Lots of little things have happened since early August. In no particular order:
Got a tent, with a ground sheet (which doubles as very generous, pack enclosing, poncho), bug screen and air mattress total weight is under 900 grams. This is mainly for the last 350 km in France, and walks in England and Scotland, where hostels are few and far between.
Replaced my three year old 1.2 kg tablet/keyboard with a tablet/keyboard weighing 700 grams: it's faster with triple the memory. So big weight and performance wins there.
With those items, extra clothing layers, light-weight shoes for use in hostels, tablet charger, extra socks and smalls and the pack itself, total weight is just on 5 kg. So we'll within check in for cabin baggage. And with 2 litres of water (2 kg), about my preferred weight of around 7 kg when walking.
No food you ask! On the Chemin (in France) or Camino (in Spain) you normally get an evening meal in the town where you stay and just carry a light lunch. Or so I am told!!!
And since my last post I've met two people who started from where I intend to start, Le Puy-en-Velay (about 130 km south west of Lyon). Which was grand.
And I've booked my airfare there, and back.
24 September 2015
06 August 2015
Since writing earlier today I have viewed the movie/doco Six ways to walk the Camino de Santiago. I found this very helpful, in many ways for what I saw than from what was said. For example: seeing a kilt being worn, the reduction of equipment, especially at Leon (300 km to go). And the scenery.
I wish I was going tomorrow!!!
I wish I was going tomorrow!!!
Since my last post six months ago I've ramped up the walking and have covered more than 800 km this year and more than 2,500 km since I started in 2012. And I'm replacing my gear with the lightest I can find. Regrettably this means personal imports. On the other hand each item typically weighs about half that available locally, and often for much the same price as the local offerings. I'm hopefull that all up (clothes, sleeping bag, tablet, tent and water) that I will not exceed 7 kg. So no worries with carry on when flying.
My intentions when training is to do 30 km each time I go out. As there are very few alternatives because of the valleys that Wellington is built on, I sometimes get bored and stop after 20 km. But most trips exceed the intended 30 km. And at rates of around 5.7 km per hour. The purpose is to train both the the head and the body to cope. The reality next year will be frequent stops at points of interest.
And now to start booking my travel. The current intention is to fly from Auckland to Charles de Gaulle, Paris and immediately train down to Lyon to pause there for a few days. Then by slow train to my start point of Le Puy en Velay, about 100 km to the south west.
And when I start I expect to do around 20 km for the first few day least. A key factor is the number of times one rises to more than 1,000 m above sea level only to drop down to around 500 m asl at least once each day for the first week or more.
I'm reassonably well prepared with maps and guides (both in (English and French) that I'm copying for personal use only on my tablet for the first 800 km to the Spanish border.
My intentions when training is to do 30 km each time I go out. As there are very few alternatives because of the valleys that Wellington is built on, I sometimes get bored and stop after 20 km. But most trips exceed the intended 30 km. And at rates of around 5.7 km per hour. The purpose is to train both the the head and the body to cope. The reality next year will be frequent stops at points of interest.
And now to start booking my travel. The current intention is to fly from Auckland to Charles de Gaulle, Paris and immediately train down to Lyon to pause there for a few days. Then by slow train to my start point of Le Puy en Velay, about 100 km to the south west.
And when I start I expect to do around 20 km for the first few day least. A key factor is the number of times one rises to more than 1,000 m above sea level only to drop down to around 500 m asl at least once each day for the first week or more.
I'm reassonably well prepared with maps and guides (both in (English and French) that I'm copying for personal use only on my tablet for the first 800 km to the Spanish border.
04 February 2015
a summary of the three years 2012 to 2014
My previous posts describe my first, brief, Camino de Santiago (Te Ara Tapu Hemi, The Way of S James, Chemin de Saint-Jacques) from 28 June to 2 July 2010. Nothing remarkable, some wonderful memories and an understanding I needed better, lighter equipment.
Some eighteen months later, January 2012, my wife Cathy was diagnosed with Mutiple Myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow, a blood disorder) to add to her diagnosis some 12 year earlier of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). By 2012 the MS had slowly but surely stopped her mobility. The Myeloma consultants gave her between four and six years life expectancy. Despite her illnesses she always had a smile and continued to encourage me. It helped that Cathy had been allocated five hours care a day and to give us both a bit of occassional space I decided to do day trips: start about sunrise, walk there, public transport back and be home by mid afternoon if not earlier. (And I had stopped work about three years previously.)
