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Upcoming 500mile/800km hike: Southern France, over Pyrenees Mtns, then across Spain
- Thread starter Melensdad
- Start date
Much better day today. Made it to the top of the ridge over Pamplona where the pilgrim monument stands. Not quite a half mile vertical climb. Harder getting down as it was very steep and rocky on the back side.
It is safe to assume that if you see a hill or mountain in any of my photos the 1) we climbed it -or- 2) we are about to climb it.
It is safe to assume that if you see a hill or mountain in any of my photos the 1) we climbed it -or- 2) we are about to climb it.
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So we are at the geographical middle of the Camino de Santiago, arriving today in Sahagun ... by bus! The lovely Mrs Bob is having blister issues. Wearing the same boots she wore when we hiked across England, she did not anticipate blister issues.
We picked up a pair of Teva hiking sandals, which have been good and bad. Good because they don't rub anywhere where blisters from her boots had formed, but bad because she wore them (AGAINST MY ADVICE) without socks. So she got some new blisters.
At what point can I say: "I told you so!"?
In any case we are taking 48 hours off of hiking for healing. The trail has generally become easier, flatter, and smoother. It has its days. One morning a few days ago we had a 1050 meter ascent as the temps climbed to nearly 90. We counted 9 death markers on that hill, most of them on the downslope. Most days we don't pass any death markers.
We've hiked most of the trail so far, hopped on a bus for a couple very short runs due to her blisters, but most days we walk our entire planned route, then do it again tgne next day and again....
While we are at the 1/2 way point of the Camino, we are only about 1/3rd of the way of our planned route. Wi-Fi is available most nights but its very unreliable.
Overall we are very much enjoying the walk. We've found that our little cheats of hopping on the bus (maybe 5% of our mileage) is not unusual as many others do the same. In fact we rode on the bus today to our next location where we had a room booked but several others on the bus are people we've walked with and they took the bus all the way to Leon, a destination that is a 2 or 3 day walk from where we are sitting. So 'skipping' ahead seems to be common. We chose only to skip to our next planned stop, but both young and older skipped several days in a single bus ride. And we did it due to blisters. Not saying we are more pure. I don't think this is about that. Everyone who does it does it for their own reasons, and can only do it in their own way. 90+ degree days walking 12 to 16 miles, even if on flat ground is gruelling when you do it day after day after day. Its easy to do once. Do it for a few days and it beats you down, a couple weeks and all you do is look forward to going to bed.
We picked up a pair of Teva hiking sandals, which have been good and bad. Good because they don't rub anywhere where blisters from her boots had formed, but bad because she wore them (AGAINST MY ADVICE) without socks. So she got some new blisters.
At what point can I say: "I told you so!"?
In any case we are taking 48 hours off of hiking for healing. The trail has generally become easier, flatter, and smoother. It has its days. One morning a few days ago we had a 1050 meter ascent as the temps climbed to nearly 90. We counted 9 death markers on that hill, most of them on the downslope. Most days we don't pass any death markers.
We've hiked most of the trail so far, hopped on a bus for a couple very short runs due to her blisters, but most days we walk our entire planned route, then do it again tgne next day and again....
While we are at the 1/2 way point of the Camino, we are only about 1/3rd of the way of our planned route. Wi-Fi is available most nights but its very unreliable.
Overall we are very much enjoying the walk. We've found that our little cheats of hopping on the bus (maybe 5% of our mileage) is not unusual as many others do the same. In fact we rode on the bus today to our next location where we had a room booked but several others on the bus are people we've walked with and they took the bus all the way to Leon, a destination that is a 2 or 3 day walk from where we are sitting. So 'skipping' ahead seems to be common. We chose only to skip to our next planned stop, but both young and older skipped several days in a single bus ride. And we did it due to blisters. Not saying we are more pure. I don't think this is about that. Everyone who does it does it for their own reasons, and can only do it in their own way. 90+ degree days walking 12 to 16 miles, even if on flat ground is gruelling when you do it day after day after day. Its easy to do once. Do it for a few days and it beats you down, a couple weeks and all you do is look forward to going to bed.
Water is heavy but I make sure we carry it. There are little villages along tghe trail, some have a bar where we can get water, food, etc. Some not. So I make sure we have plenty.
