Near Death Experience on the Camino Baztan: A Cautionary Tale

[Bartman]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

 

[naplesdon]

I am also 77 and would never attempt walking any distance without poles. You don't mention that you were using them. I think poles are an essential for anyone of any age to manage the distribution of your load and stay upright on any type of terrain. Today, I have to walk with a cane to remain upright, no more Camino for me.
It sounds like you may have been suffering from dehydration as well. Disorientation and rubber legs are a sure sign of that. It can be a killer, as well as, having a low sodium count in your blood system. I had a series of incidents where I was inexplicably falling and end up in the hospital for a week on a saline drip. I learned that low sodium is deadly.
My rules:
Number 1 - Always have enough water
Number 2 - Never forget your poles
Number 3 - When traffic passes, especially large camions, stop and wait for them to pass.
I am glad to hear you were not a statistic.

 

[C clearly]

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING!

I agree with this. On a roadside, especially if it is a large truck coming, I stop walking and stand to the side until the vehicle is well past. The driver can see exactly where I am, in order to avoid me, I am unlikely to fall or trip, and also the backwash/wind can be surprisingly strong a few seconds later.

 

[henrythedog]

Rule One might be preceded by advice to walk on the side of the road which faces oncoming traffic - so the left (corrected per the comment below) in Spain and Portugal - whilst disengaging earphones and engaging brain. I’ve been on several routes with stretches along fast busy roads and they are dangerous.

A more pertinent rule for the OP’s incident might be ‘look where you’re putting your feet’.

I am very pleased that he’s OK.

 

[witsendwv]

I agree with this. On a roadside, especially if it is a large truck coming, I stop walking and stand to the side until the vehicle is well past. The driver can see exactly where I am, in order to avoid me, I am unlikely to fall or trip, and also the backwash/wind can be surprisingly strong a few seconds later.

I remember trying to cross a short bridge on a narrow road on a curve while walking the Camino Primitivo. We thought that it was clear enough to cross, but a speeding truck took us by surprise. We had to stop and lean over the side to avoid being hit. Very scary. Timing is everything and very difficult to determine.

 

[mjal]

Rule One might be preceded by advice to walk on the side of the road which faces oncoming traffic - so the right in Spain and Portugal

Somewhat ambiguous - the traffic is on the right so we should be walking on the left.

 

[dreaming]

I am glad that you are ok and that you have decided to stop and recover. Everyone makes mistakes on the camino. Its part of the adventure. Don't beat yourself up about it. Thanks to the lovely people who stopped to help you.

 

[Robo]

Rule One might be preceded by advice to walk on the side of the road which faces oncoming traffic - so the right LEFT in Spain and Portugal - whilst disengaging earphones and engaging brain. I’ve been on several routes with stretches along fast busy roads and they are dangerous.

A more pertinent rule for the OP’s incident might be ‘look where you’re putting your feet’.

I am very pleased that he’s OK.

Hmmm. Really ? (quoted post now corrected)

 

[Robo]

I'm always super cautious on roads.
Facing the traffic, by walking on the Left.
I make sure to look at the driver and stop, as they pass.
I want to make sure they have seen me.
They'll normally edge away from me a fraction.
Trucks can have a significant 'bow wave' of air..........

 

[Jodean]

Glad you are ok. That must have been a scary moment.
I always stop when a car is going past me. Though I walk facing traffic, there are some roads where the curves and lack of berm are such that I cross the road til I get around the curve and then go back. This seems wiser to me than always walking facing traffic. Walking where it is the safest and where the cars can see me is my rule. Turn around, stop, look a them so they see you. When they have passed, continue.

 

[howardd5]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Bart , great story and clear message . I had an event while walking the Primitivo in May . I was a week into the Trail when I fell into a mud pit onto a rock and sprung my back. I was dirty alone and a little concussed . I felt stupid but not having had a good meal and low on water pushed on. Exhausted night ( age 70’s) in Berducedo and wandered off in the morning up and over the hill after Mesa where I got dizzy and weak . My right leg was now numb and cold. Took hours to make it to Emblse Selime where I went to the “medico” who said either a pinched nerve or an embolism. One could kill and other needed rest. Best cut this hike short and in the morning took a bus back to Oviedo. Either a hospital there or fly back to America. Flew home and had it examined. A pulmonary embolism in both lungs and receiving blood thinners and no fun. Could have been worse. “ a man’s got to know his limitations “ I will be back next year to finish the “beast”

