not an iron clad plan but all plans need a creative initial idea 😊

Unfortunately this blog posting has an uncertain ending…Patricia was on the Kohechi Kumano Kodo route (an even more mountainous route than Nakahechi route that I walked) on April 8th…a 4 day walk. Follow up texts unanswered…no Dual Pilgrim picture on the official website. Paulo and I both know Patricia is a very strong walker…whether she finished the walk or not I dearly hope to hear from Patricia soon.

Island Walk PEI now 28 days away…potential GPX solution to mitigate getting lost and a new name for the walk…Camino de la Shuttle…courtesy from my good friend Ken 😊. Has a nice ring to it 😂

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Kumano Kodo - Japan Pilgrimage

Kumano Kodo (Mar 23, 2015) - Day 1 Takijiri-oji to...

Kumano Kodo (Mar 24, 2015) - Day 2 Takara to Tsugi...

Kumano Kodo (Mar 25, 2015) - Day 3 pas Tsugiszakara-Oj...

Kumano Kodo (Mar 26, 2015) - Day 4 Ukegawa to Koguchi

Kumano Kodo (Mar 27, 2015) - Day 5 Koguchi to Nach...

Island Walk Prince Edward Island - Coming up real fast!

Well the “He who shall not be named aka Harry Potter” 🇯🇵 Camino Documentary saga is alas over...have just completed my 75th volunteer Income Tax 2022 return...40 days from the start of the Island Walk (Camino de la Isla) in PEI so time for a little update ☺️.

My Jan 20, 2023 blog post “Camino de la Isla - Island Walk Prince Edward Island” went into fair 😳😅 detail on this walk...so will not try to recreate that here...however a few refreshers and updates. This walk was created in 2019 and follows the coastline of Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, totalling 703 official kms. The official route is mapped to 32 stages...my plan is 24 stages.

The main planning challenge is simple...stage end points do NOT match the availability of accommodation so real tricky😳.  Lack of practical information further compounds the issue as few people have completed this walk.  Soooo I turned to an expert... Bill at Experience PEI to develop a plan with a little input from me as well 😇. It’s quite the crazy plan...summarized briefly as follows:

Shuttle rides at either beginning or end points for daily walk

    - 10 walking days with no required shuttle rides...walk out the door am...arrive at new door pm 😀

    - 11 walking days with 1 required shuttle ride...either am or pm...backwards or forward 🙃

    -   3 walking days with 2 required shuttle rides...both am and pm...really strange 🤪

    

In total 17 shuttle rides over the 24 days...now what could go possibly wrong? 🤣 Will I be sleeping on a park bench, in the forest or on a beach somewhere due to a shuttle snafu...time will tell!

I really hope and expect that in 10-15 years time this type of  “plan” will be a thing of the past...accommodation choices will expand with increased popularity of the Island Walk. Having said that...being an early adopter is my only realistic choice...10-15 years from now is way too far off...while I dream of still being able to do this type of walk 75-80 yrs young...hmmm 🤔. Go for it now while I have a decent shot!

An early interesting example...Arrive May 16th in Charlottetown... Day 1 walking May 17th Charlottetown to Dunedin 21 kms...where no accommodation exists...must contact shuttle for pm return to Charlottetown. May 18th am shuttle returns to Dunedin and then I walk 44 kms to Carleton. Quite the start to the long walk 😳.  My previous longest Camino walking day (127 total days) is 42 kms...44 kms on the second day...is this a good plan...no point in overthinking this...I’m about to find out...will do my best and looking forward to it. 

Accommodation 

    - 14 walking days staying one night

    -   5 walking days staying two nights

Packed lunches

20 of 24 walking days will require a packed lunch with snicker bars otherwise I will be eating berries or having to fish along the walking route (Tried fishing in my youth...was terrible at it...honestly didn’t like it much!) ☺️. More importantly 7 walking days > 35 kms require a packed lunch...screw up here and I will be very Hangry at days end. 

There likely won’t be too many distractions on these long days…hopefully I will come across a chip wagon with crab or lobster rolls...fish and chips...scallops and fries or calamari (not asking for much), an ice cream stand or at least a lemonade stand! 