I'm having foot pain, left foot, I attribute it to my arthritis. First 5km I'm pain free. 6-15 km and I feel the pain building. Over 15 and I'm in pain. We average 20-25km a day! So the last few can be issues for me. If we take a couple breaks, and I remove my hiking shoe and let my foot get some rest I manage better.
I'm also having shoulder pain from my new backpack. I left my favorite pack at home and that was a dumb move. I bought a smaller pact that is unstructured (no rigid frame) and it just doesn't have the load carrying capacity so its miserable to carry with the amount of weight I'm hauling. I'm packed as light as possible but then add in my C-PAP machine and supp!ies, and add AT LEAST 2 liters of water, and the frameless pack simp!y pulls on my shoulders. A framed pack puts the weight on your hips instead of shouldrs.
And I'm totally to blame for my pack issue. My regular pack won't fit on RyanAir with going through baggage check. I wanted to carry on only so I bought this pack. Yup, idiot.
We only flew RyanAir from London to Biarritz.
I may have Melen bring my good pack when she flies here to join us, if I do I will abandon the pack I brought! She is not flying RyanAir and can simply check through my empty pack. And its not ththhat the pack i bought is a bad pack, it just cant manage the weight, especiallt with the water.
Food is great. At least the good food is great. There are special Pilgrim Menus. Those are crap. We typically seek out restaurants that cater to locals if we can find them.
I'm having foot pain, left foot, I attribute it to my arthritis. First 5km I'm pain free. 6-15 km and I feel the pain building. Over 15 and I'm in pain. We average 20-25km a day! So the last few can be issues for me. If we take a couple breaks, and I remove my hiking shoe and let my foot get some rest I manage better.
I'm also having shoulder pain from my new backpack. I left my favorite pack at home and that was a dumb move. I bought a smaller pact that is unstructured (no rigid frame) and it just doesn't have the load carrying capacity so its miserable to carry with the amount of weight I'm hauling. I'm packed as light as possible but then add in my C-PAP machine and supp!ies, and add AT LEAST 2 liters of water, and the frameless pack simp!y pulls on my shoulders. A framed pack puts the weight on your hips instead of shouldrs.
And I'm totally to blame for my pack issue. My regular pack won't fit on RyanAir with going through baggage check. I wanted to carry on only so I bought this pack. Yup, idiot.
We only flew RyanAir from London to Biarritz.
I may have Melen bring my good pack when she flies here to join us, if I do I will abandon the pack I brought! She is not flying RyanAir and can simply check through my empty pack. And its not ththhat the pack i bought is a bad pack, it just cant manage the weight, especiallt with the water.
Food is great. At least the good food is great. There are special Pilgrim Menus. Those are crap. We typically seek out restaurants that cater to locals if we can find them.
Bought a new, larger, internal frame backpack today. Its our last full day in Leon and we will not see a city this large until we reach the end. Bought larger so I could carry some of my wife,'s stuff. Bought internal frame pack so I can carry a bigger load without pain. Donated the pack I brought to the Pilgrim shelter run by the sisters of the Dominant Order here in Leon.
We leave, by bus, to Astorga after lunch on Wednesday. I have us booked in a hotel there for2 days. Hopefully the 3 days here in Leon, plus 2 more in Astorga, plus carrying a smaller load, will allow the Lovely Mrs Bob's leg to heal enough to continue. We don't have another rest opportunity for another 6 days when we need to be in Sarria. We will be there 2 days and Melen + our Goddaughter will be meeting us there.
We pass lots of big bushes with yellow flowers that trigger my allergies. Smell pretty. Make me sneeze
Some days we pass markers where people died. Some days none. Some days a lot. A few days back we counted 9. Terrain coming into Leon was mostly flat, nearly treeless and lately on gravel paths. Boring. Like hiking across Kansas. Except we passed a lot of oats and barley instead of wheat.
We go back into mountains after Astorga. You can see them in one of the photos below. At least we are NOT going to hit tghe peaks of any of them like we did in the Pyrenees range. We will cross at passes instead of peaks.
