Category: Camino Frances 2024

Hola! I have just a few weeks left now and it looks like I’m in for some more rain. The remnants of Hurricane Kirk are arriving in northwestern Spain this week. Who knew hurricanes went up the Atlantic, west of Spain?

My new Hoka shoes are working out nicely. They’re very comfortable and are surprisingly “grippy” on rocks and other slippery surfaces. At the end of the day my feet may be tired but they’re no longer bruised and aching. My blisters are healing up.

As I write this, I have 11 days left to Santiago and, along with other pilgrims I’ve spoken to, I’m kind of tired of the daily routine, of the limited palette of food on offer, and of the end-of-the-season fatigue our hosts and their facilities are exhibiting.

That said, I often imagine that just over the next hill I’ll see the Santiago cathedral bell towers, which will mean my trip finale is very close, and that is exciting.

I continue to meet interesting pilgrims, such as the fast-moving trio of retired military guys from Canada and a charming couple from Missouri. Some have had to endure falls, sprains, illnesses, and just plain bad luck; which helps put my complaints into perspective.

It’s surprising that so many lodgings here have poor WiFi and Internet service. The WiFi is often unsecured or too weak to reach the rooms or spotty; the Internet is often slow and unreliable. Given that they’re something almost every guest, and certainly every pilgrim, will use, you’d think they’d be a priority instead of a seeming afterthought.

This week will include the fearsome climb to the tiny mountaintop town of O Cebriero and I’m wondering about the wisdom of tackling it after several days of rain have muddied everything up. It may turn into another instance of having to fund the local taxi industry. Sigh.

Nevertheless, progress is being made and the countdown to Santiago is on! Thanks for joining me.

Cheers!

Every Camino has its challenges but this one is quickly making the previous two look easy. In addition to the awful storms the first few days for my passage over the Pyrenees, we’ve recently had morning temperatures as low as 37 F and more lousy weather.

The most recent affront was a 17-Km stretch with no facilities or cafes, where I walked struggling into a 25-mph headwind and horizontal rain for five hours. Ooof, that really sucked. There’s really no fun in being cold, soaked to the bone, with diminished visibility through rain-speckled glasses, wind howling in your poncho hood, and having no recourse but to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Then there’s the challenge of trying to get your clothes, shoes, etc. dry overnight in a hostel with no laundry facilities, and no heat because “it’s only September”.

I decided I was just done with that, so when there was a repeat of the nasty weather the next day, I slept in and took a taxi to my next destination. Say what?!

Yep, as mentioned earlier, I’m passing over a vast plateau called The Meseta and many pilgrims find it boring, so they skip it by taking the train from Burgos to Leon, or by using some other form of transportation. This is perfectly acceptable to the Camino authorities. Even the John Brierly Camino Guide, the bible of The Way, suggests places where taking a public bus is practical. So, there are lots of ways to do the Camino and last time I walked every inch. This time is a little different.

That said, I’m glad it’s not 95-degrees and I’m not walking drenched in sweat, dying from the heat. The last few days in Leon have been sunny and pleasant, so I’m enjoying my day off here.

Did you notice my new shoes above? My trusty old Keen Targhee II hiking boots just continued to trash my feet and my ball-of-foot blister is just not healing. So, in a radical change, I bought a pair of Hoka Mafate Speed 4s. I’d guess 90% of the other pilgrims I see are wearing some kind of trail runners or gym shoes, and at least half of them are wearing Hokas. So, starting tomorrow, I’m giving them a go. I was lucky to find a store here in Leon with a great staff and a wonderful inventory that included size 14s. The Hokas are very lightweight compared to my hiking boots and have outstanding sole cushioning. And the color scheme guarantees I’ll be seen crossing the road. More later on my experience with them.

I got a bit of a shock yesterday at an ”English Pub” where they served me a Guinness by putting a can of it into a dispenser and pulling on a tap handle that emptied it into a glass. No keg, no nitrogen tap. The device kind of looks like a tap if you don’t look too closely. It’s called a Guinness MicroDraught (see picture below). The beer came out looking correct and it tasted fine. I had to laugh, though. Is this the future of draft beer?

