I have pulled together a very limited list of items that will find their way into my pack. I believe they have all been obtained, either through purchase or loan. The pack itself was loaned to me by Scott, who also gave me historical insight into the list of gear I would want to take. All else will be purchased en route.
Airline tickets have me flying from Chicago O'Hare airport to Madrid, Spain. From there I will take the train to Roncevalles, then a bus to my starting point in St. Jean Pied de Port, France. Tickets for plane and rail are in hand. Others will be purchased once I'm on the ground in Spain.
Electrically, I will carry my phone (navigation, route tracking and translations), I-Pad for blogging, outlet transformer to adapt my device charging systems to European power sources, and a hand-held recorder to make notes quickly as they fly through my mind.
The currency in Spain is the Euro. I'm ordering Euros tomorrow so as to rely more on cash as I'm told that credit cards are not widely accepted in many of the small village businesses.
My attempts to learn the Spanish language have not been as successful. My grasp of basic phrases is minimal. I will rely heavily on others speaking English and my phone app supplying me with correct translations.
Regarding physical conditioning:
For someone of my "advanced age" I am glad to have no major chinks in my armor. My knees are less than optimum at times, but after I get moving everything seems to work properly. Perhaps the biggest issue is my left hip. I've had it X-rayed and I'm told I have a 50% reduction of whatever isn't supposed to be reduced! I guess this is arthritis, with a few bone chips thrown in to make it exciting. I received a shot and the pain went from a 5 ( on a 1-10 scale) to a 1.5-2, by the time I got out to my car! They usually wait 3 months before a follow up shot but, due to my schedule I'll be getting the next shot last week. The pain has recently returned to periodic spikes of #4 pain, so it may not get me all the way across Spain, but will be a welcome reprieve.
I have not consistently "worked out" since I finished backpacking on the Idaho Centennial Trail in 2009. I had discovered that "walking" was my sport back in 1973-74. Although I have enjoyed watching numerous sports in my life my physical prowess (or lack thereof) had limited both my participation in and, ultimately, my success in all sports. One of my biggest drawbacks is that I hate to practice, anything. With any workout, you need commitment. First commitment is to doing the workout. If you are lifting weights, running wind sprints, swimming laps, you must make a continuous series of commitments. One more clean and jerk, dead-lift, sprint, or lap, each requiring another commitment to the workout. When you are hiking, or walking, once you begin another trip around the block or leave the trail-head, you have little choice but to continue moving forward. Fewer choices makes each choice easier, in my mind. Once I start down the block, go through the intersection or pass by the trail junction, the decision is done. Now we simply need to continue to pick 'em up and put 'em down.
So the biggest challenge becomes setting the goal. I decided at the beginning of the year to try for a 3 mile/day average. Although I've fallen short of that, I have been much more active in the intervening three plus months than in the previous eight years.
Most walking is not physically challenging; it is done by many people daily. So my biggest challenge has been toughening my feet for very long days on my feet. It is not a cardio thing, it is a matter of NOT getting blisters. The other element in this attempt is having the proper footwear. My backpacking days utilized heavy, stiff hiking boots that came up over my ankles for extra support. I still have a relatively good pair of hiking boots but have elected to go with Keen-brand walking shoes, much lighter, better able to breathe which will keep my feet cooler and dryer. I did not believe the lack of ankle support to be a big deal. I had a pair of walking shoes I had purchased about a year ago. They are relatively comfortable and have a wide toe box, which I require. These should have been more than adequate.
Should have been. Just this weekend, as I was taking a break during a ten mile work out, I looked at the heel of my boots. The hard rubber cover has worn away on both shoes, leaving the soft cushion material exposed and wearing easily. I guestimate that these shoes have about 150 - 200 miles on them. I am leaving for Spain in three weeks so this is not a good thing. I rushed down to REI, where I had purchased the shoes. Their computer held all the information; make, model, size and color. I needed to get a new pair coming my way quickly. Only that wasn't going to happen. Keen no longer makes this style, or this size. A little late to find another shoe that will carry me over a 500 mile route. Argh.