We leave, by bus, to Astorga after lunch on Wednesday. I have us booked in a hotel there for2 days. Hopefully the 3 days here in Leon, plus 2 more in Astorga, plus carrying a smaller load, will allow the Lovely Mrs Bob's leg to heal enough to continue. We don't have another rest opportunity for another 6 days when we need to be in Sarria. We will be there 2 days and Melen + our Goddaughter will be meeting us there.
We pass lots of big bushes with yellow flowers that trigger my allergies. Smell pretty. Make me sneeze
Some days we pass markers where people died. Some days none. Some days a lot. A few days back we counted 9. Terrain coming into Leon was mostly flat, nearly treeless and lately on gravel paths. Boring. Like hiking across Kansas. Except we passed a lot of oats and barley instead of wheat.
We go back into mountains after Astorga. You can see them in one of the photos below. At least we are NOT going to hit tghe peaks of any of them like we did in the Pyrenees range. We will cross at passes instead of peaks.
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Made it to Astorga Spainthe Camino de Santiago trail is right outside our door. Staying in the Gaudi Hotel with a balcony that overlooks Antonio Gaudi's Episcopal Palace. The Cathedral is just to the left of our balcony and we are hoping the bells don't ring every 15 at nighttime too!
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Antonio Gaudi's Episcopal Palace and the Cathedral of Astorga as a storm rolls into the city just as the sun begins to set. The Camino de Santiago trail runs right along the front of the cathedral. Dinner tonight was local food served on the terrace at a small cafe. Morcilla (local blood sausage from the Leon region) & eggs, Ensalda Mixta, Lentil soup with sausage and potato. Followed up with Lemon mousse and all washed down with Vino Blanco.
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tiredretired
The Old Salt
I hope all those people who died along that trail were not doing what you and Mrs Bob are. Jeesh, that would not be a good omen for me and I am NOT superstitious.
Sounds like you guys are having a fun time. The food looks delicious.
Stop thinking about your recliner. I know you are, that will not do you any good right now.
Sounds like you guys are having a fun time. The food looks delicious.
Stop thinking about your recliner. I know you are, that will not do you any good right now.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Any updates?
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Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Getting ready to get back out this morning.
Yesterday was a bad day. Just asphalt and ugly along the highways. Hurt my feet. Gave up a d hopped in a cab for 5 miles and am glad I did..
Back into hills and woods again. Temps down today, should be about 75 F for the high. It has been mid-90's so we are happy its cooling off.
The Lovely Mrs_Bob is plagued with blisters. She's using her comfortable boots, good socks, etc. New blisters daily. Me, I'm holding up well, think I got 1 blister a couple weeks ago?
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Beautiful weather, temps in the 70's, afternoon sun was warm but there was enough cloud cover to prevent us from overheating. Married over 30 years, traveling with smiles on our faces. Sockmonkey has been riding on my chest strap, carrying a monkey on my back was too much of a burden.
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Melen and our Goddaughter Morgan arrive in Spain and started hiking with us today.
Foggy morning in Galicia. Out before 7; the sun took its time to burn off the fog. Didn't clear for a couple hours. The 'perfume' of cow manure scents the air all over the Galician countryside, it's especially sweet (?) when there is no breeze and the moist still air concentrates the scent. Despite the ever present reminder of the cattle, the hiking was mostly on trails, the temps were mostly cool, we couldn't have asked for better conditions ... Well maybe a fresh breeze!
Foggy morning in Galicia. Out before 7; the sun took its time to burn off the fog. Didn't clear for a couple hours. The 'perfume' of cow manure scents the air all over the Galician countryside, it's especially sweet (?) when there is no breeze and the moist still air concentrates the scent. Despite the ever present reminder of the cattle, the hiking was mostly on trails, the temps were mostly cool, we couldn't have asked for better conditions ... Well maybe a fresh breeze!
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Distance marker 0.00 KM at Finisterre (the end of the Earth) on the Costa de Morte (coast of death) which has hundreds of shipwrecks littering the rocky coastline.
We are now poolside in Santiago. Skipped going up to Muxia because the Feast of St James holiday festival starts today in Santiago with fireworks over the city. Our hotel is high on a hill so we hope to have a good view of fireworks. We got back to Santiago today (by taxi). Figure we walked 550 - 575 miles. Bit shorter than our plan but wanted to make sure we got back for the festival. The girls have blister and aches and pains so us old people took pity on them!
