Primer, Continued

There are some of you who know me so very well that you are still laughing at the image of me trying to walk 15 miles per day.  There are others of you who have seen me attack a challenge and are just shaking your head and saying "here she goes again."  And of course, there is the vast majority of you who think I have probably totally lost my mind.  As for me, I fall into all 3 categories.

This morning as my body reminded me how far we had walked yesterday I too just shook my head.  I definitely think I should have attacked this at 30 instead of 49.  I am thinking Alex might just run circles around me.

The biggest question from yesterday's blog was what will you take with you and how have you been preparing. 

The simple answer to the preparation question is that I have been walking.  I started in early February walking for longer distances.  I began at 6 to 8 km (4 to 5 miles) - and thought I was dying - and kept adding kilometers to the trail.  Yesterday we did 17 km (10.5 miles).  I also watched my pace - I was a slow, old, and overweight walker and realized I would need to start before the sun came up and might not finish until it set if I didn't pick up my pace a little (at least during the beginning kilometers).  I started at an average of 3.5 km/hour (2.17 miles/hour).  Yesterday I managed to walk the 17 km at an average of 5 km/hour (3 miles/hour).  Not a huge difference, but when you consider the difference of 25 to 30 km it makes a difference as to when you might see your bed.  So far my longest walk has been 20 km, so the days on the camino will still be longer.  (One of the best parts of the training walks has been all the new sights we have encountered - to the right are two of the sights from yesterday - of course before the rain began.)

I have figured out I need a break around every 7 to 8 km for both rest and a snack if I want to still feel like I am alive and enjoying the walk at kilometer 20.  Yesterday we did the 17 km without a break.

As for what will I take with me, well that is a lot shorter answer - next to nothing!  Whatever we take, we must carry.  Here are the basics:

• sleeping bag
• lightweight jacket
• toothbrush, deoderant, and a hairbrush - probably gonna be makeup-less days
• 1 change of clothing - I will walk in one outfit and carry a 2nd.  Each night I will wash the outfit I wore that day and wear the other outfit while it is drying.  So when you see pictures, yep - you are seeing the same 2 outfits over and over again.  I do plan to wear one outfit on the train to the start point and then re-wear that same outfit on the train home (yes, I will wash it too).  Not sure what yet, but something simple and lightweight
• Rain poncho
• Band-aids, Tylenol, and sunscreen
• Quick Dry Towel
• Sandals (lightweight - probably flip flops)
• Snacks - just enough for one day - plenty of places along the way to buy for tomorrow
• Camera
• Guidebook, ID, money, and Camino Passport

  

  Of course, no walk in Spain is complete without a stop at a "bar" for a coke and a tapa.

That is about it.  My goal - maximum of 4 to 5 kilos, but prefer for it to be a lot less.