In Sahagun, I shared a cafe table with five very wet Italian youngsters. One poor girl’s Pilgrim Passport, shown above, had gotten wet and some of its stamps were smeared. They were covering something like 35 Kms a day and were also looking for accommodations day-by-day, which was not a good approach given the weather. I was able to help them out by suggesting a place for them a few towns ahead; they phoned and were able to reserve some rooms. They were very grateful and bought me a cappuccino, and with a Ciao! they were off down the road.

I’ve officially crossed the halfway point in this Camino, and I have just 18 more days to go until Marti flies in to meet me in Santiago. I’ll continue to let you know how it goes, so thanks for coming along. Cheers.

My Camino continues, as does the cooler weather. This past week has seen stops in Belorado, Villafrance Montes de Oca, Atapuerca, Burgos, Hornillos de Camino, Castrojeriz, and Fromista.

Some places and buildings I remember clearly from previous years, but others take me quite by surprise. And so I get the comfort of familiarity and also the fun of unexpected recognition. I had a day off in Fromista but it’s not something I would willingly repeat. There is nothing to do in town and my accommodations were boring and without the company of fellow pilgrims.

The shoe intervention I envisioned in Burgos was not to be; not many stores stock size 14 in Europe. I have tended my blisters with care and stayed off my feet when possible, and they’ve healed some. I’m trying out a pair of Injinji “toe socks”. We’ll have to see what Week 4 brings.

One company has cornered the market on cheap paella and pizza in cafes and taverns all across Spain. Places that sign up are given glossy menus (shown above), posters, and sidewalk signs. I tried the pizza (very average) and a friend tried the seafood and black squid ink paella (pronounced it “bland”). But the portions are generous and the cost is low, so it’s not a total loss. It’s the ubiquitous presence of these products across Spain that fascinates me. Someone did a great sales and marketing job.

Speaking of food, I’ve broken bread this past week with pilgrims from Australia, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. And with a retired firefighter from Houston, who despite being a Texan turned out to be be surprisingly liberal. It’s impressive that English is so widely, and well, spoken around the world.

The coming week will see the end of The Meseta, the vast high plateau I’ve been crossing all week, which will take me into the big city of Leon. I’ll have a rest day in a luxury hotel room with a bathtub there! Time for a good, therapeutic soak.

Thanks for joining me on this trek, and for your comments and support. Cheers!

If my first week on the Camino was marked with unexpected rain, the second week has been dry but with chilly starts. For example, it was 39 F one day and I had to go buy a fleece jacket and layer all my clothes on just to stay warm. Most days have warmed up nicely into the 60s eventually but this spell of cool weather is unexpected. That said, it’s nicer than struggling with a blasting sun and 95-degree heat.

The last week has taken me through Puente la Reina, Estella, Los Arcos, Viana, Navarrete, Najera, and Santo Domingo. I’ve met a lot of interesting people, eaten some good and some pretty awful meals, and developed some completely unexpected foot blisters. So everything has not gone to plan.

At this point in the Camino, it’s not uncommon to see a lot of pilgrims dealing with physical issues. And there are plenty of knee braces, taped ankles, and hobbling pilgrims to be seen. I’m in the latter group but my limp really appears only at the end of the day, not on the trail. Heavy doses of determination, ibuprofen, and Tylenol are being deployed. I’ll be in the larger city of Burgos in two days and a visit to the outdoor gear shop for new shoes may be in the cards. And before you ask, yes, I walked almost 50 miles in my current Keen hiking boots during training, so they were properly broken in. And I stop each day at the halfway point to change socks. All this worked splendidly during my last Camino, so why I’m having problems now is a mystery.

I have been surprised to find out, in conversations, just how many other pilgrims have packed their boots away and bought new “trail runners” or “hiking sandals” in the last week.

As I may have already said, there are a lot of pilgrims out here this year. I don’t know if it’s pent up post-COVID demand, or just the new “overtourism” at work, but it’s busy. Must be a good thing for the Spanish economy, but it sometimes makes it hard to find a table or a bed.

