Plans for Spain!

Hey Tribe,

Exciting news to share with you, if you haven’t heard already: I’m headed to Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago this coming summer!  It’s been in the works for awhile now, but preparations have begun in earnest and I felt it was time to share my anticipation with you.

This is Fly's excited face

You might be asking, “Hiking the what?” so allow me to give you a little info about the trail.  It is considered a pilgrimage, started in 812 A.D. by determined/desperate/or just plain crazy folks who would walk from their front door all the way to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Santiago, Spain, in order to earn an Indulgence from the Church.  Since everyone was starting from wherever they lived, naturally there are a lot of different paths to get there, but now there are well established and recognized routes.  Some are very long, spanning multiple countries, some are much shorter and begin in Spain; the minimum distance a pilgrim must walk in order to say they have walked the Camino is 62 miles.

All roads lead to Rome Santiago

The route I have chosen is del Norte (the Northern route) that begins on the Eastern border of Spain and travels along the coast before heading inland to Santiago.  It is roughly 512 miles, or so I’ve read.  Yep, you read that correctly, over 5 hundred miles.  I know, it’s crazy.  My plan is to start at the Eastern border of Spain and hike allllllll the way across to the Western side, which used to be the end of the known world back in the olden days.   It will make the journey a few days longer, but I think it will be worth it, and after walking for 35 days, what’s a few more?  Piece of cake, right?  Maybe not, but it’s my current plan and I’m pretty determined.

Map of Camino del Norte from The Road to Santiago

After not as much convincing as I had anticipated, TheMother agreed to join me, as did TheAunt (sister to TheMother).  Neither are big hikers, but we will make a merry band of pilgrims and we’ve braved the wilds of Alaska together, so I think we will be just fine.  My only deep regret is not being able to bring Fly with us.  Dogs are not allowed in all the places to stay and I don’t think I could convince my companions to camp out each night, plus the ginormous logistical hurdle of transporting a dog to a foreign country would cause my trip to not be nearly as enjoyable, as I would be worried sick about Fly’s wellbeing all the time.  Can I part with my baby for a month and a half?  I’ll have to.  TheFather will take good care of her I have no doubt.

TheAunt and TheMother sunbathe in Alaska

  

So, there is my news!  I’ll keep you updated with more information about the trip, our plans, and what we are packing as time goes by.  Buen Camino, as they say!