It didn't help that I was considerably over-weight (body mass index of 32 against a target of 25 for my height) at 92 kg. My first trip was under 4 km downhill and took about an hour and my feet were very sore. But before long I was doing longer trips
The first trip I made notes of was 26 March 2012 - 24 km from home to Wellington Station. My first 25 trips averaged 27 km each but significantly less than 5 km per hour each time. I was not learning about hydration. And after a while I was regularly getting pain of varying severity in a little toe. So, off to a podiatrist. He provided a trithotic and recommended a different style of shoe. Slowly my speed increased just beyond 5 km per hour but my average trip length dropped as the pain became a little more regular. In 2012 I noted 34 trips at an average of around 25 km each at almost 5 km/h for a total of 860 km. So I had done more than a Camino Frances: but spread over 9 months and I had slept in my own bed each night.
I was carrying quite a heavy pack: my notes indicate 7.4 kg but no sleeping bag, just a heavy polyester sleeping bag liner I had used before and a heavy fleece cover (ex airline). So still had a lot to learn about equipment also.
The toe pain was diagnosed as osteo arthritis early in 2013. By this stage severe pain was setting after 15 km and then 10km. My last trip for 2013 was 1 June. In those five months I had travelled 460 km over 27 trips for an average of 17 km each and 5.3 km overall. Surgery to correct the osteo arthritis was in early November and I was ready to go again on 1 January 2014 with some new shoes.
To start with shorter distances after surgery. But I quickly noted my speed was increasing towards 6 km/h, and some trips even exceeded that mark. In September I had a different surgical procedure that put things on hold for a while. The year saw over 25 trips for a total of 530 km for an average of 15 km each at more than 5.6 km/h on average.
I was also reguallary reviewing what I wore and what I carried. Not only were a great variety of merino wool tops available but also in breathable polyester that were both light weight, easily washes and very quick drying. I had started in 2012 with long sox (a hangover from my tramping in the southern Tararuas) and had migrated past crew length to ankle length sox in merino wool and now to micro length with sock inserts. And I had refined (reduced) down the equipment I had thought was essential. And I had tried three different packs. One of the troubles of getting equipment is often not being able to get the weight on-line: so what seems lighter in-store than the present item often turns out to be heavier when I get home. My big luxury is a 10 inch tablet with a dockable keyboard (and extra battery). It is heavy at 1.1kg. On the other hand off-line maps and email are easily readable and emails much more easily composed. And, with an excellent MS Office look alike, I can maintain my trips notes in the field. More on equipment in a later post. My pack now is about 6kg with the pack itself, sleeping bag and silk liner, stuff bag for clothes, stuff bag for gadgets (chargers, toothpaste, cables etc), flip-flops (for shower), 2 x 500 ml water bottles full and my tablet. And I can see how to reduce the weight of the pack and the sleeping bag by about 1 kg.
And by now my weight was hovering around 70 kg: the exercise aided and abetted by a reduction in volume of food with a simplified, easy cooked meal at night with always porridge for breakfast. The latter I would cook the night before a trip and eat at the first major stop.
2014 ended in great sadness as Cathy succumbed to her many illnesses in November.
Some eighteen months later, January 2012, my wife Cathy was diagnosed with Mutiple Myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow, a blood disorder) to add to her diagnosis some 12 year earlier of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). By 2012 the MS had slowly but surely stopped her mobility. The Myeloma consultants gave her between four and six years life expectancy. Despite her illnesses she always had a smile and continued to encourage me. It helped that Cathy had been allocated five hours care a day and to give us both a bit of occassional space I decided to do day trips: start about sunrise, walk there, public transport back and be home by mid afternoon if not earlier. (And I had stopped work about three years previously.)
It didn't help that I was considerably over-weight (body mass index of 32 against a target of 25 for my height) at 92 kg. My first trip was under 4 km downhill and took about an hour and my feet were very sore. But before long I was doing longer trips
The first trip I made notes of was 26 March 2012 - 24 km from home to Wellington Station. My first 25 trips averaged 27 km each but significantly less than 5 km per hour each time. I was not learning about hydration. And after a while I was regularly getting pain of varying severity in a little toe. So, off to a podiatrist. He provided a trithotic and recommended a different style of shoe. Slowly my speed increased just beyond 5 km per hour but my average trip length dropped as the pain became a little more regular. In 2012 I noted 34 trips at an average of around 25 km each at almost 5 km/h for a total of 860 km. So I had done more than a Camino Frances: but spread over 9 months and I had slept in my own bed each night.
