I arrived at Nidarosdomen yesterday afternoon, and right now I am relaxing at the Piligrimsenter cafe after lunch.
It was wonderful to see several of the other people I had met in herberges and other accommodation of the past week or so.
@Pilgrim Elaine was here, as was Toralf from
@PilgrimCenterTrondheim, who busy preparing for today's activities, but managed to spare time to say hello to Elaine and me.
@NadineK also walked, but she was well ahead of me almost within moments. She is truly fast on her feet. It will be interesting to see how their perspectives get integrated into the advice we provide forum members interested in walking one of the St Olavs Ways.
I have been pondering on why I think walking as a solo pilgrim on the Gudbrandsdalsleden is more difficult than facing the challenges of walking solo on the Iberian peninsula.
When track conditions are good, there isn't all that much difference in the demands on one's body, mind and spirit. But track conditions are so frequently far from ideal that the demands on all three are lifted, and I found that can quickly drain one's energy resources. Combine that with poor sleep - it's currently really dark for less than three hours - and the long days I was walking demanded special care to maintain my ability to keep going physically and mentally. And it took a little time to get that right.
Why the long days? Partly it is just slowing down as I grow older. On top of that, the bare numbers on climb and descent only tell part of the story. They don't tell how the worst tracks are continually wet with water several centimetres deep flowing along them, nor about the moments of inattention where one's boot is submerged in a stream or bog. Nor, do they tell of the hazards created by masses of roots and rocks without a clear space to place your foot which won't risk a slip, trip or fall.
And then there is the rain! I learnt to distinguish between rain that would hardly get, and keep, one wet, and the rain that had settled in for a couple of hours and soak any unprotected clothing or my pack.
Getting through each day became wonderfully rewarding. Knowing that I had not just survived this day, but with the support of my wife and friends, I would walk again tomorrow, the next day, and the one after that until the end here in Trondheim.
I have realized just how difficult I find explaining why I do this, but I do know that if I hadn't started on this journey when I did a decade and a half ago, that I wouldn't have the physical, mental and emotional resources I have today, nor would I have been able to contribute to my community, both here on the forum and in other ways, that I have done.
But anyway, i would like to answer you anyway.