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Have been there! The Baztan is not for the faint of heart (weather changes, and narrow roads, and long hauls between stopping points...).
If ever I walk it again, I will not do so alone.
Glad you are safe. Do rest up!
If you are too tired when you are nearing Pamplona, hop into the Albergue at Trinidad de Arre. The actual entry way is up and to the right around what feels like "the back" of the building after you have crossed the bridge. Quiet courtyard... well equipped kitchen, nice bathrooms, and air dormitories... and very close to a host of services.
May your Baztan end well, with no further incidents.

 

[dfox]

... Because I've fallen several times in the last several months ...

Not sure if it is normal for a 70+ man "fallen several times in the last several months". If not, it may be worth investigating the cause(s) of these falls.

 

[pelerine]

Glad you are ok. That must have been a scary moment.
I always stop when a car is going past me. Though I walk facing traffic, there are some roads where the curves and lack of berm are such that I cross the road til I get around the curve and then go back. This seems wiser to me than always walking facing traffic. Walking where it is the safest and where the cars can see me is my rule. Turn around, stop, look a them so they see you. When they have passed, continue.

I do the same, always change over to the outside of a bend. In addition on a stretch with lots of bends I carry a hiviz(?) buff with my pole in the roadside hand which I wave about when cars are approaching. Never worked out how many kms are added to my walk by constant changing from one side of the road. Nowadays I carry the hiviz buff as described whenever I have to walk on a road.

 

[Carles]

Buenas tardes. Conozco perfectamente el Camino de Baztán porque lo he caminado en 5 ocasiones, la primera en 2012 y la última hace apenas 2 meses. La subida desde Urdax al puerto de Otsondo es por camino, con cierto grado de dureza, y una vez arriba pasamos por un area de descanso junto a la carretera, con bancos, mesas, aseos y una fuente de agua. Primer error: debías haber descansado allí y, si te encontrabas mal, cualquier automovilista que parase en el area de descanso te habría ayudado. Segundo error: la bajada del puerto de Otsondo NO ES POR CARRETERA; la señalización es perfecta, con flechas amarillas: al principio se baja por sendero y después por camino, siempre por un bosque y con sombra. ¿Cómo se te ocurrió ir por la carretera? Conozco a muchos peregrinos de 70 y más años, todos siguen la señalización y a ninguno se le ocurre ir por otro sitio. Caminar por esa carretera, y más en tus condiciones, era un riesgo. Lamento decirlo, pero es mi opinión.

Translation from Google Translate added by moderator:
Good afternoon. I know the Camino de Baztán perfectly because I have walked it on 5 occasions, the first in 2012 and the last just 2 months ago. The climb from Urdax to the Otsondo pass is on a path, with a certain degree of difficulty, and once at the top we passed through a rest area next to the road, with benches, tables, toilets and a water fountain. First mistake: you should have rested there and, if you felt unwell, any motorist who stopped at the rest area would have helped you. Second mistake: the descent from the Otsondo pass is NOT BY ROAD; the signage is perfect, with yellow arrows: at the beginning you go down a path and then a path, always through a forest and with shade. How did you think of going on the road? I know many pilgrims aged 70 and over, they all follow the signs and none of them think of going any other way. Walking on that road, and even more so in your condition, was a risk. I'm sorry to say it, but that's my opinion.

 

[K_Lynn]

Yikes! I always stopped and stepped off the road as far as possible until the vehicle had passed. We had one day walking on a dirt road and a farmer on his tractor passed us twice, each time I stopped and stepped off the narrow road my Camino companion would grumble about having to stop and I would say "Enjoy the view. If we hadn't stopped here for 30 seconds we wouldn't have noticed that tree or bothered to take a drink of water". He eventually stopped grumbling and would take the moment to look around.

Glad you have lived to see another day!

 

[naplesdon]

Not sure if it is normal for a 70+ man "fallen several times in the last several months". If not, it may be worth investigating the cause(s) of these falls.

My comment exactly. It could be any sort of metabolic issue and needs investigation when you get home.

