sandiegotosantiago

The adventure starts in less than one month. I depart from San Diego on my way to St. Jean Pied de Port on September 3! As this fact begins to really hit home, I have begun reflecting more and more on just what I have gotten myself into. I can identify a number of emotions and feelings that are directly related to the Camino. I definitely am excited about the prospect of my pilgrimage. Ever since I first caught the Camino bug, my mind has had this special processing center at work in the background, grinding out logistical details and trying to figure out just why I am doing this. I can’t wait for the imagineering (apologies to Walt Disney) to become reality. There is an intense feeling of anticipation as the departure day draws closer.

At the same time, I feel a sense of nervousness. I don’t really know what to expect in spite of a good deal of reading and study on the topic. Other pilgrims have told me this is perfectly normal. I am convinced that the best thing I can do will be to take that first step and, God willing, keep on walking. I worry about the logistics of the trip. I have spent considerable time and energy trying to anticipate everything that might happen during the trip (an impossible task, I am sure). I have laid out daily itineraries, created detailed packing lists, made most of the travel arrangements, and still feel that I must be missing something big.

I still grapple with questions about why I am going on this pilgrimage and what I hope to get out of it. What will I learn and how will I change as a result of the experience. Part of the answer is that I have become enchanted with the sense of romance and adventure that is associated with the Camino. Part of it is to prove to myself that I can accomplish this in spite of any physical or intellectual challenges I might face. Part of it is to merge with the fellowship of Camino pilgrims extending back over a thousand years and to become connected in a real way with the host of pilgrims who have already completed their Caminos.

I’m still not totally sure of what I hope to gain from this experience beyond a sense of accomplishment. I expect that the scenery will be beautiful, the people warm and supportive, the food and drink wonderful. I also expect that accommodations will be very basic at best, that body aches and pains will be common, that questions about my personal resolve and motivations will arise, that the terrain and weather will prove daunting at times, and who knows what else. But, I also hope to grow closer to God, to somehow become a better person, to have lots of time for personal reflection and contemplation, and to grow more fully appreciative of the beauty of nature and of other people. I hope I won’t be disappointed or discouraged during this endeavor and I pray that Clint and I will be able to complete this adventure and come out the other end as better people than we were when we went in.

Buen Camino!

This last week I received an essential item for my pilgrimage – the “Credencial del Peregrino,” or Pilgrim Passport. This small, accordian-folded document is the record that pilgrims carry to authenticate that they are bona fide peregrinos (pilgrims) and that they have walked (or cycled) the required distance on the Camino to qualify for issuance of a Compostela (more on this, below).

Progress along the Camino is authenticated in the Credencial by small, colorful, rubber stamps (sellos) that pilgrims collect as they progress along. The stamps are issued by any number of sources including albergues (pilgrim hostels), churches, hotels, town halls, bars, restaurants, etc. and pilgrims are instructed to have their Credencial stamped at least once a day (twice a day during the final 100 km of the Camino).

While not required for walking on the Camino, the Credencial does serve two significant and important purposes. First of all, it verifies your status as a pilgrim. This is important since only pilgrims possessing a Credencial are eligible to access the large network of albergues found along the entire route and to purchase inexpensive dinners from local restaurants and bars offering special pilgrim’s menus. These albergues provide cut-rate, but very basic, overnight accommodations for pilgrims.

Secondly, the Credencial serves as the necessary documentation proving to the Pilgrim’s Welcome Office in Santiago that you have actually walked the Camino and are authorized to receive the official document of completion (in Latin and suitable for framing) – the Compostela. The Pilgrim’s Welcome Office, run by the Cathedral church in Santiago, will issue a Compostela to any pilgrim who has a valid, stamped Credential showing that he/she has walked at least 100 km (or cycled at least 200 km) to reach Santiago. The rubber stamps collected in your Credencial document this fact for them.

And finally, the Credencial becomes a wonderful souvenir record, colorfully documenting your time on the Camino. So, delivery of my official (though still blank) Credencial is a big deal for me. I hope, one day soon, to have it completed, framed, and on display in my home office in San Diego.

For some time now I have been giving serious thought about the equipment I will be carrying during my time on the Camino. There are numerous recommendations about this in books, on the Internet, and from well-meaning people who have already made one or more pilgrimages. While I have carefully considered these suggestions, at the end of the day it will really become a personal decision as to which items I will carry and which will be left behind. Of course, as departure time approaches the choices become more time sensitive, but final decisions have not yet been made and the discernment process goes on.

This topic elicits impassioned opinions from prior pilgrims. Should you carry a sleeping bag or not? What kinds of footwear should you take? What brand and size of backpack should you purchase? Are walking sticks a good idea or not? Should you carry a phone or other digital devices (iPads, cameras, etc.)? How many pieces of clothing (pants, shirts, socks, underwear) do you really need? What precautions should you take to avoid and/or treat blisters and bedbugs? Should you carry a guidebook? And on it goes…

Obviously, as you consult the available resources, you find many conflicting opinions. As a tool to help my decision-making process I have created a simple Excel spreadsheet in which I list each item I am considering taking. I type in the individual weights and Excel calculates a running total weight for me. I chose to enter the weights in grams for a finer degree of accuracy and let the spreadsheet do the math to convert into ounces and pounds. My goal is to have a final total weight of 20 pounds or less. At this point, I’m not too optimistic I will achieve the goal, but at least I should be close and will have a pretty good idea of where I stand. I hope the decisions I make will be good ones.

Here’s a photo of some of the stuff I have accumulated so far. Some of it will be left behind, of course, but most will probably end up in my backpack. (To be honest, this is also a test to ensure I can successfully upload photos into this blog.) I have also attached my spreadsheet, which anyone is free to use and modify at will. It’s just an Excel spreadsheet, after all. I encountered one on-line source who seemed unreasonably possessive of his packing list (IMHO). But as I said, it’s just Excel and it’s just a packing list, for Pete’s sake! Anyone can create one as easily as I did. But, if my packing list spreadsheet helps another pilgrim, then so much the better.