As it looks right now, a repair is my best bet. Failing that I will have to decide if it is time to resurrect my hiking boots.
Foot problems aside, the more important question is whether or not I am ready mentally to take on this challenge. Sure the health of my feet is important, but if I can't force myself to continue to pick up my feet and head west each morning. that really won't matter, will it? The mental tenacity is, I feel, what will allow me to walk into the Cathedral Square in Santiago de Compostela, tired, sore and gratified.
I have not consistently "worked out" since I finished backpacking on the Idaho Centennial Trail in 2009. I had discovered that "walking" was my sport back in 1973-74. Although I have enjoyed watching numerous sports in my life my physical prowess (or lack thereof) had limited both my participation in and, ultimately, my success in all sports. One of my biggest drawbacks is that I hate to practice, anything. With any workout, you need commitment. First commitment is to doing the workout. If you are lifting weights, running wind sprints, swimming laps, you must make a continuous series of commitments. One more clean and jerk, dead-lift, sprint, or lap, each requiring another commitment to the workout. When you are hiking, or walking, once you begin another trip around the block or leave the trail-head, you have little choice but to continue moving forward. Fewer choices makes each choice easier, in my mind. Once I start down the block, go through the intersection or pass by the trail junction, the decision is done. Now we simply need to continue to pick 'em up and put 'em down.
So the biggest challenge becomes setting the goal. I decided at the beginning of the year to try for a 3 mile/day average. Although I've fallen short of that, I have been much more active in the intervening three plus months than in the previous eight years.
Most walking is not physically challenging; it is done by many people daily. So my biggest challenge has been toughening my feet for very long days on my feet. It is not a cardio thing, it is a matter of NOT getting blisters. The other element in this attempt is having the proper footwear. My backpacking days utilized heavy, stiff hiking boots that came up over my ankles for extra support. I still have a relatively good pair of hiking boots but have elected to go with Keen-brand walking shoes, much lighter, better able to breathe which will keep my feet cooler and dryer. I did not believe the lack of ankle support to be a big deal. I had a pair of walking shoes I had purchased about a year ago. They are relatively comfortable and have a wide toe box, which I require. These should have been more than adequate.
Should have been. Just this weekend, as I was taking a break during a ten mile work out, I looked at the heel of my boots. The hard rubber cover has worn away on both shoes, leaving the soft cushion material exposed and wearing easily. I guestimate that these shoes have about 150 - 200 miles on them. I am leaving for Spain in three weeks so this is not a good thing. I rushed down to REI, where I had purchased the shoes. Their computer held all the information; make, model, size and color. I needed to get a new pair coming my way quickly. Only that wasn't going to happen. Keen no longer makes this style, or this size. A little late to find another shoe that will carry me over a 500 mile route. Argh.
As it looks right now, a repair is my best bet. Failing that I will have to decide if it is time to resurrect my hiking boots.
Foot problems aside, the more important question is whether or not I am ready mentally to take on this challenge. Sure the health of my feet is important, but if I can't force myself to continue to pick up my feet and head west each morning. that really won't matter, will it? The mental tenacity is, I feel, what will allow me to walk into the Cathedral Square in Santiago de Compostela, tired, sore and gratified.
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ReplyDeleteYour fellow pilgrim's stiries will carry you. Good luck pilgrim.
ReplyDeleteI have heard a lot of good things about Altra shoes. Mike O'Brien who did the 2 circumnavigations of Idaho and the ICT has these and really likes them. These are made with a really wide toe box. Might be a bit late in the game but maybe you could try these https://www.altrarunning.com/men/lone-peak-mid-mesh-35?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvaPK24_f2gIV27rACh0xgAzbEAAYASAAEgK0hfD_BwE
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