In one of those nice Camino moments, I just ran into Jo, from Australia, in the bar here. She was one of the four pilgrims I met at dinner on my first night in Saint Jean Pied-de-Port, and have not seen since. It was fun to hear how her last two weeks have been, though not the part where she hurt her ankle. This interweaving of people on the Camino is one of the best parts of the Camino experience.

I’ve settled down into the Camino routine, and hopefully will resolve my foot issues in the coming days. I’m also waiting for my absentee ballot to appear in my email Inbox so I can complete it and send it in. There’s been a big, non-partisan push through U.S. embassies and other organizations to get Americans overseas to vote this year.

And, hopefully, it will warm up a bit out here; some Fall weather would be appreciated. With that I’ll say thanks for the comments and support, and see you next time. Cheers.

I always step off from Saint Jean Pied-de-Port with high hopes for clear weather and wonderful mountain views as I cross the Pyrenees. I’m imagining a nice picnic at the half-way point, looking across vast valleys, under a pleasant sun. And that’s exactly how it worked out… last time.

This year, however, I got none that. My first two days, up over the mountains, were accompanied by hard rain, dense fog, flodded trails, and soaked gear. The best that can be said is that it was in the 50s, so not freezing. Whoopee!

I spent the first night at Borda again. This is a nice albergue and a good place to rest for those of us not inclined to make the trek all the way to Roncesvalles the first day. It’s also a good place to meet others in your “wave” of pilgrims setting out on the Camino Frances.

Last Camino I distinctly remember walking parts of the trail and thinking “this would turn into an awful stream bed if it was raining”. I wasn’t wrong! Add wet rocks, leaf mush, and mud, and there were places that I felt were very dangerous. In fact, I got to within 1 Km of Roncesvalles before I slipped and fell going down some rocks. By that time, my legs were very tired and fatigue took its toll. I was sooo lucky that I wasn’t injured.

Nonetheless, I made it to Roncesvalles, managed to dry out almost everything overnight, and set off for my easy “short day” walk to Viskarret. The next day was much longer, to Zubiri. The sun came out, the breeze came up, and life was good. The trail, of course, was still a mess in places and the steep descent into Zubiri in wet, muddy conditions was frightening. I took another spill and wound up with what later became a world-class bruise down my arm. Nothing broken or sprained but my ego, so again I was lucky.

The next day, it was a long but dry and uneventful walk into Pamplona (my iPhone said 38,000 steps) and I’m happy to have a rest day here. I enjoyed pintxos (tapas) on Estafeta Street last night and I met some nice fellow pilgrims here. I’m looking forward to a foot and leg massage this morning, then to enjoying a relaxing time around town for the rest of the day.

I’m staying at a nice albergue, Casa Ibarrola, where I’ve stayed twice before. It’s a bunk-room-style accommodation but each bed has its own “capsule” and some privacy. Also, the sleeping area is air conditioned. The two brothers that run the place are great fun and it’s another good opportunity to make friends with other pilgrims that I’ll probably see on the trail in the coming days.

Tomorrow starts a week of long walks every day, but with good weather. Heading out of Pamplona in the morning, I’ll have a long climb up to the wind turbines on the ridge overlooking town, followed by a long descent on the other side to get to Puente de la Reina. I’ll check back in next week. Thanks for coming along!

Yes, here I go again. Three Caminos is a good number of walks but I have in mind doing five or so. We’ll have to see how the old bod holds up.

Before writing this, I reread my first post from 2022 and, well, I’m not sure I can improve on what I wrote then.

I met a gaggle of nice pilgrims (here’s a shout out to you: Jaya, Peter, Susan, and Jo) and shared a nice evening with them upon arrival.

Saint Jean Pied-de-Port is always an interesting town, with lots of hikers and lots of tourists. My wife and I love Espelette pepper and I’ve discovered a store here entirely devoted to it, even offering an Espelette liqueur!

My companions from last night all left this morning and they had a beautiful day for walking. Most were going all the way to Roncesvalles on Day 1 – ahh, youth! Sadly, the weatherman is forecasting a wet start for me tomorrow.

We’ll see what the morning brings but one thing is sure: my ~1.2 million Camino steps this year will start with but a single one tomorrow.

Thanks for coming along again!