Veering Off to the Camino Invierno

Today, I have decided that I will veer off from Ponferrada 

to the Camino Invierno. 

I have walked from Sarria to Santiago many, many times and this will give me the opportunity to walk a new trail, see some new sights, including the gorgeous Las Medulas, and still arrive in Santiago as scheduled.

Just two more sleeps until I leave for Vancouver, Washington, where I'll spend a couple of days with my youngest son. We're going to attend the Pacific Crest Trail Days event in Cascade Locks. I have a hotel near the airport Monday night and leave for Madrid Tuesday morning.

I finally figured out (I think) how to get my Pacer Poles to Madrid. I ordered a yoga mat carrying case from Amazon. I'll wrap the poles in bubble wrap, put them in that case, and check it. Keeping my fingers crossed it will make it safely. I may tuck in my sun umbrella as well.

Getting excited!

Love,

Annie

See the Difference?

Osprey Mira 34L on the left and Arcteryx Brize 32L on the right.

Ok, so this photo is embarrassing because I'm in horrible shape since my illness - but here is the difference between the Osprey Mira 34L pack and my Arcteryx Brize 32L pack.  

The Brize just fits better and feels better. 

Packing For My 2026 Slow Camino

I am in the last stages of planning for 

my 2026 Slow Camino.

I've been working on deciding 

which pack I'll take. 

Day before yesterday 

I filled my 32L Brize pack for my daily walk.

It weighs 13 pounds with water. 

It was "ok" but a little uncomfortable on my shoulders. 

I actually like this pack best 

because of how easy it is to pack.

It's a top-loading pack 

so everything just stuffs down inside.

Also it only opens to the neck 

so it's great to keep pickpockets at bay.
It's a very sleek pack.

Yesterday I filled my 

30L Gregory Juno hydration pack.

 I suspected it may be a bit more comfortable.  

It rides more on the hips 

than on the shoulders.
But it was a pain in the butt for me to pack 

because it opens on the face 

It's also 2L smaller 

and that does make a difference.
I just am taking too many clothes for that pack.
I have to work to stuff everything in.
After fiddling with it,

I decided it was not a contender.
I may just sell that pack.
It's an awesome pack with hydration

and I've never carried it.
Maybe when I get back it'll go on Ebay.

Yesterday I hopped over to REI and picked up 
a 34L Osprey Mira pack.
Lovely pack, 

but when I tried carrying it full today
 two very hard edges at the bottom frame
dug into my hips.
So that pack is getting returned today.

I think I've decided I'll carry 
the Arcteryx Brize.

Generally I like a smaller pack
but since I'm starting in August

and finishing the end of October

I'll be walking in HOT weather

as well as cold.
So I need to take more clothes

than usual.

In the meantime, 

this is what I'm packing.
I use packing cubes - they're old but still work great

and really help me stay organized.

As I said, I'm carrying more 

than I normally would take
because I'm starting in HOT weather 
and ending in COLD weather,

so I need to be able to layer my clothes.

This is what everything looks like 

when it's loaded into the cubes:

 I'll go through each cube to show you what I'm bringing
for this 68 day trip.

First is my NatureHike Ultralight down sleeping bag and pillow. I love this little sleeping bag.
I cut off the zipper and sewed up the bottom edge

to make a foot box, so 

it's more like a down quilt.
Warm and featherweight.

In the largest cube are my daily clothes:

3 pair panties, 2 socks,
grey sun hat, grey featherweight sun hoodie, teal featherweight sleeveless shirt for sleeping, red merino wool short sleeve, black silk wool long sleeve, 

a pair of shorts and my Macabi skirt.
I stuffed two extra masks in just in case.

In the next cube are my cold/hot weather clothes.
Blue ALTUS poncho (vacuum sealed for travel),

pink neck cooler (you soak it in water then wear),
Marmot lightweight jacket,
fleece hat, black merino buff
(I've taken out the pink/blue scarf)

Next is my laundry/bath cube:
Bath soap, laundry soap (fels naptha),
large safety pins for drying clothes, 
shampoo, clothes line

The green bag holds my first aid and bathroom things:
Shoe horn and eyebrow pencil
 (I have no eyebrows - thanks to cancer),
KT tape, Electrolyte drops, Fluimucil,
toe gel tubes and washcloth pills,

lambs wool, q-tips, razor, vicks, deodorant, dental floss,
Prep H, and a tiny pill carrier holding ibuprofen, Advil PM, a muscle relaxer, and Gaviscon. If I need more, there are pharmacies in pretty much every village. 

