Trail Time I am not in great shape. Twenty years of riding a desk has taken its toll - and although I have done the odd hike now and again, I can't kid myself into thinking I am good to go 20-30k/day on the Camino when I barely even stand up most days. So I … Continue reading First 14k Day
In case it wasn't clear by now, I like to overthink things. Today's obsession is gear-related: walking stick vs. trekking poles. I've used both, but both rarely. In general I don't like having stuff in my hands when I am hiking - but there are enough advantages to doing so on the Camino that I … Continue reading Stick vs. Poles
Besides shelter and clothing, eating is pretty high on my list of daily Camino priorities. The good news, from what I hear, is that pilgrims are never too far from food and lodging. On the other hand, you at least need to plan on carrying some food and water in between breakfast and dinner. Personal … Continue reading Grubbin’ Gear
Well it FINALLY got rainy enough here to do a wet weather Lunchbreak 2k. Temps have been mild enough to walk in my work clothes lately, and I decided to do the same today only covered in my Frogg Toggs rainsuit. Since my work clothes cover 90% of my skin, if any water made it … Continue reading Wet Weather Clothing Test
I generally dislike being wet. I hate the clingy, itchy feeling of wet clothes. Also, my hair is very short - so when my head gets rained on, I feel every drop. Irritating. I also don't like being too hot. Or too cold. Basically I want to be enveloped in perfect comfort at all times. … Continue reading Wet Weather Clothing
My jobs for the last 20 years or so have basically consisted of sitting at a desk and looking at a screen for 8-10 hours a day. The health benefits of such positions are . . . low. Making the situation worse is the fact that I am pretty lazy when it comes to things … Continue reading Lunchbreak 2k
Boots vs. Shoes (aka The Eternal Struggle) There is probably not a more debated topic on Camino gear than footwear. There exists a range of die-hards supporting nearly every imaginable option from bare to sandals to walking shoes to trail shoes to hiking boots. Even post-Camino advice doesn't follow a single track. Several bloggers left … Continue reading Boots vs. Shoes
Gear is a big deal on the Camino. Whatever you bring is going to be carried for weeks, and getting your head around that can be scary. I watched numerous packing videos and gear reviews to get some idea as to what I would need. One of the biggest decisions is the backpack. It is … Continue reading My (First) Camino Backpack
This is a new blog I have made for my cousin and I to report on our upcoming Camino plans. You can follow the whole thing chronologically or click on the author to see our posts separately. ¡Buen Camino! It was about 5 years ago that I first heard of the Camino de Santiago - … Continue reading Introduction to Camino MMXX
Backcountry Pilgrim 