 

[Madamjoy]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Thank you for sharing. I’m happy to you are okay. When you get home perhaps go for a medical checkup .. there may be some simple reason why you are falling (chemical imbalance? Inner ear problem?) maybe you can do another Camino. Wishing you well.

 

[Elle Bieling]

Also, glad to hear you are safe. Best wishes that you will be able to continue walking...

 

[Rita Flower]

I agree with this. On a roadside, especially if it is a large truck coming, I stop walking and stand to the side until the vehicle is well past. The driver can see exactly where I am, in order to avoid me, I am unlikely to fall or trip, and also the backwash/wind can be surprisingly strong a few seconds later.

I always stop when a car comes while I am walking on a road verge. This can make road walking a little slower - but what’s the hurry?

I do it for my own safety - I don’t want to stumble in a car’s path - but also out of respect for the driver - I don’t want to disrupt their driving. I can imagine how annoying it would become having to swerve around pilgrims every day.

 

[JennyH94]

Thank goodness you’re OK Bart. Some terrific and very helpful posts here from Forum members so thank you everyone.

I hope the issue can be solved and that you’ll be back on camino in the near future.

And BTW - love the rubber band tip!

Cheers from Oz -
Jenny

 

[alwalker]

Buenas tardes. Conozco perfectamente el Camino de Baztán porque lo he caminado en 5 ocasiones, la primera en 2012 y la última hace apenas 2 meses. La subida desde Urdax al puerto de Otsondo es por camino, con cierto grado de dureza, y una vez arriba pasamos por un area de descanso junto a la carretera, con bancos, mesas, aseos y una fuente de agua. Primer error: debías haber descansado allí y, si te encontrabas mal, cualquier automovilista que parase en el area de descanso te habría ayudado. Segundo error: la bajada del puerto de Otsondo NO ES POR CARRETERA; la señalización es perfecta, con flechas amarillas: al principio se baja por sendero y después por camino, siempre por un bosque y con sombra. ¿Cómo se te ocurrió ir por la carretera? Conozco a muchos peregrinos de 70 y más años, todos siguen la señalización y a ninguno se le ocurre ir por otro sitio. Caminar por esa carretera, y más en tus condiciones, era un riesgo. Lamento decirlo, pero es mi opinión.

Translation from Google Translate added by moderator:
Good afternoon. I know the Camino de Baztán perfectly because I have walked it on 5 occasions, the first in 2012 and the last just 2 months ago. The climb from Urdax to the Otsondo pass is on a path, with a certain degree of difficulty, and once at the top we passed through a rest area next to the road, with benches, tables, toilets and a water fountain. First mistake: you should have rested there and, if you felt unwell, any motorist who stopped at the rest area would have helped you. Second mistake: the descent from the Otsondo pass is NOT BY ROAD; the signage is perfect, with yellow arrows: at the beginning you go down a path and then a path, always through a forest and with shade. How did you think of going on the road? I know many pilgrims aged 70 and over, they all follow the signs and none of them think of going any other way. Walking on that road, and even more so in your condition, was a risk. I'm sorry to say it, but that's my opinion.

Hi I pull a trolley would it go over the pass that you mentioned - cheers

 

[trecile]

In addition to walking on the left side of the road facing traffic (unless it's not safe because of narrow shoulder and tight corners) I will often put my hands free umbrella up when walking on busy roads to make myself more visible. I also stand still when trucks or cars are passing.

 

[pelerine]

In addition to walking on the left side of the road facing traffic (unless it's not safe because of narrow shoulder and tight corners) I will often put my hands free umbrella up when walking on busy roads to make myself more visible. I also stand still when trucks or cars are passing.

…..put it up and hold it in front of me such that the driver sees the full size.

 

[Bartman]

Bart here. I would like to thank everyone for their concern and comments. First let me assure you that I am doing very well and my knee has healed up and I feel strong enough to continue. This morning I leave for Finisterra.

What a great community! So many amazing comments and thoughts. There are several that I would like to respond to, however I will wait till I have time to think how I want to approach those subjects.

Again many many thanks for your expressions of concern and well wishes. And ideas for staying safe. What a great forum and community!!

So Buen Camino and Ultreia,
Bart, aka, Bartman

​

 

[VNwalking]

Hi I pull a trolley would it go over the pass that you mentioned - cheers

It's not so bad on the marked route, but just a relentless hill. But it's a two-track dirt road, easy underfoot. The part from Berroeta up to Belate has some steeper sections with one stile to cross that I can remember, and old medieval pavement. It would be a challenge.

