We're Off! Dancing Down the Camino....



“If we walk far enough," says Dorothy, "we shall sometime come to someplace.” 
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

 Logistical planning is complete and the 45 nights of accommodations are reserved. All walking gear has been tested, selected, and broken in.  Our pilgrim’s passport was authenticated yesterday and we lit a candle in Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont church. We bought a few small items at a pilgrim’s outfitter, more out of nervousness than need.




Our first stamp in our Pilgrim's Passport.
We'll need to get at least one stamp a day for
the entire time we walk the Camino.

Our Passports get stamped! 

In the cool, cloudy morning of April 17, 2015, we held hands and said our morning prayer. Then we walked through the Porte d’Espagne as have millions of pilgrims before us. We left St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally “Saint John at the Foot of the Pass”) and headed into the Pyrenees, the first of what will be one million steps on the camino to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.


Showing us the way for our
first leg of the Camino.

 John Brierly, author of the definitive guidebook for our route (the French Way or Camino Frances), said “… the pilgrimage starts the moment we become conscious that life itself is a sacred journey, carrying with it the responsibility to act accordingly.”  


Here’s our every-morning Camino prayer, adapted from our wedding ceremony in 1996:

Dear God,

Please make our relationship a great and holy adventure.  

Help us remain young.

Bring us together in heart and mind.  Save us from darkness.

May this relationship be a burst of light.

We surrender to You our conflicts and our burdens. 

We approach You with humble gratitude for the great joys and blessings in our lives. 

Help us not to forget that You are the cement between us.

Thank you for this love.  Amen

St Jean Pied de Port is an ancient walled city.

Water fountains like this are all along the Camino.
Note scallop shell...

Pilgrims line up at the St. James Office to get started...

St. Jean to Roncesvalles …

"Do not fear to step into the unknown. For where there is risk, there is also reward." 



The beginning ---
St Jean Pied de Port, France

Here's our recounting of our first two days on the Camino, 

We had prepared for as many contingencies as we thought we could control. Books read, gear selected, itinerary set, physical training complete, blessings received. All that was left was to start walking. 

The morning of April 17^th, 2015, we paused at Porte d’Espagne, the gate in the walled city of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, from which pilgrims traditionally depart on the “French Way” to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.



Full of apprehension and nervous energy, we took the first of what will be a million steps into the unknown. Over the coming 45 days,  we’ll be walking a path we’ve never been on, commencing with the grueling climb over the Pyrenees.

Our early Camino impressions:

It's not always easy to see the Way...

Totally alone. During our first two days we encountered only three pilgrims. Most pilgrims start over the Pyrenees in Roncesvalles, Spain, to avoid the arduous French hike over the pass.

Searching for the path. In the footsteps of several million pilgrims before us we expected a clearly marked path. But repeatedly we had to stop and search for the yellow arrow. Rarely, we walked along busy highways, sometimes on quiet country lanes, but most often we were on quiet narrow paths following racing streams and cutting through deep forests. It’s with a sense of wonder that we’re on the same path used in the 12^th century.



Jackrabbit up the hills...

Tortoise and hare. John climbs a steep slope with a slow steady step at a time, no stopping until he reaches the top.  Ning charges up a ways, rests, and then charges ahead again until we meet at the top. John hears a Hail Mary drifting in the air from time to time. It’s our personalities in action.



We prepared for rain...

Personally challenging. Beyond the daily walking distance, there’s an elevation difference of 1000 meters between St. Jean and the alpine pass to Roncesvalles. The route travels across valleys and ridges so we’d lean into our poles to struggle step by step up a steep slope, only to give it all back again with a slipperly descent to the valley floor. When we reached the pass with its howling winds, famous for its link to Charlemagne and Roland, we just nodded and hugged. No words were needed to understand the bond that we had just forged in hardship..




The Church in Roncesvalles has a Pilgrim Mass
every evening.  The town only has 30 people...

Spiritual. Roncesvalles, Spain, is rooted in the Camino. Its church, monastery, and huge hostel send off tens of thousands of pilgrims each year. In this ancient setting we were touched to be called forward with dozens of fellow pilgrims during an evening mass for a Camino blessing in many languages.


