The math is really simple. I have measured my casual stride as somewhere between 2.5 ft and 2.75 ft. The Camino Frances, the route I am planning to walk, is roughly 500 miles from St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago, Spain. It is easy to see 500 miles is 2.64 million feet, or roughly 1,000,000 steps.
It feels like my Camino has been a very long time coming.
This all started as a result of a conversation with Elizabeth, our daughter, about maybe someday walking the camino with her family. I nodded my head and said ” That sounds good”, but it didn‘t really register until later the same evening when I looked up the Camino on the Internet. Until the moment I researched the topic I hadn’t a clue what this was all about.
The thought of a spiritual pilgrimage of the “Way of St. James” intrigued me. I was immediately and inexplicably drawn in. I clearly remember saying to myself “I would love to do this”….. Then we watched the movie; “The Way” with Martin Sheen. Although it appears to be a somewhat unrealistic portrayal of the Camino, it did heighten my interest. Denise said “you need to do this!”
So why am I doing this……?
Almost everyone I have spoken to knows someone walking, or has walked, wants to do this themselves. Virtually everyone becomes enthusiastic when they hear about the Camino. Currently, there are about a quarter of a million people from all over the world walk the camino each year. Only about ten percent are Americans. I’m looking forward to learning about the other ninety percent.
Another key character trait is my drive for growth in my spirituality and as a person. “The Way of Saint James,” is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where legend has it that the remains of Jesus’s apostle Saint James the Elder lie. The Camino has existed as a Christian pilgrimage for well over 1,000 years.
I will be starting my travels on Sunday September 10th and beginning my walk from St. Jean Pied de Port, France on Wednesday September 13th. I will make every effort to write something every day of my personal physical experience, even if it is very short you will be able to follow along on my progress.
Good luck my friend and smell the roses along the way!
Cris
Thanks Cris!
Have a fun and safe journey David. Your motivation is inspiring, clearly a deep compassion to fulfill such a personal pilgrimage. We will be following your adventures and wishing we had joined you, but it’s not to be this time! Stay well and God Speed….
Don’t for get to pick up your ‘Pilgrmage Passport’!
Charlene