 

[KiwiCathy]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Thank you for your dose of reality/wake up call. I have briefly thought of what my weakness could be, but tripping over was not one of them. But….it very well could happen especially when you are tied. Take care.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Translation from Google Translate added by moderator:
Good afternoon. I know the Camino de Baztán perfectly because I have walked it on 5 occasions, the first in 2012 and the last just 2 months ago. The climb from Urdax to the Otsondo pass is on a path, with a certain degree of difficulty, and once at the top we passed through a rest area next to the road, with benches, tables, toilets and a water fountain. First mistake: you should have rested there and, if you felt unwell, any motorist who stopped at the rest area would have helped you. Second mistake: the descent from the Otsondo pass is NOT BY ROAD; the signage is perfect, with yellow arrows: at the beginning you go down a path and then a path, always through a forest and with shade. How did you think of going on the road? I know many pilgrims aged 70 and over, they all follow the signs and none of them think of going any other way. Walking on that road, and even more so in your condition, was a risk. I'm sorry to say it, but that's my opinion.

Useful if blunt information.
May I ask about two other points because the supposedly very clear and well-marked path out of Ustaritz (After the cemetery, going uphill and reaching the D22 I think) was not well-marked at all in May. I went around *twice* and to the right of the little chapel (just to be sure I was not missing something). There were no signs, no arrows, and no path. There was something rather overgrown that appeared to head off toward fields, but they appeared to be cultivated so I did not head that way, and simply followed the road to Souraide.
The second point was after Souraide, only about 3km. I was on the chemin, and I made sure that I had taken the correct path, even stopping to ask a local farmer if I was on the correct path and he said to me, "Yes, and always go up and to the right. Never go down to the left." OK... so I kept going and reached a roundabout that I was sure ought to have been where I would cross and go to the left and downward toward Ainhoa. Alas... there were yellow X markings on every post, and no "Chemin St. Jacques" sign pointing in the direction I thought was correct. So I followed the farmer's advice, and continued to the right and upward (on a fairly wide gravel-packed road). There was even a hiker in front of me. We nodded and said hello...
And no, I was not on my way to Ainhoa anymore. I was now on the Chemin, yes, but I was also on my way to Hendaye.
I guess there is not much local memory of people wanting to get to Pamplona this way, but lots want to get to the Norte.
So I had to make my own way, down and to the left through the woods and into Ainhoa.
I have checked the path on Google Street View now and I see a sign that was there a few years ago that would have kept me on my intended path, not adding 5-6 K of bushwhacking to get to Urdax... but in my own photos, that sign is not visible. There is high grass...

 

[AidaYYC]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Thank God you made it to tell the story and thank you for sharing your experience. I totally agree with your advice. I am trailing you by just a few years who has walked two caminos, Frances & Portuguese, and both times I have face planted and both times were at the end of the day, tired, thirsty and most likely hungry but worst of all overly-excited within a couple of hundred meters of reaching my destination for the day. Bottom line is any or all these factors may contribute for loss of balance or judgement contributing to a fall. Let's be mindful out there.

Thank you Peregrino and Buen Camino

 

[Pbcrane]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Ty for that. Where in south Louisiana are you from? I am too and have been wondering where to train on hills.

 

[Bartman]

Lafayette area. Train on hill @ Moncus Park, the Henderson levee & Chicot State Park. I'm sure there are others. Ck w Pack and Paddle in Lafayette. Good luck.
B'man

 

[JenCook]

Thank you for your dose of reality/wake up call. I have briefly thought of what my weakness could be, but tripping over was not one of them. But….it very well could happen especially when you are tied. Take care.

Thank you I just want to add one more thing about when you hear traffic coming from behind you STOP and FACE the traffic, it might be a large vehicle and you might need to do more then just stop you might need to move away from the road

 

[Bartman]

STOP and FACE the traffic

Excellent idea! Thx for your contribution.
B'man

 

[nancycevi]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

 

[StephenChad]

I don't see why you wouldn't walk on the trail up to Otsondo rather than on the much more dangerous road. They both go to the same place and I don't believe there is a significant difference in metres of ascent. My memory of the trail is of a pleasant track in the woods. If you walk down the road after the Otsondo pass for a few hundred metres there is a car park with toilets and water.

