Tag: hiking

The Pilgrim’s Life: Part Deux

Conques, Camino de Le Puy | Fotos del Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

Pic of Conques, France

The Pilgrim’s Life, Part 2:

Off the Pilgrims go en masse: quickly, silently, aggressively with their tick, tick, tick walking sticks. Of course, in the minds of all the Pilgrims is to be the first Pilgrim at the first stop in order to get the best accommodations, and in that best of brotherly love and Pilgrim spirit…. screw you buddy, I am the first to go. So, in that raptured state of mind and spirit we fly away pumped and focused.

Now the modern Pilgrim has all the right stuff: every electronic gadget known to man – GPS, cell phone, adapters, solar chargers, radios, iPad, mini laptops, cords and plugs, aviator sunglasses, Columbia fleece vests, Tilley hats and all of the best. These guys and gals are normally gone by the end of the first week because the one thing they forgot to bring are blister bandages.

In that best of Pilgrim state of mind, we are to begin a spiritual existential (whatever that means) frame of consciousness. To discover oneself, one’s sense on being, belonging, synchronicity with the universe. Okay, that about takes care of day one but what about the other 44 days. One can only think of oneself for so long. I mean things can get boring fast. Well, don’t fret because the “The Pilgrim’s Life” has thought of everything. In a new book that has just come out called: “The Pilgrim’s Guide to the Universe” at a special one time offer of 49 euros, you can have it all. Chapter 5 has a list of profound topics that every Pilgrim can use for those profound “ah ha” moments of enlightenment and self discovery. Topics such as: “So Why Does the Sun Rise in the East and Set in the West? or “Is There Really a Man in the Moon?” or “Is the Moon Made of Green Cheese or Brie?” and then there is my own personal favorite: “Why Do Our Eyebrows Remain the Same Colour When Everything Else Turns Grey?” – topics that are sure to keep you engaged in thoughtful thoughts for your entire pilgrimage. All are very hot topics in today’s complicated unforgiving world.

As the Pilgrim hikes about the French or Spanish countryside, he or she will face many challenges. How to stay entertained? Well, at one of the Pilgrim training sessions they tell you and show you how to imitate farm animals like cows, roosters, sheep, and goats. This will keep you in laughter and those animals confused all the time during your trek. A real hoot. But the dogs are another matter.  After a few days Pilgrims begin to smell really bad. A slight green hue or aura begins to appear around each Pilgrim. The air around a herd of Pilgrims undulates like the air around hot asphalt. Dogs can sense this and can smell a Pilgrim from miles away. But this is nothing new to the villagers. Going back to the days of the Plague, they know that they must have sufficient warning to hide their children, close their shops and cafes and remain upwind. Their dogs act like pickets such that when a Pilgrim approaches a small town or village the dogs sense a Pilgrim’s presence and start yelping and barking like dogs in heat. Thus, the villagers have enough time to shut down the entire village. And that is why nothing is open when a Pilgrim enters a small town, village, or hamlet throughout the French countryside. It is better in Spain, but they haver fewer dogs – goats mainly. All the villagers are hiding upwind of the Pilgrim.

Alas, a Pilgrim’s life is a challenging, lonely, and frustrating one. Only the chosen few are strong enough to survive the physical and psychological hurdles. But remain strong, positive and purchase the array of Pilgrim self help books and you can be a real-life Pilgrim too.

This You Tube video will give you a sense of the start of the Le Puy route. It is 30 minutes long but you can skip through it if you like:

Do the Walk of Life

Pair of old hiking boots on mat, against wooden fence background Stock Photo - Alamy

I wish I had started hiking years ago and not when I was 67. Try it you will love it. There are great trails in and around the Cowichan Valley.

 

 

No Title As Yet

Writing a new story. It is a fictional account based on a true story about my Camino Journey in France and Spain. I am about half way finished. I do not have a title as yet.

The Camino?… The Camino… The Camino? ” What is that?” I thought to myself.

Tyler’s words were still running through my mind, as I began my drive home. What did he say?

‘It’s a Pilgrimage Jim, or in this case, a walk across the top of Spain. The French Way. Eight hundred kilometers (or 500 miles!).

“Holy shit” I said to myself under my breath. “Eight hundred kilometres? That’s no mean feat. He must be nuts. He has to be.”

I couldn’t get the Camino out of my mind for the entire drive home. “I will check it out.” I said to no one aloud and when I arrived home, I immediately, hurriedly, went down to my computer room to ‘Google’ the ‘Camino.’ To my surprise hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hits popped up.

“Where’s the fire? What’s the emergency?” My wife yelled from the top floor. Can’t you at least say hi.”

“Oh sorry…hi…nothing Maray, just something Tyler mentioned to me tonight that I want to check out. Something called a Camino.”

“A Camino?” She yelled. “What’s a Camino, or do you mean Casino.

“I am not sure. Something to do with an eight-hundred-kilometre Pilgrimage in Spain. Tyler is going to do it this spring. I want to check it out and then I’ll tell you all about it.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” She said. And then “don’t forget to take out the trash.”

‘Hmmm, yeah, I will.’ I thought but didn’t respond.

“Holy shit.” I said aloud as I looked at the computer screen and Google’s response to my search term. “This is way…way too many hits to grasp. What on earth, how on earth have I not heard about this?” Then again, I wasn’t into walking or hiking so I had no reason to know or even think about long distance trekking such as this Camino. I had other things on my mind, sailing being the primary one for me. But having sold my boat a year ago perhaps I needed a new focus on life. Perhaps the Camino or something like it would fill the bill for me. I’ll check it out in the morning.

