Meanderings & Musings

Zubiri, Spain , March 1 I made a friend today (from Amsterdam ), and we walked most of the day together. It was a nice changeup from solo, and we had an early, candid conversation about both being ok if either of us wanted to break and get some time alone. Her companionship was comfortable: both the conversations and the walking in silence, matching pace. Occasionally, we’d meet others of our group who stayed at the monastery last night, making it feel more like I was part of a collective pilgrimage. Today I did a full stage for the first time (having split stage #1 into two days). It seemed manageable enough at around 14+ miles with less than 1,500’ of elevation, and kept me in sync with last night’s group. However, my right foot which has been bugging me has now completely ballooned, so I’m keeping it elevated every chance I get, even as I write. Less painful today, actually, than the past few, but it looks bad. I suppose it’ll take me a bit to “trail-harden.” I didn't expect it...

February 2025: Lancaster, Penna I’m really doing this: walking The French Way across the whole of northern Spain. Solo. The French is just one of many routes collectively known as El Camino de Santiago . Together, they form a network of ancient pilgrimage routes originating from various points in Europe to the great cathedral of Santiago, where, reputedly, lie the remains of St. James the Apostle , brother of Jesus. When I first heard about the Camino a few years ago, I immediately placed it in my I’d love to do that someday category. And really didn’t give it much further thought. It resurfaced in early December, when I began asking myself what I might want to do to celebrate the completion of another decade, hitting the big 4-0. What began as simply another idea, quickly took center stage and refused to leave, as did the thought of doing it alone. I started pouring over websites, searching for information about the different routes, trying to determine a plan. I inhaled Camino blo...