 

[Carles]

Hola, yo tiro de un carro, ¿pasaría por el paso que mencionaste? Saludos.

Hola Al!
Lamento decirte que el Camino de Baztán no es adecuado para hacerlo tirando de un carrito con rueda ni tampoco en bicicleta. Desde Urdax-Urdazubi hasta Sorauren (cerca de Pamplona) hay muchos tramos por bosques con barro, de senderos con mucha piedra, raíces de árboles, vallas que saltar, fuertes pendientes... Es camino por monte, puro y duro. Definitivamente, no te lo recomiendo con tu carro, aunque eso depende de tus fuerzas y tu experiencia, por lo que tienes que decidir tú.
Buen Camino

 

[Carles]

Información útil aunque concisa.
¿Puedo preguntar sobre otros dos puntos? El camino que supuestamente está muy bien marcado y es muy claro para salir de Ustaritz (creo que después del cementerio, subiendo y llegando a la D22) no estaba bien marcado en mayo. Di la vuelta *dos veces* y me dirigí hacia la derecha de la pequeña capilla (solo para asegurarme de que no me perdía nada). No había señales, ni flechas, ni camino. Había algo bastante cubierto de maleza que parecía dirigirse hacia los campos, pero parecía que estaban cultivados, así que no me dirigí hacia allí y simplemente seguí el camino hacia Souraide.
El segundo punto estaba después de Souraide, a sólo 3 km. Estaba en el camino y me aseguré de haber tomado el camino correcto, incluso me detuve para preguntarle a un granjero local si estaba en el camino correcto y me dijo: "Sí, y siempre sube y gira a la derecha. Nunca bajes a la izquierda". ". Bien... así que seguí adelante y llegué a una rotonda que estaba seguro que debería haber sido donde cruzaría y giraría a la izquierda y bajaría hacia Ainhoa. Por desgracia... había marcas amarillas en X en cada poste, y ninguna señal de "Chemin St. Jacques" que indicara la dirección que yo creía que era la correcta. Así que siguió el consejo del granjero y continuó hacia la derecha y subiendo (en un camino bastante ancho y lleno de grava). Incluso había un excursionista delante de mí. Asentimos y nos saludamos...
Y no, ya no iba camino de Ainhoa. Ahora iba por el Camino, sí, pero también iba camino de Hendaya.
Supongo que no hay mucho recuerdo local de gente que quisiera llegar a Pamplona por esta vía, pero muchos quieren llegar al Norte.
Así que tuve que abrirme camino por mi cuenta, bajando hacia la izquierda a través del bosque hasta llegar a Ainhoa.
He comprobado el camino en Google Street View y veo un cartel que había hace unos años y que me habría mantenido en el camino que quería, sin tener que caminar 5 o 6 kilómetros más para llegar a Urdax... pero en mis propias fotos, Ese cartel no se ve. Hay hierba alta...

Yo lo he hecho siempre (la última hace un par de meses) siguiendo las flechas y nunca me he perdido, aunque cabe reconocer que el marcaje de la parte francesa de este camino es muy mejorable. Desconozco lo que te pasó y dónde te perdiste. Por supuesto, después del cementerio de Ustaritz hay que seguir primero un tramo de asfalto, se pasa frente a una capilla y luego se coge un sendero. Tal vez no viste el desvío.
Te recomiendo para este camino la guía web de Gronze.com y su aplicación Gronze Maps (ambas gratuitas). En pocas semanas va a aparecer en Gronze la nueva guía actualizada del Camino del Baztán, recién reescrita. Mi sugerencia es que leas siempre, antes de cada etapa, las pestañas "Recorrido" y "Al Loro" de cada etapa.
Un saludo y buen camino.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Hola Carles; gracias por la repuesta.
I was fine getting to and beyond the cemetery. My first hesitation was in front of the chapel on the D88. I now cannot recall if I was yet using Gronze, but my guide said "there is a path to the right of the chapel; you follow that."
As you can see from the photo, there is no path to either side of the chapel. I checked a few hundred meters each direction and found *no path*... so I followed the D88 in the direction of Souraïde. It was 'fine" but annoying, as I had to make frequent stops to allow cars to pass. No Spanish backroad is the D88, but a very French, very travelled, very fast motorway!
The second Google Map street-view shows the probable path (that should have been described by cardinal direction and not "right of the chapel", because for one thing, you are heading "left of your last intersection, and for another thing, because cardinal directions simply are not relative; they are absolutes.
But also of note, in May 2024, the two yellow arrow markers there (that are not necessarily camino markers in France, but are generally hiking route markers) were *not* there, and the path, such as it was, was very very overgrown, unused, and was veering away from Souraide as far as I could tell.
My second error is that I followed "Chemin St. Jacques" yellow directional arrows that took me toward the Mirador de Souraïde site, and probably because of "sunk cost" thinking, and because I had encountered yellow X markings at the last intersecting/roundabout, I just kept going that way, until finally I had to cut my own trail to get down to the D20 and into Aïnhoa, already having put in nearly 22K (several in rain) to get that far, instead of having had 12-ish K from Ustaritz to Urdax.