Camino humor as you reach the top of the Pyrenees



Roncesvalles to Pamplona …

The first two days over the Pyrenees beat the tar out of us. We were rendered nearly mute from exhaustion and we spent the evenings soaking in hot baths followed by early dinners and bed. Even John who has run 10 marathons said the Camino is tough.


Walking is still tough



Remarkably to us, we wake each morning fit, energetic, and ready for what the Camino was going to deal out.


Days 3 and 4 are both 13-milers on rough trails.

Roncesvalles is the traditional starting point for pilgrims. So after our first two days of Pyrenees solitude, it was jarring to start Day 3 in Roncesvalles with a herd of pilgrims. We found, though, that pilgrims settle into their own pace and by early afternoon we were again walking alone. 



A route marker along the Camino



Brierly is the walking guide that all pilgrims use.  It DID NOT warn us, though, that days three and four were us tough as cresting the Pyrenees.  Steep foothills, scrambling over rocky trails, long descents on muddy slopes.

Finding a tavern with lunch

(they only served sausage...)

 is a great break during a 7 hour hike.



Beaten up again, at the end of Day 4 we shuffled into a four-star hotel in Pamplona and slept 12 hours in luxury.  The next morning we put in a huge pile of stinky, muddy trail laundry. Two hours later a tray of folded clothes returned.  Our own little Camino miracle...

We’re on to the next leg!



Classic photo from the Camino

Mea Culpa Mountains

[Ning] ... There’s a profound spiritual aspect to the Camino.  Now that I know I can do it – steep paths, long distances – there is more time for reflection. 

Living more than half a century, there has been a lot of joy in my life – but I’ve also made mistakes.  Hurt people.  Not reached out.  Been thoughtless and insensitive.  Mistakes that have caused pain. 

And as I walk, I remember. 

The concept of penance seems old fashioned – but it’s a core part of the Camino.  It’s often why people made the pilgrimage in the middle ages. 

My penance is in the mountains and steep hills.  I name the hill for someone I’ve hurt – a mistake I’ve made - and as I walk, I pray. 

As I walk, I feel the discomfort.  And as I walk, I hope contrition and blessing is felt by that named person.  I pray they feel God’s love in a special way.  And I begin to forgive myself…

Pilgrims leave rocks on Camino path markers to
symbolize leaving their burdens behind... 

If you’re reading this blog, I’m certain there is a hill – or will be a hill – in your name.  And I hope you feel the presence of God as I lift you up in prayer. 

Camino training

Training in Milwaukee

The majority of pilgrims do not train beforehand.   They simply step onto the Camino and start walking.  We represent a middle ground. We didn’t subscribe to a regimented training schedule but we did do some testing of ourselves and our gear so the Camino wouldn’t totally ambush us.

Ning proved her mettle early on with cold weather hikes along rough Milwaukee River trails.  

Selecting the right hiking gear for the Camino was a major concern. We ordered dozens of items from Amazon and returned most as we screened what would go on the Camino with us.  Ning tried at least 10 different pairs of shoes in her search for that magic combination of comfort, support, and a bit of princess style.

Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast...

While we were in Bay St. Louis in early 2015 Ning walked 10-miles in what she thought were her perfect shoes. Disaster!  Major blisters by Mile 8 and she finished the hike in her stocking feet. With the clock ticking down on our departure date she ordered some red Solomon trail runners and wore them constantly to break them in.

In March we spent a couple of weeks in Denver and took several confidence-building hikes on Green Mountain and Cherry Creek Parkway.  Her Solomons proved to be winners. 

On our cruise across the Atlantic we were the ship hamsters who looped the upper deck, 10 times around per mile. 

Madiera Island, Portugal 

While on Madeira Island in Portugal,  we signed up for a “moderate” hiking excursion along the lavadas (irrigation canals) to do some final Camino training.  “Moderate” translated into seven hours of scrambling up and down slopes on narrow, slippery paths with steep drop-offs to valley far below, all in a cold driving rain that took Ning close to her quitting point.

With all of that under our belt we felt geared up and ready when we stepped onto the Camino. 