I don’t know what Johnny Depp or Aiden Quinn have to do with this song.

141 days to go until I start Le Puy en Venay.

Cheers

Day 41: Penultimate: Sauterre de Bearn to Ostabat

Today’s walk is dedicated to all of those men and women dealing with cancer patients at the BC Cancer Clinic. To all the Nurses and Oncologists who have to deal with this as a career. They are real heroes.

Found out today that we are actually in the Pyrenees, French side. Makes sense as the hills have become sreeper and steeper, higher and higher. Here are a couple of views of hills we had to climb today:

That hill in the distance is typical of the hills we climbed today. One hill was 350 meters high over a distance of 700 meters. Compare that to the Malahat, which rises 352 meters over 8 kilometers. Tough! The actual walk today was 26.8 kilometers, which took us over 7.5 hours – a long day as a result of the hills.

The area around Ostabat is unique in that 3 of the French Pilgrimages meet here: Tours, Vezelay and Le Puy. They all then converge on St Jean Pied de Port before climbing up and over to begin the Camino Frances to Santiago.

The 3 French paths converge at this spot.

The landscape between Sauterre and Ostabat actually reminds me of the Swiss countryside, especially near Zurich. Rich:

Pascal and his favourite companion – our host last evening:

Getting tired now. Tomorrow is day 42 and the end of this journey.

The area around Ostabat also has a Spanish feel to it and there are palm trees here and there. It reminds me a bit of northern California with its Spanish vibe. Accordingly, here is another Eagles classic. One of the best leads around by Don Felder.  Sound and voice synchronization is off a bit. Enjoy:

https://youtu.be/-nmpVYcg23c

 

 

Day 16: Crozant to La Souterraine:

A day in my pilgrim,s life.

As I got up and got out of bed I banged my head against the shelf above. Some books came crashing down on me. It was 0530 in the morning. Damn I thought  I screamed. Over on the other side of the dorm I thought I heard someone say “ Mon Dieu.”

“Darn”, as pilgrims are not supposed to swear. So I go up. It was pitch darkness and I did not want to wake anyone. As I was walking, no tip toeing towárd the heads (toilet), I banged my big toe against the leg of the bed.  “Damn, merde, shit” I screamed again to myself. Owee, that hurts. I then thought I heard my dear wife whisper in my ear: “ John, not only are you a slob you are also a big klutz.” Yes dear. I thought to myself.

I made it to the head only to see or feel that some guy, er pilgrim, was sleeping on the floor by the heads. Oh yeah, I remember. This guy was sensitive to snoring so he moved his mattress by the heads. Snoring or smell? Take your pick. Anyway, I tried to be a quiet as a mouse as I opened one of the doors to the stalls:  caaaw-reeek, the door needed oil. ” Mon Dieu” I heard from th other side of the dorm. I went into a stall and closed the door only to see no toilet seat. No matter. I am a male after all and this is the call of nature for numero uno. Then I tripped on something and fell down and low and behold the toilet was not secured to the floor. With a bang it fell sideways. “ Holy shit.” I said. “Mon Dieu.”I heard again and the guy on the floor beside the toilet just grunted and turned over. Finally, I got out of there, brushed myself off and tip toed back to my bed. Then again my big toe banged again on the corner leg of the bed and I tripped and fell into the bed beside me. That guy was not amused. “ Mon Dieu” I heard again. I apologized to the man in the bed, got my things together, strapped on my rucksack and made my way to the door. I then hit a table as I was opening the door. “Mon Dieu, mon dieu, mon dieu monsieur.” I heard over again and with that I started my day. As I opened the door to leave I yelled back into the darkness of the room: “ Mon Dieu to you too, adieu.” And with that I was on my way.

They are not kind to pilgims. Crozant was at the top of a big hill by the Creuse River. A beautiful site but not to  a pilgrim at the end of the day. We made it to the top, found our accommodations, unpacked, then proceeded to the cafe. I could not believe it. We had  chickenm wings and beer. And they were some of the best wings I have even had. Great. Had some red vino as well and pickd up another bottle for later in the evening. Gawd, how I love this pilgrim life. “ Mon Dieu.”

This is Netherlander Berry. Good company. Pascal from Strasbourg, also joined us. Great evening.

In the morning when I left, the trail had us go all the way back down to the river bed to start our hike. We basically covered off over 100 meters of elevation in less that 500 meters. That was brutal. We followed the river bed into a magical land of streams, woodland and moss. It was cool and very pleasant. The water cascaded over the rocks and weirs and gave it that fresh relaxing aura. It made it even more enjoyable to the senses:

It was a hard slog again today. 24.5 km in 31 degree heat. And it was all uphill. Obviously our elevation was increasing as we headed south. Coming out of the beautiful Creuse River Valley was akin to a death  march, or as I like to refer it to as the Compestello Sweat. We did come into a few villages but I am not going to bore you with that “F” word anymore but it was Thursday after all and everything was………….

But there were also some lighthearted moments:

 

“You talking to me? Are you talkimg to me? Yeah you, you. Are you talking to me, huh?, Huh? Well are you?  Okay, then how about you guys?”

 

Pascal from Strasbourg.  He is 64.

Another great tune to listen to as you are doing the Camino Sweat March!