Popularity of Island Walk

A number of people have walked portions of the Island Walk...however as of 2022 it was estimated that only 50+ had walked the entire route. From the perspective of meeting other Island walkers I expect it will be a lonely walk...that’s ok...I can handle that...similar to my experiences on my first two long walks... Via Jacobi in Switzerland and Via Gebennensis in France. I may break a personal rule and take my Apple AirPods along to listen to my Spotify playlist on long stretches of walking...TBD.

A little Canadian history - Wikipedia

Charlottetown is essentially the birthplace of Canada...so it will be an interesting place to spend a little extra time…have three partial days in Charlottetown to explore.

"The Charlottetown Conference (Canada's Conference) was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island for representatives from colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian Confederation. The conference took place between September 1 through 9, 1864.The conference had been planned as a meeting of representatives from the Maritime colonies; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Newfoundland agreed with the movement, but was not notified in time to take part in the proceedings. Britain encouraged a Maritime Union between these colonies, hoping that they would then become less economically and politically dependent on the Crown, and provide for greater economic and military power for the region in light of the American Civil War. However, another colony, the Province of Canada, comprising present-day Ontario and Québec, heard news of the planned conference and asked that the agenda be expanded to discuss a union that would also include them. In August 1864 Newfoundland also asked to be allowed to join the conference.

Canadian Confederation (French: Confédération canadienne) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominion of Canada, on July 1, 1867.^] Upon Confederation, Canada consisted of four provinces: Ontario and Quebec, which had been split out from the Province of Canada, and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick^]"

Over subsequent years 6 other provinces joined Canada (Prince Edward Island 1873). Canada also has 3 territories.

The Island Walk description on their Facebook page

"Join us on The Island Walk, a beautiful and inspiring trail that takes you through a variety of landscapes! From lush forests to majestic mountains, you can experience the natural beauty of the island while taking part in a meaningful journey."

Ok the hyperbole here seems pretty far fetched 🤣. I suspect lush forests is a bit of a stretch however saying majestic mountains is simply stunning! The highest point on Prince Edward Island is Springton Peak which is get this 140 m (460 ft). Prince Edward Island is mostly flat so majestic mountains...well I will be sure to take a number of photos...hope I don’t freak out due to height exposure on the trail ☺️. Baldy Mountain the highest peak in the great province of Manitoba is 832 m (2,730 ft.) tall so it is Himalayan in comparison to PEI! 

Natural beauty of the island I fully expect to see, experience and look forward to enjoying!

Main Walking Challenge

Other than the normal weather related stuff, potential injury/sickness, dangerous animals (3 types of snakes in PEI…one of them is green 😱 …see below) the main concern I have centers around the variability of daily walking distances compared to the other 8 Camino walks and the Kumano Kodo. 

Before getting into the numbers a quick refresher (it’s easy... please stick with me...playing with numbers is one of my many fun/happy places!) on how I adjust walking kms for elevation Gains/Losses.  

First a little diversion...my brother Marc...one of the funniest people I know...a humble self taught wind engineering expert recently published a paper in a prestigious wind publication. His paper focuses on “Predicting winds aloft using surface wind and the position of the sun”. Marc is really trying to expand our knowledge of wind energy and I commend him for this. I took a look at an early draft version and frankly it blew me away...my math is pre-kindergarten...not even close to Marc’s.

However in a desperate attempt not to be totally undone...🤣😂...I have applied my vast math skills (at one point in life I was a 70% Actuary...but ended up being a 0% Actuary ☺️) in creating a Modified Naismith rule to take into consideration elevation gains/losses while walking. The theory is simple...one slows down while going uphill and a little less of a slow down going downhill. 

The original Naismith rule was created in 1892 and since then has had a number of modifications Scarf’s, Tranter’s, Aitken’s, Langmuir. I ignored ALL of these...no fun just copying others 😇... and decided to create my own modification calibrated to my Camino walks as follows:

    - Add 1 hour for each 1,000 m elevation gain

    - Add .6 hours for each 1,000 m elevation loss

    - Modified feels like kms walked equal:

        - Actual kms walked + / (Additional hours for elevation gain/loss X km per hour walking speed)

So a 20 km walk with 1,000 m elevation gain (add 1 hour)  and 1,000 m elevation loss (add .6 hours) at a 5 km per hour walking speed equates to a modified feels like walking distance of:

    

    - 20 kms + 1.6*5 = 28 kms (modified daily km in graphs below) or 5.6 hours walking time.

