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Final Long Walk Before Departing for the Ingles

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 67185
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Jill and I took our final 'compatibility' walk yesterday. It was a 21.5 mile/35 km, 6.5.5 (six hours.5 minutes.5 seconds) hour walk that connected two recreational paths into a long loop along the Columbia River. The 'Loop Trail' that is shared by walkers and bikers, and a few skaters, too. We took our packs, loaded with what we are taking with us on Camino. Before, we just added weights; Now, since our backpacks are all packed and ready to go, it was nice to use them with the 'real stuff' in them.

The fall weather was perfect, and was nice and cool (started out at 38F/3.3C and then climbed to 56F/13.3C ). The walking together was wonderful, and it really helped cement Jill's confidence about her ability to walk the generally shorter stage distances while on the Ingles. It puzzles me why she was so concerned, as she normally does fitness walks of up to 16 kilometers/10 miles two or three times per week plus her normal treadmill/stairstepper/elliptical workouts at the gym on the other days. It is just because she didn't have a specific idea of how she would feel walking such a distance.

There are no residual issues of soreness or nagging aches and pains today; we both feel pretty good, actually. A lot of that has to do with the fact that have both regularly incorporated day hikes, walks, etc as a part of our fitness routines. This has also allowed me to help Jill fine tune her shoe-sock-anti blister 'protocols', too. In fact, I just finished applying some Engo patches to strategic areas in her shoes and on her insoles.

So, I guess we should survive walking a Camino together

Today, among other things, Jill has been going through her backpack and fine-tuning the heck out of her contents. She has been carefully looking at her stuff and has eliminated at least one larger item, and about a half dozen smaller things. . . I had to grin when she showed me that she wrapped her floss around a bit of cardboard so she could eliminate the weight of the floss container. I guess it saved about 0.8 ounces.

I think I created a monster. Now her total backpack weight sits at 9.65 pounds (water and snacks, too). Yesterday it was at 10.25 pounds. Maybe I'll put some of the GoPro stuff in HER backpack

Edited to correct a time entry boo-boo. Sorry
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Wow, that's some fast speed. Looking forward to hearing about your Camino.
 
jcat said:
Wow, that's some fast speed. Looking forward to hearing about your Camino.
Click to expand...

That is 'we have other things to do in the afternoon' speed. Camino speed is different Besides, there were no bars, cafes, villages, and other things on the walk.

Our typical walking day will have up to 11 hours to use, plus the mileage is generally shorter. So, a lot of extra time to do other stuff besides walking
 
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Don't you dare Dave. On our our fist Camino I ended up carrying the bulk of items from our two backs after Scott got shin splits. I'll never forget coming in one day and the hospo helping me out of my pack and then watching him "weigh" the packs holding one in each hand to compare them. He then went off and got me cold beer, then launched into a long diatribe that began with "your wife is not a donkey" and ended with "you are so lucky to have a woman who will walk by your side, through life and on the Camino, treasure her."
 
Dave, I wish you and Jill a wonderful and memorable camino! And continuing on to experience other countries in Europe will be so rewarding! I have visited several of them myself and I fall in love with all of these "pieces of the pie" more and more! I will be on a Med cruise in a week and so look forward to all the new places I will see this time around.
Happy travels to you and Jill!
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Arghhhh. . . I didn't type in the time correctly. Our walking time was 6.5.5 (six hours.5 minutes.5 seconds) according to my Walkmeter app.
 
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Dave,

Have a great Camino. Actually, the walk along the Columbia River sounds great as well. That's one thing that I miss about being in the Chicago area. Hopefully, the weather in Galacia will be benevolent.
 
Dave do you and Jill live in Vancouver Wa or Portland Or? You stated the loop on each side of the Columbia River. I live in Vancouver. I’m in Santiago. Finished the Frances late last week.
 
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Gena said:
Dave do you and Jill live in Vancouver Wa or Portland Or? You stated the loop on each side of the Columbia River. I live in Vancouver. I’m in Santiago. Finished the Frances late last week.
Click to expand...
Dave, I’m from pdx and Florida. Walked the Camino 3006, 2018 and looking at 2020. Where are you, pdx? What is the loop walk you refer to along Columbia river?
 