We're now four days into the Camino and sobered by how tough this pilgrimage truly is. Two days on steep trails over the Pyrenees followed by two back-to-back 13-mile days on rocky trails.  

Our training certainly helped us through, but the Camino is already teaching us that we have to go beyond ourselves. We arrived in Pamplona on Day 4 by leaning on faith and each other.

Pamploma to Puente del Reina …

60 miles down --
440 to go!

Our two nights in Pamplona allowed us one full day of R&R – sleeping in, getting our laundry done, meeting Camino friend Laura for a leisurely lunch on the main plaza, writing blogs.

Our new friend, Laura.  We met
via the Camino Forum



There’s a huge difference between a walk like this and a vacation -- museums, palaces, cathedrals, Hemingway will be there for us on another visit. 

The paths are
surprisingly steep...note
hikers in the
background..

Pamplona is in the distance

Well rested, we step into walking day number five from Pamplona to Puente del Reina (Queen’s Bridge). It’s our longest yet at 14 miles. Calculating in the 500-meter ascent it’s a 15.5-mile day.

From 8:00 am to 3:30 pm we worked our way through Pamplona streets and university campuses, ascended into the countryside for two hours to cross the Alto del Perdon (Hill of Forgiveness), slipped and slid back down a steep path full of loose stones, and then traversed miles of quiet paths with endless vistas of colorful farm fields and mountains.



Ning says hello to her
friend, Mary...

We gave one of our Miraculous Medal pins to a man from Mexico (many pilgrims have their country's flags on their backpacks).  Later in the day, he specifically came to thank us, nearly in tears.  “You gave me this at the perfect time…”



The sun shines on John...



We try to be careful about preparing our day packs for expected weather. What we’re learning is that the mountains can throw anything at us in April.  Today we went from steamy heat and bright sunshine to howling cold winds on the pass to occasional rain showers in the afternoon.



As on previous days, our pace was reduced to an exhausted pilgrim shuffle for the final 2-3 miles. The only consolation is that looking ahead and behind us, even the young pilgrims were doing the same tired shuffle.



This evening we’ll meet Toronto pilgrims Fred and Arlene for dinner. There are plenty of Camino stories to share.

Alto de Perdon --
Mount of Forgiveness -- part of the Pyrenees we hiked today. 



Cafes along the Camino cater to
walking Pilgrims

Following the Camino is like a
treasure hunt.  These scallop
shells were embedded in the
sidewalk of a small villiage. 



100 Miles!

Getting ready for rain

Since leaving Pamplona we’ve been averaging 13 miles a day with overnights in the ancient pilgrimage towns of Puenta de la Reina, Estella, Los Arcos, Viana, and Logrono. Our starting point in France is now 100 miles behind us, a distance covered by car in 2-1/2 hours.

Camino Rhythm

We’re feeling centuries removed from cars. Our daily routine is all about walking with pilgrims.

That Paul Simon line, “I get the news I need from the weather report …” is so true.  We study the forecast in the morning to dress accordingly. We consult our Brierly guide to determine how much water and food to carry.  We say  our morning prayer and then we’re off with no more of a plan than to follow scallop shells and yellow arrows. 

Most pilgrims (including us) set off soon after sunrise. Our day begins with a view of pilgrims stretching out ahead and behind us as far as we can see. But within an hour or two everyone has settled into their own personal pace and we’re again walking all by ourselves, no one else in sight. 

People we've met so far...

When an Italian Pilgrim passes us on a rough stretch of trail and says, "Molto brutale!" we are instantly speaking the same language. 

Here are a few other people we've met on the way...

We give pilgrims we meet
one of our special pins..









Laura, from Phoenix is walking the  Camino after retirement, like us. 

She recognized me from the Camino Forum!

Elijah and Dan are a cheerful father and son team
doing a section of the Camino together.



A Sister of the Sacred Heart running a refugio for Pilgrims. 

She reminded me of my own beloved Sister Diane. 

Dan, an 80 year old former Catholic priest
has done the Camino 12 times...

We were in awe of this pilgrim limping along alone.and never giving up.  
He was touched when we gave him a pin..

.

Wevwere amazed at how this dog shoved
the sheep into the pen...