 

[PJN]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.

Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Hi Bart.
How remarkable.
So good you are so interested in reporting back for all pilgrims’ benefits
I’m 76 and just completed Camino Frances with my 79 year old “bridesmaid “

El Camino is a unique experience that can only be imagined after the event.
I’m in New Zealand and am leaving local walks till I’m tired of travelling to Europe

My very best wishes to you Bart
Keep walking - just don’t stop , as your mind will make you fall again if you keep thinking about falls.

Sincerely
PJN

 

[Mindfull]

Especially if you are a hiker, pilgrim, want to be Pilgrim, anybody that really enjoys the outdoors and hiking PLEASE heed the following...

I am a soon to be 77-year-old male, healthy and in decent shape. I was hiking the Camino Baztan and all was going well. On the third day I was going from Urdax to Elizondo. With the threat of rain and the idea of going over the Otsondo Pass, I knew that that was beyond my capability. Therefore I decided to walk the road knowing full well that it was dangerous as well.

When I reached the top of pass I was really exhausted. There were two lessons in hindsight as is often the case. I hadn't eaten properly in the morning and I had not carried enough water. The temperature that day I understand was around 30° C (90F). I live in South Louisiana where it is crazy hot and I am accustomed to the heat. However I had not accounted for the fact that I had sweated so much. When I reached the top I was exhausted. But I had food with me and I partook. However I was out of water.

After resting and waiting for about 30 minutes for food to digest and boost my energy, I trod off down the road. Very mindful to walk on the left and "be careful", thinking, stupidly, that whatever was might happen on the road was going to be the result of a vehicle be the car motorcycle or bicycle and it would be their fault.

All of a sudden my left shoe caught a ridge in the road and let's just say I had an intimate relationship with Mother Earth. It's bad enough to fall. It's worse when you fall INTO the roadway!

Here's the scary part. The road was curving to my left which meant oncoming traffic was curving to the right, there was a bush in the way they couldn't see me I couldn't see them. There were a lot of very fortunate things that happened that day.

When I fell I actually fell into the roadway the path that cars would normally take. The extremely fortunate thing was there was nothing coming. Had there been, there would be an obituary somewhere about me likely entitled Pilgrim Killed Walking the Camino Baztan, and I would have been a statistic. That was one very fortunate thing there was nothing immediately coming.


I had had a couple of other falls and knew the first thing that I had to do was to get my backpack off and so I could roll off the roadway. Just as I was starting to do that two motorcyclists went zooming by and immediately stopped. Fortunate number two that they were motorcycles and were able to easily maneuver around me. A car may not have been able to do that. One guy ran back toward the other side of the bush and stopped traffic fortunate number 3.

As I write this I'm having to catch myself if I were talking to you directly I'm not sure I could keep it together realizing just how fortunate incredibly fortunate and blessed I am.

One of the motorcyclists spoke English and I assured him that while I was banged up, bloodied knee bruised, that I was okay nothing was broken everything seemed to function. I had not hit my head fortunate number four. He helped me scooch out of the roadway and into the grass. Fortunate it was here and not in Louisiana as the grass there it's filled with chiggers and fire ants. This was just nice lush green soft wonderful grass, which I now appreciate more than ever.