We are now poolside in Santiago. Skipped going up to Muxia because the Feast of St James holiday festival starts today in Santiago with fireworks over the city. Our hotel is high on a hill so we hope to have a good view of fireworks. We got back to Santiago today (by taxi). Figure we walked 550 - 575 miles. Bit shorter than our plan but wanted to make sure we got back for the festival. The girls have blister and aches and pains so us old people took pity on them!
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I would like you to look at the backpacks, this carried all the things we needed for 45+ days of travel.
The lovely Mrs Bob has a 30 liter pack. I changed my pack mid trip, donated my 35 liter pack and bought a 40. My 35 was frameless and miserable to carry with tghe weight I was carrying. Since my wife was walking injured for about 350 of the miles we hiked I bought a slightly larger bag and got an internal frame design to allow me to carry more weight so we were able to move some things out of her pack and I to my new pack.
We carried everything. No luggage transfer service. No suitcases that were transported. If it didn't fit in the bags we simply didn't have it with us. Also bear in mind I carried a CPAP machine, it was the heaviest and largest thing carried.
We both had spare room in our packs.
The lovely Mrs Bob has a 30 liter pack. I changed my pack mid trip, donated my 35 liter pack and bought a 40. My 35 was frameless and miserable to carry with tghe weight I was carrying. Since my wife was walking injured for about 350 of the miles we hiked I bought a slightly larger bag and got an internal frame design to allow me to carry more weight so we were able to move some things out of her pack and I to my new pack.
We carried everything. No luggage transfer service. No suitcases that were transported. If it didn't fit in the bags we simply didn't have it with us. Also bear in mind I carried a CPAP machine, it was the heaviest and largest thing carried.
We both had spare room in our packs.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
I admire and envy you guys. I only wish I could go on an adventure like you did. Thanks for taking us along on your journey.
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Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Fireworks over Santiago
Maybe after you are fully recovered!
There have been some parts worse than others. Some pretty amazing parts. Some more difficult than expected and a lot more beautiful than imagined.
The last couple weeks, with our daughter and Goddaughter were a whole new challenge. Mel is still recovering from back surgery so we knew we'd have that to deal with. Figured she would walk but that we would forward her backpack. That happened. But some days she could only walk 1/2 distance and needed a cab. Semi-expected that so not a huge surprise.
What was a bigger surprise was our Goddaughter. First she got a tiny blister, would have thought the world was coming to an end. Then found out how much of a picky eater she is ... that presents a huge problem in rural Spain. Pretty much limited to eggs and toast. Seriously? And would not try anything new. Honestly wanted to let her starve. Figured if hungry enough she'd eat. She ordered chicken one night, it had bones ... and it was dark meat! The horror!!!
And every hill, even a small bump in the trail, was met with a sigh. A loud audible sigh. Uh we are in a hilly region WTF did she expect? One day at dinner with some other hikers we met my wife mentioned changing our plans, going yo Portugal or down to Madrid, our G-D was thrilled to hear she might go to a city, visit shopping malls, eat Mc Donalds ... but one look in my direction and she realized those dreams were destroyed. No clue what she expected but this is a HIKING trip. Not a walk for an hour a day trip. A walk for 6, 8, or more hours a day, day after day, every day. We warned her. And her parents.
Down to the last 48 hoursd and I'm done catering to a kid.
Maybe after you are fully recovered!
There have been some parts worse than others. Some pretty amazing parts. Some more difficult than expected and a lot more beautiful than imagined.
The last couple weeks, with our daughter and Goddaughter were a whole new challenge. Mel is still recovering from back surgery so we knew we'd have that to deal with. Figured she would walk but that we would forward her backpack. That happened. But some days she could only walk 1/2 distance and needed a cab. Semi-expected that so not a huge surprise.
What was a bigger surprise was our Goddaughter. First she got a tiny blister, would have thought the world was coming to an end. Then found out how much of a picky eater she is ... that presents a huge problem in rural Spain. Pretty much limited to eggs and toast. Seriously? And would not try anything new. Honestly wanted to let her starve. Figured if hungry enough she'd eat. She ordered chicken one night, it had bones ... and it was dark meat! The horror!!!
