dgallen
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances (6), Primitivo(3), Finisterre/Muxia (3), Aragones, Norte, Portuguese, Camino del Rey
On this the 10 year anniversary of my first Camino and also to mark in March my 10th Camino of various sorts, I'd thought I would retell of my first Camino embarrassment/adventure. My story may amuse some veterans or rekindle some memories of their first times... in which case, more embarrassing stories please.
In the beginning of April of 2008 I arrived in SJPdP for my planned 33 day walk to Santiago. I knew it was 33 days because Brierley told me so. And although I had eagerly read through the guide (since forums like this excellent one were not readily available then) as my source of information, guidance and inspiration. Okay maybe the spiritual musings in the guide may have inspired me to skip a page or two, but I digress.
On the morning of my (mis)adventure I had overheard some people talking about the route options and the mention of the "Ancien Chemin de St Jacques" via Saint Michel was a nice quiet option towards Roncesvalles on the Napoleon Route (the purple route for those following along in their old Brieley's). I knew the map said there was plenty of water along the way and I wouldn't need more then my one litre bottle. It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky and very warm temperature for early spring in the mid 20's. I had my new pack containing 18kg of gear (I'm a big guy who needs a big pack I thought) containing everything I'd need. What could go wrong?
Brieley said to look out for the yellow flashes or arrows, and on some routes in France, the familiar red and white flash. Oh good I thought, there is one of those red/white flashes now... a little faded, but still telling me I'm on the right path. I continued to walk to the quaint little village of St Michel and even stopped along the way to chat with a local to show off my Canadian schooled french by a friendly Bonjour and pointing and saying, "St Michel?" with a friendly "Oui" in response. All good. This Camino stuff is easy. But where are all the pilgrims? Oh well onwards and upwards. After St Michel I came to a fork in the road where the left fork had a pole with a yellow square on it. Awesome, amazing how well these trails are marked. So I walked and walked following the yellow squares (days later I would discover later the yellow squares identified hydro electric poles and had nothing to do with the camino...).
I was careful to keep hydrated, since it was getting hotter, and the sun shining constantly. I admit I was a out of shape and using the Camino kick start my new exciting middle aged body, so found the uphill walking taxing. As I got down to the last quarter of my bottle I started looking at my Brierley map for when my first refill would be available. According to the map I should have passed it 30 minutes ago. Oh well I thought, the map creator used what we call in the mapping business "cartographic license" so maybe it is off a little. I continued on, passing a few abandoned farms and animals in some fields, but no people. Eventually my poles with the yellow flashes forked off to the east and I knew that was not the direction I needed to go. So I continued on the road up the mountain.
I was now getting to later in afternoon. The trees were well passed, as was my water. I knew that I was dehydrated, overheated and starting to get exhausted. No water anywhere or shade to cool off. I continued to walk and with some elation saw some cows and sheep crowded around a small water trough off in the distance. I got to the trough and tried my best filter the bits of "flavour" floating in the water. By that time I knew that a little bacteria in my water was better then heat stroke and dehydration. Feeling a little better I continued on. Eventually my path ended and I had the option of going higher through a mountain pass or head down towards a small road down the mountain. Exhausted by this point I took the latter. Many years later I tried to trace my steps via some good maps (yeah Google!) and discovered that walking for many km along the France/Spain border and at one point was within 1km of the Napoleon.
Around 9pm I made my way back to SjPdP as the Pilgrims office was closing. I sheepishly explained to the gentleman in the office how I spent my first day of the Camino. He estimated that in the 14 hours that I had walked that day I had gone over 40km. He suggested I take a taxi to Roncesvalles and consider stage 1 completed.... kind of. I agreed.
Two weeks later in Burgos I was chatting with a pilgrim, talking about dumb things pilgrms do. He relayed a story he heard about some stupid Canadian getting lost his first day and running out of water and drinking with the sheep. I earned fame (or infamy on Camino radio), and ten years later I can admit to it.