I thanked them graciously and profusely and sent them on their way assuring them that I was okay and that I didn't need an ambulance. I knew I was going to be fine. So I sat there in the grass pulled out the first aid kit. (You pilgrims got one right?) And proceeded to clean up my knee and put a couple bandages on. Take a deep breath, sling my backpack over my shoulders and start slowly down the same roadway where I could have died. Much more mindful of each and every foot fall.

As I was thinking about this event and road walking and how dangerous it really is I came up with a rule ... actually I came up with two rules.

Rule Number one: when you hear a car coming and getting closer STOP WALKING! You can't fall over or trip or twist your ankle if you're standing still (some of you might argue that about me :⁠-⁠) I might add there is this is no guarantee.

I did not know anything was coming and I have become very attuned to road sounds.


Rule number two: FOLLOW RULE NUMBER ONE. FOLLOW THE RULE. FOLLOW THE RULE.

I'm sure as I continue to process this I will come up with more rules mostly for myself but I will likely pass them on through this amazing forum.

So let me assure all the readers on this forum that I'm fine still a little bruised on my knee but nothing's broken and I can walk without pain. Because I've fallen several times in the last several months I don't trust my legs so I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to walk. I made my way to Pamplona by bus from Elizondo and from there to Santander, where I caught the train to Ferrol and a bus the next day to Santiago. So today is Sunday June 1st and I've been here for a day or two.

Some lessons
1. Don't underestimate the Camino know your route. I was going to say adversary but the Camino is not your adversary.

2. Don't overestimate your ability. As an eight-time pilgrim, I knew my ability and I knew that going over that mountain in the rain was beyond my ability. Which is why I chose the road.

3. Eat nourishing high calorie food went undertaking El Camino and it doesn't really matter which one.

4. Carry enough water or know where the water fountains are along the route. I can tell you they're not along the road.

5. I cannot over-emphasize training. I shake my head sometimes in amazement at the comments on the this forum and talking to other people that the Camino will train you. The Camino can also kill you. Be prepared. That means more than walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym. It means getting out there day after day after day week after week in order to get built up to where you can do a Camino. Where I live in South Louisiana it is very flat I think the tallest hill in our town might be 20 m and in the past I've spent days going up and over and up and over sometimes as many as 25 times at a session. I did not do that this year. Don't be fooled that you can just start from your front door and start walking to Camino. It means running scenarios through your mind as to what you might do if... Like what if you fall face down on your back on your side how many buckles do you have to undo and where are they, do you use a chest belt, all these questions that you should know the answer to.

6. Not so much for this Camino but another lesson is pay attention to what other people tell you especially more experienced pilgrims. There was a woman last year who wanted to go one way and I suggested that she not do that because it was off the track and then everybody was going over here and if there was something to happen to her she could be in real trouble. I heard later she was in real trouble and fortunately was found by some other pilgrims and turned out okay.

7. Have faith in yourself and if your religious have faith in your God. Know that you can figure things out. I previously stated that I had fallen a couple of times with and without my pack on. But I knew instantly from previous experience and from thinking a lot about it what do I do if I fall over with my pack on on my back. I knew. Get your pack off! And then deal with whatever comes up. Don't flail around like a turtle on his back. Get your pack off and then deal with the situation.

I'm sure the wisdom of the forum can come up with some more "rules" I would be most interested in hearing them. But I want to leave you with one thing more. Create a rule whatever that rule is and follow the rule! Follow the rule. It may be something as simple as putting a rubber band around your toothbrush and your toothpaste so you don't have to search for two things. Or it may be something as serious as walking on the road and follow the rule. My rule is when I hear a car I stop! I follow the rule!. So please follow whatever rule you set for yourselves.

Thank you for letting me tell you this story I hope you don't have a similar experience. If things had been just a little bit different in my situation, there would have been an obituary somewhere a pilgrim was killed and I would be a statistic.

Bart (Bartman) Ruark

Thank you for sharing this. There’s lots of good replies here, the most important being walk into the traffic (using common sense and crossing if going round a blind bend).

Making yourself visible is also key. I take curly reflective strips and just attach them to a carabiner on my pack. These can be used on your roadside wrist or ankle.

Also walkers head torches, or bicycle lights (rear ones can tiny) usually have powerful flash functions. They can last for hours.

None of these solutions will attract the attention of a driver on their phone, or stop them skidding. But you can only do what you can.