And every hill, even a small bump in the trail, was met with a sigh. A loud audible sigh. Uh we are in a hilly region WTF did she expect? One day at dinner with some other hikers we met my wife mentioned changing our plans, going yo Portugal or down to Madrid, our G-D was thrilled to hear she might go to a city, visit shopping malls, eat Mc Donalds ... but one look in my direction and she realized those dreams were destroyed. No clue what she expected but this is a HIKING trip. Not a walk for an hour a day trip. A walk for 6, 8, or more hours a day, day after day, every day. We warned her. And her parents.Down to the last 48 hoursd and I'm done catering to a kid.
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MNoutdoors RIP
Gone But Not Forgotten
O by the way when you were gone there were a couple of homeless members of the forumsforums that needed a place to stay so we let them remodel you house
it's been the worst year I have seen for mice this year....... Not sure if that means it going to be a bad winter or what . But at least there was a bumper crop of those little critters. Good for the fox I guess.
Glad to see you both made it back safe. And with great memory's blisters and sore parts will heal. We were worried for a while, with all those markers you kept showing
it's been the worst year I have seen for mice this year....... Not sure if that means it going to be a bad winter or what . But at least there was a bumper crop of those little critters. Good for the fox I guess. Glad to see you both made it back safe. And with great memory's blisters and sore parts will heal. We were worried for a while, with all those markers you kept showing
A bit of reflection. The trail from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago is roughly 500 miles. Of that, I think I really enjoyed the first 440 miles. The farther away from Santiago we were the fewer the people who were on the trail so we had tranquility when we chose to find it and we had the occasional trail companions when we chose to find them and walk with them.
At each major city (Pamplona, Burgos, Logrono, Leon, etc) more people would join the trail as they used those cities as their starting points because of ease of transportation to get to those cities from whatever airport they flew into. So we'd meet some new people along the way but the trail was still a tranquil trail. People and help were never far, but you could still hike alone if you wished or hike with people if you chose.
And then we got to the 440 mile point at the medium size town of Sarria. Sarria is the "unofficial starting point" of the Camino for the vast majority of the walkers. The Catholic Church requires you hike 100km to earn a "Compostela" and Sarria is the closest town along the trail that is just outside of the 100km minimum that has enough infrastructure to support the hoards of 'pilgrims' who join the trail for the last 100km.
So in Sarria there come tour buses. LOTS of tour buses. I had been told that the trail population QUADRUPLES at Sarria. I parroted this many times but I believe it is wrong. I believe that the trail population increases by TEN FOLD.
But the point I'm trying to make is that the whole personality of the trail changed. It was a 'culture shock' for those of us who had been on the trail for 25-35 days to merge into this sea of humanity.
Quite literally by the very last day there were so many people on the trail into Santiago that it was a line of humanity that stretched as far as the eye could see. Reminded me of animals, lined up 2 by 2, going into the Ark for Noah.
If I were to do this again (and I might) I'd choose a route that takes us into Santiago via a different route.
Not sure how my wife walked with the bad blisters, which made her walk funny and that gave her shin splints, and then the swelling edema that developed from the shin splints. She did it. And while she was in pain for most of the hike (at least 350 miles of it) she still had fun.
As for the memorial markers, not sure if I wrote this before or not but I took photos of every one I saw. I'm sure I missed quite a few as some were hidden by weeds/brush, sometimes there were markers on both sides of the trail and I'd miss one, etc. But all the markers were reasonably new markers so I figure for every marker that I saw there were probably 100 people who died for each marker. Figure if all the memorial markers were from the past few decades, but this trail is 1000 years old, it makes sense that a lot of people died along the way.
At each major city (Pamplona, Burgos, Logrono, Leon, etc) more people would join the trail as they used those cities as their starting points because of ease of transportation to get to those cities from whatever airport they flew into. So we'd meet some new people along the way but the trail was still a tranquil trail. People and help were never far, but you could still hike alone if you wished or hike with people if you chose.