Lessons learned. Don't let anyone tell you that you only need one bottle of water as there will be always water around (you know the camino provides don't you?). Don't use Brierley maps to guide you if you are lost.... but they sure are pretty! Learn the difference between a yellow arrow and a yellow square. On your first day just follow other pilgrims and hope they aren't lost Canadians!
In the beginning of April of 2008 I arrived in SJPdP for my planned 33 day walk to Santiago. I knew it was 33 days because Brierley told me so. And although I had eagerly read through the guide (since forums like this excellent one were not readily available then) as my source of information, guidance and inspiration. Okay maybe the spiritual musings in the guide may have inspired me to skip a page or two, but I digress.
On the morning of my (mis)adventure I had overheard some people talking about the route options and the mention of the "Ancien Chemin de St Jacques" via Saint Michel was a nice quiet option towards Roncesvalles on the Napoleon Route (the purple route for those following along in their old Brieley's). I knew the map said there was plenty of water along the way and I wouldn't need more then my one litre bottle. It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky and very warm temperature for early spring in the mid 20's. I had my new pack containing 18kg of gear (I'm a big guy who needs a big pack I thought) containing everything I'd need. What could go wrong?
Brieley said to look out for the yellow flashes or arrows, and on some routes in France, the familiar red and white flash. Oh good I thought, there is one of those red/white flashes now... a little faded, but still telling me I'm on the right path. I continued to walk to the quaint little village of St Michel and even stopped along the way to chat with a local to show off my Canadian schooled french by a friendly Bonjour and pointing and saying, "St Michel?" with a friendly "Oui" in response. All good. This Camino stuff is easy. But where are all the pilgrims? Oh well onwards and upwards. After St Michel I came to a fork in the road where the left fork had a pole with a yellow square on it. Awesome, amazing how well these trails are marked. So I walked and walked following the yellow squares (days later I would discover later the yellow squares identified hydro electric poles and had nothing to do with the camino...).
I was careful to keep hydrated, since it was getting hotter, and the sun shining constantly. I admit I was a out of shape and using the Camino kick start my new exciting middle aged body, so found the uphill walking taxing. As I got down to the last quarter of my bottle I started looking at my Brierley map for when my first refill would be available. According to the map I should have passed it 30 minutes ago. Oh well I thought, the map creator used what we call in the mapping business "cartographic license" so maybe it is off a little. I continued on, passing a few abandoned farms and animals in some fields, but no people. Eventually my poles with the yellow flashes forked off to the east and I knew that was not the direction I needed to go. So I continued on the road up the mountain.
I was now getting to later in afternoon. The trees were well passed, as was my water. I knew that I was dehydrated, overheated and starting to get exhausted. No water anywhere or shade to cool off. I continued to walk and with some elation saw some cows and sheep crowded around a small water trough off in the distance. I got to the trough and tried my best filter the bits of "flavour" floating in the water. By that time I knew that a little bacteria in my water was better then heat stroke and dehydration. Feeling a little better I continued on. Eventually my path ended and I had the option of going higher through a mountain pass or head down towards a small road down the mountain. Exhausted by this point I took the latter. Many years later I tried to trace my steps via some good maps (yeah Google!) and discovered that walking for many km along the France/Spain border and at one point was within 1km of the Napoleon.
Around 9pm I made my way back to SjPdP as the Pilgrims office was closing. I sheepishly explained to the gentleman in the office how I spent my first day of the Camino. He estimated that in the 14 hours that I had walked that day I had gone over 40km. He suggested I take a taxi to Roncesvalles and consider stage 1 completed.... kind of. I agreed.
Two weeks later in Burgos I was chatting with a pilgrim, talking about dumb things pilgrms do. He relayed a story he heard about some stupid Canadian getting lost his first day and running out of water and drinking with the sheep. I earned fame (or infamy on Camino radio), and ten years later I can admit to it.
Lessons learned. Don't let anyone tell you that you only need one bottle of water as there will be always water around (you know the camino provides don't you?). Don't use Brierley maps to guide you if you are lost.... but they sure are pretty! Learn the difference between a yellow arrow and a yellow square. On your first day just follow other pilgrims and hope they aren't lost Canadians!
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