This means that a 20 km day feels like walking 28 kms due to the 1,000 m elevation gains/losses. All other Naismith modifications focus on the additional time taken due to elevation gains/losses...my modification breaks totally new ground, blows away all other fancy modifications by creating a “modified feels like walking distance”. 

So how do I advance human knowledge like Marc...I mean I can’t keep this discovery just for myself? First I have to name my modification...welcome to the Zebra 🦓 Modified Naismith rule. Why Zebra...well I will let the puzzle aficionados out there figure it out. Hint: It’s all in a family name! ☺️. I will then write a lengthy detailed paper...say about 1 -2 pages total and submit it for acceptance to a fancy prestigious walking magazine...hmmm let’s say “Walking for Dummies” or maybe “Old Fogie Walkers”. Then I fade into obscurity...

How does the Island Walk compare in length to other long walks?

Island Walk will be my 3rd longest:

    - Via Gebennensis & Via Podiensis from Geneva to Le Puy en Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port

        - 40 walking days (1 rest day) 

        - Actual walking 1,092 kms

        - Modified Zebra Naismith 1,306 kms

        - Age 56 

    - Camino Frances & Camino Finisterre from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre

       - 30 walking days (no rest day)

       - Actual walking 892 kms

       - Modified Zebra Naismith 1,024 kms

       - Age 57 

    - Island Walk from Charlottetown to Charlottetown ☺️

       - 24 walking days (no rest day)

       - Actual walking 703 kms

       - Modified Zebra Naismith 703 kms (pretty flat) 👍

       - Age 66 😳

How does the Island Walk compare in terms of daily km walked (using Zebra Modification)?

Of the 127 walking days on 8 Camino routes and Kumano Kodo - 13 days were > 40 kms 

Of the 24 walking days on the Island Walk - 7 days will be > 40 kms 😰

Mentally I am confident that I can walk the 703 kms..the little tiny itsy bitsy doubt centers around the high number of very very long days.  My > 40 kms experience as shown in the following graph which compares 1) all 8 Camino routes + Kumano Kodo, 2) 2022 Camino Primitivo and Camino San Salvador and 3) Island Walk PEI is fairly limited. Ok so I’m trying something quite different…if I 💩 out I can always fake Blog entries!😉

Note how the Island Walk is clearly polarized at both ends of the short/long walking day spectrum. To put this another way:

Lollygaging walking days < 25 kms

    - Should be able to take it easy...seek out opportunities to talk to people...eat ice cream...focus on scenery...eat a casual lunch

        - All Caminos + Kumano Kodo                         21% of walking days

        - Camino Primitivo & Camino San Salvador    12% of walking days

        - Island Walking                                               46% of walking days (11 days)

Steady on walking days >= 25 to < 35 kms

    - Solid walking...less casual...have a few quick chats with people...maybe ice cream...quick lunch

        - All Caminos + Kumano Kodo                         46% of walking days

        - Camino Primitivo & Camino San Salvador    59% of walking days

        - Island Walking                                               21% of walking days (5 days)

Heads down walking days >= 35 to < 40 kms

    - Real focused walking...wave nicely to people as I hustle by...hallucinating about ice cream... lunch on the fly

        - All Caminos + Kumano Kodo                         23% of walking days

        - Camino Primitivo & Camino San Salvador    17% of walking days

        - Island Walking                                                 4% of walking days (1 day)

Come on get a wiggle on it walking days > 40 kms

    - Absolutely no goofing around walking...pretend I don’t notice people as I pass (really not nice)...army type focus (as if I know what that would be like 🤣)...no ice cream...grabbing berries off trees on the run without stopping.

        - All Caminos + Kumano Kodo                        10% of walking days

        - Camino Primitivo & Camino San Salvador    12% of walking days

        - Island Walking                                               29% of walking days (7 days)

Typical expected end of day feeling after a > 40 km walk

A little computer technical information 😳. All web links are shown in red. Prior to publishing this blog I would sometimes get a Redirect Notice when clicking on the link which then required a second click.  In the published blog version this quirk seems to have mercifully disappeared ☺️. Who knows what will happen when MailChimp sends out the email blog notice (please 🙏🙏 don’t screw up again MailChimp)...I really don’t need extra screwup help!

