This has been a big week for me as I countdown to my Camino adventure. This past Tuesday marked exactly two months until my date of departure. I am getting very excited but certainly remain somewhat anxious and nervous. I am told that once I take my first step that feeling should all disappear as I begin what certainly will be a journey of a lifetime.
This week I walked with my backpack for the very first time, albeit not with it ” fully loaded “. Everything I read and heard told me to gradually add more weight as I get used to it. I met up with Geoff who was a facilitator at a Camino workshop that I attended, and he helped me immensely as we sorted out the proper positioning of the backpack and adjusted the weight of the contents in the backpack. It is a bit of an art, one I gather that I will get quite used to. You have to make sure that all the weight is squarely on your hips, and not on your back or your shoulders. So off we set on a lap of Elk Lake ( 10 kms ) with trekking poles and backpacks. We moved along at a great clip. The backpack felt great. I was pretty happy with my first outing with it.
Geoff answered a number of questions that I had about the Camino on our trek around the lake, and more and more my list of things to inquire about is decreasing. I also have made my final decision with respect to my footwear. I have been struggling with the issue of shoes or boots. I have read quite a bit that boots are overkill, and that decent trail shoes will suffice. Another advantage of the shoes is that they are lighter. However, after talking one on one with people I know who have made the trip I have decided I am going to go with a boot. However, I have also decided that the ones I have are too old and worn so I must now quickly try a few pairs of boots and then break a pair in. I have two pairs ready to try and one on order, and I will choose one of those. I actually tried out 7 different pairs of trail shoes and although I had narrowed my selection down to a choice of two..boots it is!
I continue to walk or ride a stationary bike every day and in fact I think I walked too far and too often this week. I have to learn to train at a pace that will increase my endurance without injury. I am a slow learner..I rarely do things at a slow and steady pace! I am actually taking the day off today but it is hard to do and I feel quite guilty!
Just today I have booked my train ticket . The train leaves from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and travels to Bayonne France. It is about a 6 hour and 30 minute ride on a high speed train and I am riding First Class. It sounds pretty classy but its actually only $25 more than standard fare. I overnight in Bayonne at a hotel a short walking distance from the train station, then I catch a train the next morning from Bayonne to St Jean Pied du Port. This is just a one hour ride.
I will be arriving mid day on Monday April 25th and I understand Monday is a busy day with all the pilgrims leaving St Jean. I will happily leave well after the ” main rush” and walk only part way to what I initially thought would be my first day’s journey. More about that later.
Ted's Camino adventure 2016 