Camino Pilgrimage Countdown

I used to wonder what getting older would be like.  To help shape that uncertain future I wrote down some goals in 2015 – Turkey & Greece with In Search of Paul (Lutherans!) in 2016, the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in 2017, the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018. The Paul trip was fantastic! Now I’m planning the Camino.  This is the most popular pilgrimage in the world, with 280,000 people walking some or all of it in 2015. When I saw The Way  I knew the Camino was for me.  I’ve walked most of my vacations, backpacking/climbing trips in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming, but for this trip I’ll leave my ice ax and fly rod at home.

I spent a month in Spain in 1975 when I was a pilot in the Air Force and hoped to be back someday. The 500 mile Camino pilgrimage has been popular for over a thousand years, so there is an infrastructure of hostels, guidebooks, and restaurants to support pilgrims. I’ll be carrying my gear in my pack, but not camping or cooking on the trail.  Another adviser will take care of my clients, and I’ll find help looking after Daisy and the cats and the bed and breakfast.

I’m still not sure what getting older will be like, but I’ll turn 65 on May 15th somewhere on the trail in Spain.