Last night was the cycling team year-end celebration party. Part of our tradition is to give crazy awards to everyone, it's pretty fun because they're usually so on target. I received the "Team Ghost" award! I hadn't ridden with the club all year. What a change from last year, when I was just elected club president and in regular e-mail and social contact with many of the club's members. I am once again reminded how so much has changed in this past year. One highlight though, Bob, a great guy who joined the club last year, is another who likes to hike and said he's going to plan some hikes now that cycling is winding to a close. I went on a few of Bob's hikes last year, each was a fun adventure.
I've been hiking with the Outdoor Club since the beginning of October. This group has been around for a long time and offers all sorts of outdoor activities. They have at least one hike a weekend, usually more, and they get a big turnout, at least on the hikes I've been on so far. Nice people too. Today, I joined them for a 10 mile hike on a new trail that when finished, will run 22 miles and be the second longest trail in the Pine Barrens, after the 50 mile Batona Trail. We did an out and back on the first section. Later this month, we'll do the same on the next section. It was a beautiful day and I felt really strong. I did remember to put some moleskin on that perpetual "hot spot" on my left foot and it made for a much nicer hike. Though I had always carried foot care "first aid" on hikes before Camino, it was there I came to fully appreciate that thing about an ounce of prevention!
I’m not quite sure when or how we decided to do the Camino Portuguese in May. It made a lot of sense to go in May for several reasons. We could take advantage of the extra day off from work for Memorial Day. The weather would be cooler and fewer pilgrims would be on the road than during the peak months of July and August.
I've been hiking with the Outdoor Club since the beginning of October. This group has been around for a long time and offers all sorts of outdoor activities. They have at least one hike a weekend, usually more, and they get a big turnout, at least on the hikes I've been on so far. Nice people too. Today, I joined them for a 10 mile hike on a new trail that when finished, will run 22 miles and be the second longest trail in the Pine Barrens, after the 50 mile Batona Trail. We did an out and back on the first section. Later this month, we'll do the same on the next section. It was a beautiful day and I felt really strong. I did remember to put some moleskin on that perpetual "hot spot" on my left foot and it made for a much nicer hike. Though I had always carried foot care "first aid" on hikes before Camino, it was there I came to fully appreciate that thing about an ounce of prevention!
I’m not quite sure when or how we decided to do the Camino Portuguese in May. It made a lot of sense to go in May for several reasons. We could take advantage of the extra day off from work for Memorial Day. The weather would be cooler and fewer pilgrims would be on the road than during the peak months of July and August.
While none of us were in a position to take four to six weeks off from work to do the full 800 kilometer Camino Frances, the classic Camino that everyone thinks of when you talk about Camino, I had hoped to do it in increments. Starting at St. Jean Pied-de-Port, going as far as vacation time would allow, then come back and pick up, year after year until reaching Santiago. Or at least, do the last part of the French Route, the last 100 or so kilometers to the Cathedral Santiago.
It was Karin’s idea to do the Portuguese Route. Though it made a certain sense, I was still disappointed. I had my heart set on the French Route, at least some portion of it! She pointed out that the entire Portuguese Route was only 200 kilometers and had far fewer pilgrims than the French Route but had good accommodations as it was the second most popular Camino. All in all, it would be a good beginner’s Camino, particularly since Ray, Karin’s husband, was still a bit of a reluctant pilgrim at that point, a name that would later stick, and Joe had begun to focus on a whole laundry list of potential unpleasantries that were more likely to be encountered on the far more populous French Route.
At that point, I just wanted to do a Camino. Any Camino. So Camino Portuguese it would be!
Here’s a link to one of the sites that describes the Camino Portuguese: http://www.mundicamino.com/
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