I am quite excited to have learned how to convert a gibberish web link into whatever I want to call it and highlight it in red ...a major accomplishment in my book. ☺️

What’s in the backpack and on my feet?

Essentially the same as the Camino Primitivo and Camino San Salvador…with a few exceptions:

Shoes - 2 choices both brand new in the box

HOKA Bondi 8 - 6th pair + Striped socks

HOKA Speedgoat V5 - 2nd pair

I wore the HOKA Speedgoat’s on the 2022 Caminos and they were great with Vibram soles ...they really perform in rocky, wet terrain. I wear HOKA Bondi’s exclusively while walking in the city.

Decision - based on my understanding of the Island Walk terrain HOKA Bondi V8 will be the choice. I think the flashier blue colour also looks better for a Canadian walk as opposed to British walk. The HOKA Speedgoat V5 more subdued shoes will be worn for the Wainwrights Coast to Coast walk in England this September.

Socks - 3 brand new $$ pairs of  SmartWool Men's Hike Light Cushion Striped Mid Crew Socks. Why striped? Well why not...the  Zebra 🦓 Naismith modification demands it 😉 (ok I know that was very bad ☺️). Will they look good...of course  Washing/drying...hand wash and air dry only!

T-Shirts - For some dumb reason I had only 2 T-shirts (quick dry high quality types) starting the Camino Primitivo with Paulo. He had 4... I quickly found out that 2 T-shirts is one short and Paulo was nice enough to lend me one of his fancy ones...I think Paulo did not want to hear me whine about my poor planning day in...day out.  So I will add a 3rd T-shirt...have a couple of extras to choose from..maybe not as snazzy as the Brazilian T-shirt.

Fleece - North Face black fleece worn on first 6 Caminos and Kumano Kodo was lost in the crazy Madrid airport mad dash 😢😓 to meet Paulo who was somewhere else in the Madrid airport. He had sent me a random picture of where he wanted to meet…impossible to know where that was...totally hopeless 😩  but we worked it out with a little consultation! 

Replacement fleece will be an Eddie Bauer First Ascent Cloud layer with full zipper. Grey with an orange zipper…I am going to look real spiffy wearing this fleece with the Tilley hat, the Clooney’s, HOKA’s and striped socks 😎. Oh it’s great to be 66 and totally utterly hopelessly unaware...unlike my pre 66 years 🤔🥲😂! 

Picture Paulo sent “Meet me here”...we are talking Madrid airport. Sure I’ll just walk around for hours asking folks “Do you recognize where this is?"

Rain gear - The Packa was not tested at all on 2022 Caminos so back at it for the Island Walk. I will likely add my Patagonia rain jacket as it is lightweight, really helps in windy conditions and will look a little more elegant than the Packa in the evening as I stroll around town. 

The only Packa wearing attempt to date was shown in an earlier video which is included here...why am I including it again…just because I felt like it.  I may have to test the Packa again as I wouldn’t want to look like a dolt out on Canadian soil while on the Island Walk 🤓.

Guy Packa Try -#1 🤣

Dangerous Animals - as indicated earlier there are 3 types of snakes in PEI…one of them is the Eastern smooth green snake which apparently is rare and doesn’t bite! As if! If I see one of these I guarantee that I will break the existing 65+ World Masters 800m record (it may be an unofficial record). Why not 400m? That’s easy...still way too close to the snake! Greg, Sept Wainwright Coast to Coast walking partner and Master track star, will have a record to shoot for in a few years when he hits the magic 65.

Eastern smooth green snake

Getting lost - Always a concern...especially on my own 😄 however I will be in Canada so how bad could it really get! I was hoping to download Island Walk GPX tracks in Wikiloc as this worked exceptionally well on the Camino Primitivo and Camino San Salvador. However they don’t exist...one of my goals will be to record daily tracks and upload them to Wikiloc for future walkers...it will be my gift ☺️...note the technical talk i.e. record and upload...sounds like I know what I am doing. 