Camino Packing List (Template)

Buen Camino!

As part of my mental preparation for the Camino I have been reading several of the many books that have been written about the pilgrimage. These books have fallen into two rather broad categories – guidebooks/planning books and journals recording pilgrim experiences. Both types are valuable and help the aspiring pilgrim prepare for the realities he/she will face on the Camino. I’ve listed some of them in case others are contemplating hiking the Camino and might find them useful.

From the first category, I have particularly appreciated the superb guidebooks by John Brierley – in particular “A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago: St. Jean – Roncesvalles – Santiago” and “A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino Finisterre” (www.caminoguides.com). Not only do these books provide detailed route guides/maps with elevation maps, town plans, information on alburgues, alternate routes, and sightseeing information, they also contain tons of practical information for trip preparation (physical and mental), suggestions for travel to/from Camino starting/ending points, descriptions of daily life on the Camino, equipment recommendations, Camino history, and personal reflections along the way. As an added bonus, they don’t weigh much and are compact enough to be easily carried and consulted while on the Camino.

However, a couple of other very useful planning books are also on my bookshelf, including “Camino de Santiago: Practical Preparation and Background” by Gerald Kelly, “Pilgrim Tips and Packing List: Camino de Santiago” by S. Yates with Daphne Hnatiuk, and “Camino Lingo” by Reinette Nóvoa with Sylvia Nilsen. For me, the Brierley books are essential, but the others contain useful information and nicely supplement the information he provides.

From the second category I have thoroughly enjoyed reading “To the Field of Stars: A Pilgrim’s Journey to Santiago de Compostela” by Kevin Codd. Kevin is a Catholic priest whose day-by-day reflections relate the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges he faces on his pilgrimage. His experiences profoundly impact his relationship with God and with the people he meets along the way. His prose is wonderfully crafted and his descriptions are moving and call for serious contemplation. My pilgrimage will be much more meaningful, I believe, because of this book.

I also enjoyed “A Million Steps” by Kurt Koontz. This record of Kurt’s pilgrimage describes many eye-opening revelations he received along the way. He started out feeling very well prepared but quickly found that the Camino has a way of humbling even the best prepared pilgrim. He also experienced a life-changing spiritual dimension to the trip, which he describes throughout the book. A random smattering of his reflections:
• The gifts of the Camino are available to everyone, regardless of station in life or background. They are not only available for a select few.
• You can see God in everything along the Camino. You are always surrounded by Him.
• Time takes on a new dimension on the Camino. The essence of time fades and becomes less important.
• The power of the Camino to teach is greatly underestimated. The lessons come without warning.
• Pilgrims have a spiritual connection with all those who have walked the Camino over the centuries.

I also recently read “The Pilgrimage” by Paulo Coelho. This book, a lead-in to his best-selling book, “The Alchemist”, chronicles the author’s pilgrimage along the Camino as he searches for wisdom and meaning in his life. It speaks in parables about the spiritual mysteries he uncovers as he is led along by a strange spiritual guide who helps him understand the meaning of life. I found the book to be strange and a somewhat difficult read. It is in no way a guidebook, but the Camino does serve as the main setting for the book and other readers may find it more enlightening. It contains many of the meditation techniques that Paulo performs along the way and is highly regarded within literary circles.

I think that most people who consider attempting a Camino pilgrimage along the Camino Frances initially believe that the pilgrimage will start at St. Jean Pied de Port on the day they begin walking. However, after reading about the Camino on the Internet and in books it is quickly pointed out that the pilgrimage actually starts when you leave the front door of your home and embark on the journey, regardless of where you live.

But, recently I have come to change my mind on this. I am now convinced that my pilgrimage has already begun and that it started when I first became aware of the Camino and started dreaming about making it a reality. For me, this was well over a year ago when I was encouraged to watch the movie “The Way” and kind of caught the bug. Whatever the case, I feel that I am already on my pilgrimage – that all the planning and thinking about the Camino that we are currently engaged in is part of my pilgrimage. This makes me happy and increases my anticipation for taking that first step on Monday morning, September 8, when Clint and I plan on taking our first steps from St. Jean in the direction of Santiago.

Buen Camino!

I have been a bit remiss in not reporting a significant milestone in my planning for the Camino. Last week I finally took the step of purchasing my airline ticket to and from Europe. So, I guess I’m more committed than ever to make this adventure happen. One of my mentors for this trip, named Anita (from the local chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino), told me that things start to get easier once you’ve purchased your ticket and you stop worrying so much about the trip since you’ve made this much of a commitment. I have to be honest … I’m still waiting for the worrying part to ease up a bit (it’s kind of hard-wired into my being), but I trust her advice.

I had considered a few different itineraries for the trip to Europe but finally decided to fly to Paris rather than to Madrid or some other city. My pilgrimage partner, Clint, on the other hand, has decided to fly to Madrid. We will then meet up in St. Jean before beginning our little “hike.”

I chose Paris for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s Paris! My wife and I agree that of all the cities we have visited, Paris is the one that was just as we had imagined it would be before actually going there. It has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And, who wouldn’t take the opportunity to pass through it if given the chance?

Also, I happen to have a strong interest in railroading and this will give me the chance to ride the high-speed TGV train from Paris to Bayonne, which is located just a short regional train ride away from St. Jean. So, I will get to experience that as well.

All in all, I’m glad the airline ticket issue has been settled and now I can start focusing on some of the other seemingly myriad remaining logistical details. More to follow in future posts.

Buen Camino,
Bob