I can’t wait to hear about your journey together when you get back. I laughed when I read about the floss. Jill sounds incredibly focused and delightful with her joy in doing this Camino with you. Safe journey. I’m so happy for you both. Health is all we need and then each other. Buen Camino & Ultreia!!
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Gena said:
Dave do you and Jill live in Vancouver Wa or Portland Or? You stated the loop on each side of the Columbia River. I live in Vancouver. I’m in Santiago. Finished the Frances late last week.
Click to expand...

Hi, Gena, and even though you've been a member for a while, a Warm Welcome to the Forum with your first post

Jill and I live in East Wenatchee, which is located in North Central Washington in Douglas County. The Apple Capital Loop Trail runs along both the Chelan and Douglas county sides with a few bridges which connect the two sides.

Leavenworth - the pretend 'Bavarian Village - is just up the road about 20 minutes. Mission Ridge ski resort is about 15 minutes away.

Wenatchee is a separate city and jurisdiction than East Wenatchee, but it is sometimes easier to find Wenatchee on the map and then find East Wenatchee just across the river.
 
Oh, Dave! I've always wanted to go to Leavenworth! If and when I ever get out that way again, I would enjoy a meet up for coffee!
 
TerBear said:
Dave, I’m from pdx and Florida. Walked the Camino 3006, 2018 and looking at 2020. Where are you, pdx? What is the loop walk you refer to along Columbia river?
Click to expand...

Hi, TerBear.

I wrote about our location in the post above, so let me refer you to it. It looks like you are planning your third Camino next year Which Camino?
 
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John Sikora said:
Dave,

Have a great Camino. Actually, the walk along the Columbia River sounds great as well. That's one thing that I miss about being in the Chicago area. Hopefully, the weather in Galacia will be benevolent.
Click to expand...

Thanks, John. I am hoping the weather will be glorious Fall sunshine, but as hel&scott wrote, I am expecting at least some, if not all, rain
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
davebugg said:
Hi, TerBear.

I wrote about our location in the post above, so let me refer you to it. It looks like you are planning your third Camino next year Which Camino?
Click to expand...
Probably the frances again. Last time went with my daughter...she loved it so much wants to do it again. Maybe after reading your absolutely wonderful blogs on your upcoming trip, we may change our minds and follow your route. Our trip is scheduled for May. May you and Jill have a wonderful adventure together!
 
I did two Caminos on the Frances with my son, Caleb, and it was wonderful. So I can see the attraction to doing it again
 
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domigee said:
Wow!
Click to expand...

Yeah. . I know, it is not the typical or average load weight. The difference is that Jill has access to very lightweight clothing and gear, and some things - - like sleeping paraphernalia are not being taken, which decreases load weight by 10 ounces.
 
Great to know your back on the trail Dave. Have a great Camino.
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Just to add in, I am in my 50's, do no sport and did no training before I did the Ingles. I walk 10km every day, but had never walked over 20km, ever. I was completely daunted when I set off from Ferrol.

However, walking at just 4km per hour means that if you walk 8 or 9 hours a day, counting down the markers, you can achieve every Brierley stage of the Ingles (assuming you don't break the Brierley stages, at, say, Neda, Mino or Presedo), and injuries aside, proudly complete it.

Consider also sending your backpack forwards. It isn't cheating. It rains in Galicia. nice to have a dry, spare set of clothes every day
 

Thanks, peb.

The distance is not a real issue for me due to my decades long experience as a wilderness backpacker and from the other Caminos. Walking 36 to 40 km per day is fairly routine in those instances, but with Jill, we will be keeping the maximum distance to around 32 k for one of the day's, and the other's will be around 22 to 25 k.

I don't worry about the issue of cheating with regards to backpack transport. . it is that I just choose not to do so. Besides, our two backpacks are pretty light at 8 and 10 kilograms.

The Galician weather can get pretty rainy, can't it? I remember it well

I like your idea of looking at the number of hours available as a walking guide. I have always advised that it isn't how FAST one walks, it is how FAR one walks that matters.

Like you, I look at the number of hours of walking time and any route specifics, like elevation gains and losses. Then I will decide how long it would take for me to cover that mileage. Then I add to that figure all of the non walking time (all of my breaks and rest periods and food time-outs ). So for an 8 hour walking time to a destination, I would need approximately 9.5 to 11.5 hours total, depending on the terrain.

The Ingles elevation profiles are actually less aggressive than what my daily day hikes have entailed, so it will be interesting to see if there is a reasonable comparison to the Ingles, once we start walking. I know that for the Frances, my day hikes were more aggressive than most of that Camino, including the Napoleon. The big difference was that the Napoleon was a far longer uphill grade than on my day hiking route. The longest uphill grade for my day hikes is about 10 kilometers.