And then we got to the 440 mile point at the medium size town of Sarria. Sarria is the "unofficial starting point" of the Camino for the vast majority of the walkers. The Catholic Church requires you hike 100km to earn a "Compostela" and Sarria is the closest town along the trail that is just outside of the 100km minimum that has enough infrastructure to support the hoards of 'pilgrims' who join the trail for the last 100km.
So in Sarria there come tour buses. LOTS of tour buses. I had been told that the trail population QUADRUPLES at Sarria. I parroted this many times but I believe it is wrong. I believe that the trail population increases by TEN FOLD.
- There are high school groups from around Spain that join, groups of 30-50-100 kids walking in groups, singing, playing music, etc. These kids are nice, polite, but LOUD. The tranquility of the trial is shattered. Many seem to actually be Catholic and walking for religious reasons.
- Tour hikers/walkers join the trail. We ran into groups of American teachers who joined for a 1 week hike. They didn't seem to be religious hikers, they were a mix of fitness hikers, tourist hikers and certainly some religious hikers too.
- Individuals on vacation and individuals on pilgrimage joined the trail in addition to the tour groups.
- Tourist hikers by the busload showed up from all over the world. They wore running shoes, and shorts and had a luggage service haul their bags from town to town.
But the point I'm trying to make is that the whole personality of the trail changed. It was a 'culture shock' for those of us who had been on the trail for 25-35 days to merge into this sea of humanity.
Quite literally by the very last day there were so many people on the trail into Santiago that it was a line of humanity that stretched as far as the eye could see. Reminded me of animals, lined up 2 by 2, going into the Ark for Noah.
If I were to do this again (and I might) I'd choose a route that takes us into Santiago via a different route.
Why should this year be any different than any other year
Thanks. We've been home for about 10 days and things here are returning to normal.Glad to see you both made it back safe. And with great memory's blisters and sore parts will heal. We were worried for a while, with all those markers you kept showing
Not sure how my wife walked with the bad blisters, which made her walk funny and that gave her shin splints, and then the swelling edema that developed from the shin splints. She did it. And while she was in pain for most of the hike (at least 350 miles of it) she still had fun.
As for the memorial markers, not sure if I wrote this before or not but I took photos of every one I saw. I'm sure I missed quite a few as some were hidden by weeds/brush, sometimes there were markers on both sides of the trail and I'd miss one, etc. But all the markers were reasonably new markers so I figure for every marker that I saw there were probably 100 people who died for each marker. Figure if all the memorial markers were from the past few decades, but this trail is 1000 years old, it makes sense that a lot of people died along the way.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Time to revive this old thread. Our minister, her husband, brother, and a friend from church left in April for 8 weeks on the Camino attempting to walk the whole thing in that time. I have been following her daily updates as they traveled along. Yesterday however, after they arrived at their hotel from walking 30km, her husband, a retired doctor, suffered a stroke. He is now resting in a hospital in Spain.
My best to both of them. Not sure how they treat strokes in Spain but hopefully it was mild and hopefully he will recover. FWIW, I think it took us about a month to do the Camino and while some days were pretty rough and grueling, most seamed pretty relaxing, even if long. That included a few tourist days in cities like Pamplona.
30km in one day is a VERY LONG day. The heat and hills take their toll.
From one walker to another, I hope he recovers and continues. It becomes very psycologically addicting to continue. We walked the last 120km with my daughter (who had back surgery 2 years before and couldn't finish some of our days so she took a cab for the final couple of miles on several days ... everyone loaded their backpacks into the trunk and sent them ahead, EXCEPT for me, I want to finish carrying everything, and I did). Honestly if his stroke was mild I suspect he will be pushing himself to get back out to walk. I wish him well
30km in one day is a VERY LONG day. The heat and hills take their toll.
From one walker to another, I hope he recovers and continues. It becomes very psycologically addicting to continue. We walked the last 120km with my daughter (who had back surgery 2 years before and couldn't finish some of our days so she took a cab for the final couple of miles on several days ... everyone loaded their backpacks into the trunk and sent them ahead, EXCEPT for me, I want to finish carrying everything, and I did). Honestly if his stroke was mild I suspect he will be pushing himself to get back out to walk. I wish him well