I understand the Island Walk has signs every 5 kms (or every hour or so) and there is a document which provides directions i.e. “walk on  X road and turn right on Y road...” I have printed this out and laminated it (3 sheets) to add to my accommodation laminations...geez with the added weigh I may not be able to take any rain gear 🥲.

I fully expect to get lost sometime...it has happened multiple times on all long walks...and somehow I have always found my way back home...rinse and repeat...get lost...find my way. 

Why Walk?

A prominent Camino Forum member provided this link (she gifted it so readers would not hit the NY Times paywall)  to a great NY Times article on why people walk and the associated benefits both from a physical and mental well being.  A very thoughtful well written article...I can relate fully to what is said as I am sure many of you can. Have a read...it may totally change your opinion on the walking experience!

NY Times Walking Article

Super Proud to be a Canadian

In closing an amazing Canadian story and one that just makes me so proud to be Canadian. Peace by Chocolate is a company started in Antigonish Nova Scotia by a family of Syrian refugees. An inspiring story of how Canada 🇨🇦 welcomed these refugees and how they in turn are the most incredible warm ambassadors for Canada. 

We have bought mucho 😂 chocolate from Peace by Chocolate...it’s delicious... and purchased their book outlining their frightful time in Syria and their desperate journey to and subsequent Canadian welcome!

Give Peace by Chocolate a try...you will not regret it.

Tarek Hadhad the CEO sent the following email which absolutely made my day and likely that of many other Canadians as well! Note the video link, which is well worth seeing (1-2 minutes), features President Biden being gifted a Peace chocolate bar by Elizabeth May Leader of the Green Party of Canada. Heart warming and funny…watch it to the end...and then maybe do a little chocolate shopping ☺️.

Be curious... take the time to do this 😊 …it will be worth it.

Absolutely incredible to see how a simple gesture of gifting a chocolate bar to President Biden leads to smiles and laughter amongst key political leaders…they are quick on their feet…fun to see.

Makes me very happy and brings a smile thinking the next long walk will be in Canada 🍁. Who would have thought that was possible? A real treat and surprise! 

Tarek Hadhad CEO Peace by Chocolate email

Friends,

 

We are truly and honestly pinching ourselves.

 

Today our chocolate was gifted to President Joe Biden, while the entire world was watching - only in Canada would this be possible.

 

The absolute magic of Canada, you cannot begin to understand, it means so much to us.

To our friends and family in Antigonish, where we were welcomed with open arms at the farmers market, to our partners, suppliers and retailers across Canada and around the world - thank you.

To the Honourable Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, your gesture and gift is a moment our family will never, ever forget. Thank you for being a voice for the planet, for its people and for Peace.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Tareq Hadhad

CEO Peace By Chocolate And while focused on chocolate (dark 🙏 the best food ever) a final little diversion! Stumbled on an amazing Podcast which explores the origins and recent rediscovery (by non indigenous people) of the original wild chocolate cacao beans in the Amazon River region in South America. Incredible intrigue, adventures with dangerous animals, people, wild terrain and a feel good story about working with indigenous people to preserve a way of life. End result an 8 part Podcast series...if you like a little adventure...learning something new and simply want a little fun have a listen...oh and there is even an offer to purchase a taste of this Wild Chocolate! OBSESSIONS: Wild Chocolate · October 26, 2022 Stettler chocolate and Louisa Abrams from Brazil...one of the valiant intrepid wild chocolate explorers teamed up to create a rare taste of chocolate from 3 inspiring Amazonian communities... Purus River, Juruá River and Tocantin River.  Apparently the Experience box chocolate is like manna from heaven...and...well it is something that I simply have to try...yes $55 US (plus potential additional shipping costs to Canada) for 120 grams is a 😱price...however sometimes one simply has to accept “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity”.  I just have to figure out how to circumvent the “shipping only to US” requirement. If any blog readers in the US have any ideas...I’m listening...my credit is top notch! ☺️ The Experience Box - Stettler Chocolate So very close now the Canadian Camino de la Isla Adventure...talk soon! Note blogging on the Island Walk will be mercifully much shorter...some days it may just be pictures...unless of course I get inspired and a story emerges here and there. 😉