The main thing for me, and to be watchful with for Jill, is to make sure that premature engine failure and chassis damage doesn't occur due to running too fast and too hot.
 
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Hi Dave. A quick thought. The Ingles was re-routed a couple of years ago. I did it last year and took the old routes (easy to find using the buen Camino app and a gps app (I use osmand). I have to recommend you do the same. The new route spends too long on roads for my liking when there is a more rural alternative. Just a thought though, walk your own path.
 

Thanks for that input, Phil. I have been going back and forth about doing that old route section. Does anyone know if Bar/Casa Julia is still open on that old route?
 
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davebugg,

I hope you and Jill enjoy the Inglés, I certainly did. Highly recommend Pension Luis in Pontedeume and Hotel Canaima in Meson do Vento which was the first place I found a group of Pilgrims. Onze in Betanzos for dinner.

Wherever you stay or eat, Buen Camino to you both.
 

Bless your heart. . I thank you for your thoughts and tips. ❤
 
I would avoid the old route via Bar Julia and up to Bruma. Although the new route has more road, especially a boring part walking past an electricity substation, it does cut out the very fearsome hill that the old route took. The new route is a long gentle incline, and you keep questioning yourself where the big hill is. It never comes.

One part of the new route to avoid is the 1 hour walk along a grass verge next to the motorway on the way to Sigueiro. Tepid is not the word. When you come over the motorway bridge and you see the waymarks pointing you right to walk alongside the motorway, carry straight on, don't take the first road right, but the second, and you walk along a country road for the next hour to Sigueiro
 
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How did your camino ingles go? I was hoping for a report. Did you stay at Dona Maria?
Unfortunately our camino had to be cancelled due to health issues and instead am just having to read the forum posts.
Hope all went well
 
Bella2017 said:
How did your camino ingles go? I was hoping for a report. Did you stay at Dona Maria?
Unfortunately our camino had to be cancelled due to health issues and instead am just having to read the forum posts.
Hope all went well
Click to expand...

I have set about writing a post about the Ingles, but I am having a difficult time doing so. Too many aspects and nuances and insights and spiritual moments to grasp a hold of and put into a succinct report.

As to the Ingles itself, it rained most of the time with breaks of sun, but we enjoyed the walking and the beauty of the countryside and the villages. The Ingles was fairly easy; we planned 11 hour walking days and added appropriate rest breaks and food breaks and picture-taking breaks and a moderate walking pace, so there was never any stress or strain.

The last morning into Santiago. . . a 6 mile walk. . . was the hardest for me. I crumped about a mile into the stage. I mean I nearly felt like just sitting down and stopping for good. My pace was exceedingly slow and at a shuffling slog. What should have been a 2 hour walk - at most - turned into a nearly 6 hour, seemingly, forced march.

Jill became anxious that I was having a very serious problem and might need to contact emergency personnel. But my heart rate was normal and so was my breathing. . no signs of a cardiovascular event. I kept asking her to wait on doing that, and we took frequent breaks.

After reaching the outskirts of Santiago, we found an open bar and had some breakfast and fluids. We rested there for a good 40 minutes, at least. By the time we left, I was back to my normal self and had no further problems at all during the rest of the day.

Last week when I visited my primary care person, it was guessed that I was having some sort of temporary onset of a thyroid hormone issue that self-resolved. She also said that the health issues from last December and January probably contributed to the problem.

We did stay at the Casa Dona Maria. . . and it was wonderful. Due to the season, we were the only people at the casa rural. The owners served a wonderful dinner, and breakfast the following morning.
 
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Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
For your next Camino with Jill, she could cut most of the handle off her toothbrush and wrap her floss around the remaining bit. Discarding her piece of cardboard will make her day!
 
I too have been waiting, so although it is not the full story, it is good to hear from you. No matter if you don’t get around to it, just good to see you are safely home. Take care, and enjoy reminiscing together over the better times than the last day - one of my most favourite stretches of a camino.
 

Except for that small issue, the last day was great. . really. The first part of the walk into Santiago was just weird and atypical for how the rest of the Camino went. I totally enjoyed walking the Ingles; it is a beautiful Camino and Jill and I appreciated every moment that we had there. If there weren't other Caminos to walk, we would go back and walk it again

Right now, we are looking at next year and the Camino Portuguese.
 
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