I was carrying quite a heavy pack: my notes indicate 7.4 kg but no sleeping bag, just a heavy polyester sleeping bag liner I had used before and a heavy fleece cover (ex airline). So still had a lot to learn about equipment also.
The toe pain was diagnosed as osteo arthritis early in 2013. By this stage severe pain was setting after 15 km and then 10km. My last trip for 2013 was 1 June. In those five months I had travelled 460 km over 27 trips for an average of 17 km each and 5.3 km overall. Surgery to correct the osteo arthritis was in early November and I was ready to go again on 1 January 2014 with some new shoes.
To start with shorter distances after surgery. But I quickly noted my speed was increasing towards 6 km/h, and some trips even exceeded that mark. In September I had a different surgical procedure that put things on hold for a while. The year saw over 25 trips for a total of 530 km for an average of 15 km each at more than 5.6 km/h on average.
I was also reguallary reviewing what I wore and what I carried. Not only were a great variety of merino wool tops available but also in breathable polyester that were both light weight, easily washes and very quick drying. I had started in 2012 with long sox (a hangover from my tramping in the southern Tararuas) and had migrated past crew length to ankle length sox in merino wool and now to micro length with sock inserts. And I had refined (reduced) down the equipment I had thought was essential. And I had tried three different packs. One of the troubles of getting equipment is often not being able to get the weight on-line: so what seems lighter in-store than the present item often turns out to be heavier when I get home. My big luxury is a 10 inch tablet with a dockable keyboard (and extra battery). It is heavy at 1.1kg. On the other hand off-line maps and email are easily readable and emails much more easily composed. And, with an excellent MS Office look alike, I can maintain my trips notes in the field. More on equipment in a later post. My pack now is about 6kg with the pack itself, sleeping bag and silk liner, stuff bag for clothes, stuff bag for gadgets (chargers, toothpaste, cables etc), flip-flops (for shower), 2 x 500 ml water bottles full and my tablet. And I can see how to reduce the weight of the pack and the sleeping bag by about 1 kg.
And by now my weight was hovering around 70 kg: the exercise aided and abetted by a reduction in volume of food with a simplified, easy cooked meal at night with always porridge for breakfast. The latter I would cook the night before a trip and eat at the first major stop.
2014 ended in great sadness as Cathy succumbed to her many illnesses in November.
03 February 2015
first Camino - days 2 to 5
The purpose of this blog is to record my preparation for a more complete traverse of Te Ara Tapu Hemi (The way of S James, Camino de Santiago).
Continuing my description of my first, brief, Camino (Te Ara, The Way) from Sarria to Santiago de Compostella. My last blog was more than two years ago. Since then a lot has happened in my preparation.
My last blog recorded my first day (Monday, 28 June 2010) and left off as I wondered whether I would continue. I was suffering an injury (now diagnosed as variocose veins) and was clearly not as fit as I thought. But if the youngsters could continue then so would I.
Tuesday (day 2) saw the steep and long (or so it seemed) climb up from Portomarin and the slog (for someone not so fit). My four young Americans passed by very quickly. Eventually to Palais de Rei to the municipal alberque: a large dorm of seven carrels withy two bunks each or 28 people altogether. Surprisingly I was one of the first in and selected a lower bunk. I went out to see about a phone card so I could ring my wife at home (no luck) and on coming back found three young women had taken the other three. One spoke English and said they were from Barcelona: I was invited to a bar with them (to watch the Football World Cup game involving Spain that night) but. as my hearing aid does not work well in confined noisy places, I declined. I had been on the road for more than a week and needed to wash my smalls and hung them up near the window.
Wednesday morning I was first awake well before sunrise: I collected all my washing (or so I thought) and moved out. This day was very long for me: it was 30 km altogether and I did the first 17 km to Melide in relatively good time. I was still learning though and had not drunk enough water and the last 13 km to Arzua took forever. But a good new albergue. But shock horror when unpacking: my only other pair of underpants was not there - were they still at Palais de Rei?
Good time of Thursday to O Pedrouzo (only 20km) and another new albergue. I was starting to get use to the pace now and the varicose veins were less noticeable. In the afternoon I encountered a place to book accomodation in Santiago and I took advantage of this. Good sleep that night.
Friday (day 5, 2 July 2010): up early and quickly underway - only 20 km to go. The weather was brilliant for walking - overcast and a light drizzle - so good progress. The way finding was easier and the markers were well supplemented by other walkers. Having got around the airport I came across a cafe; I needed a reward and having got my order was contemplating what I was doing. In came a man and woman together: I had seen each of the several times on the first two days but not since. As soon as the woman saw me she took a plastic shopping bag out of her pack and, rolling the top down, came across to show me what was inside: the smalls I had washed and left at Palais de Rei!!! Continued on to Monte de Gozo (hill of joy) where one can first see the spires of Santiago Cathedral - the end of the way - and the site of a lovely little Chapel of S Mark. I was looking forward to sitting down with 5 km to go and wondered why so many walkers were hanging around outside in the rain. I went inside and found a bishop talking to a group of older people who were dressed as if they had driven here - no walkers amongst them. Fortunately they were soon finished and I got my respite out of the rain. After that it was almost a race to Santiago and the pilgrim bureau to register my modest achievment, get my compostellana and find my accomodation.
In all I stayed four night in Santiago. The accomodation was excellent for a pilgrim: inside the ancient area and close to the cathedral. It was a sadness to leave. But my next adventures beckoned.
Continuing my description of my first, brief, Camino (Te Ara, The Way) from Sarria to Santiago de Compostella. My last blog was more than two years ago. Since then a lot has happened in my preparation.
My last blog recorded my first day (Monday, 28 June 2010) and left off as I wondered whether I would continue. I was suffering an injury (now diagnosed as variocose veins) and was clearly not as fit as I thought. But if the youngsters could continue then so would I.
Tuesday (day 2) saw the steep and long (or so it seemed) climb up from Portomarin and the slog (for someone not so fit). My four young Americans passed by very quickly. Eventually to Palais de Rei to the municipal alberque: a large dorm of seven carrels withy two bunks each or 28 people altogether. Surprisingly I was one of the first in and selected a lower bunk. I went out to see about a phone card so I could ring my wife at home (no luck) and on coming back found three young women had taken the other three. One spoke English and said they were from Barcelona: I was invited to a bar with them (to watch the Football World Cup game involving Spain that night) but. as my hearing aid does not work well in confined noisy places, I declined. I had been on the road for more than a week and needed to wash my smalls and hung them up near the window.
Wednesday morning I was first awake well before sunrise: I collected all my washing (or so I thought) and moved out. This day was very long for me: it was 30 km altogether and I did the first 17 km to Melide in relatively good time. I was still learning though and had not drunk enough water and the last 13 km to Arzua took forever. But a good new albergue. But shock horror when unpacking: my only other pair of underpants was not there - were they still at Palais de Rei?
Good time of Thursday to O Pedrouzo (only 20km) and another new albergue. I was starting to get use to the pace now and the varicose veins were less noticeable. In the afternoon I encountered a place to book accomodation in Santiago and I took advantage of this. Good sleep that night.
Friday (day 5, 2 July 2010): up early and quickly underway - only 20 km to go. The weather was brilliant for walking - overcast and a light drizzle - so good progress. The way finding was easier and the markers were well supplemented by other walkers. Having got around the airport I came across a cafe; I needed a reward and having got my order was contemplating what I was doing. In came a man and woman together: I had seen each of the several times on the first two days but not since. As soon as the woman saw me she took a plastic shopping bag out of her pack and, rolling the top down, came across to show me what was inside: the smalls I had washed and left at Palais de Rei!!! Continued on to Monte de Gozo (hill of joy) where one can first see the spires of Santiago Cathedral - the end of the way - and the site of a lovely little Chapel of S Mark. I was looking forward to sitting down with 5 km to go and wondered why so many walkers were hanging around outside in the rain. I went inside and found a bishop talking to a group of older people who were dressed as if they had driven here - no walkers amongst them. Fortunately they were soon finished and I got my respite out of the rain. After that it was almost a race to Santiago and the pilgrim bureau to register my modest achievment, get my compostellana and find my accomodation.
In all I stayed four night in Santiago. The accomodation was excellent for a pilgrim: inside the ancient area and close to the cathedral. It was a sadness to leave. But my next adventures beckoned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)