Next are just loose extras:
Kula cloth and panty pads, extra shoestrings and tips for my pacer poles, Petzl headlamp, mosquito net (in orange bag), coffee, sugar, spork, shower shoes

The plastic sleeve is for when I use pack transport. I plan on carrying my pack except for a few more difficult days. My credential, and two tiny journals. 

This last bit is what I carry onto the plane with me.

For sleeping: earplugs, Advil PM, sleepmask
Earbuds, plug converter, power bank,
kleenex, nose spray and bengay
(in case someone has too much perfume on 

and I need to mask it), 

inhaler, toothbrush, pen, clorox wipes, 

water bottle (not shown) and lastly,

an old cashmere sweater!

What I will wear on the plane. 
These are very lightweight cotton genie pants 

and a merino teeshirt.
I can wear these in the evenings after walking.

Also, I forgot to include my sun umbrella, 

and I'll be taking my Pacer Poles.

I know this looks like a lot, but it really isn't for a 68 day trip.

It all packs up small. 

I may or may not include a bladder.
Haven't yet decided.

Just 7 more sleeps!

Stay tuned,

Annie

Why Two Ways?

Map by Rick of Rick and Peg

Some may wonder why there are two ways from St. Jean Pied de Port in France over the border to Roncesvalles, in Spain.

 According to AI:

There are two ways to walk from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles because of terrain and weather. Walkers choose between the high-altitude Napoleon Route (over the Pyrenees ridge) and the lower Valcarlos Route (through the valley).

The Napoleon Route (Route Napoleon / GR 65)

Goes high over the mountain pass, reaching about 1,400 to 1,450 meters high.
Offers wide, open views of the mountains and nature.
Is very steep and hard on the body.
Closes by local law from November 1 to March 31 due to dangerous winter snow and wind. 

The Valcarlos Route

Follows the lower river valley through the village of Valcarlos.
Stays open all year round as the safe winter backup.
Follows paved roads with car and truck traffic for parts of the way.
Features sharp ups and downs through the valley, making it surprisingly tough despite being the lower option. 

From "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago" by David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson, a WONDERFUL book for those interested in the historical facts of the villages along the Camino Frances:

 "The Puerto de Ciza road enters Spain through the easiest pass in the western Pyrenees. For the Romans, this was the Via Traiana, which linked Bordeaux with the gold mines of Astorga.  Two traditional routes cross the border here. 

The lower route through Valcarlos, traced by the modern highway, invited trouble since it offered many opportunities for easy ambush of travelers.

The higher route, to the east and over the high ridge, was preferred by the Romans - who hated being surprised - and by safety-minded pilgrims, and it is the route marked out as the hiking trail today and is referred to as the Napoleon Route. 

Valcarlos means "The Valley of Carlos" and the Carlos it refers to is Charlemagne, whose troops fared poorly in this narrow gorge. 

The 1,300 meter high Ibeñeta pass was where an 11th c. ermita belonging to the Monastery of Leyre once stood. Here also was the famous monastery and hospice of San Salvador, founded in 1127 by the bishop of Pamplona, Sancho Larrosa.  Pilgrims in the mid 12th c. referred to this chapel as the Capella Caroli Magni, but by the end of the century, people had come to believe this to be where Roland sounded his horn, and renamed it the Capella Rollandi. 

Today's modest chapel still has a bell to guide pilgrims on foggy days.  Nearby is a modern granite monument to Roland and just below it you can see a bunker from the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War."

For a quick 9-minute speed-walk video of this route, see John Sikora's film here - watch the "X" on the screen to see where he's walking and at about 4:31, he stops to show video of the river and trail:

Speed Walk of Valcarlos Route

And here is a short video by "Passportwalletphone" showing the beautiful scenery:
Valcarlos Route

I've decided to walk the Valcarlos route for two reasons:

1. I've led groups over the Napoleon route so many times since 2012, I've lost count, so I feel like I've "been there, done that." But I've never walked the Valcarlos route. Since I'm feeling this will be my last Camino Frances (but not my last Camino!) I want to be able to say I've walked both routes.

2. My health - my lungs are damaged from Birt Hogg Dubét syndrome and I just don't have the stamina I had 10 years ago. I am doing a very slow Camino this time, walking half stages, and the Valcarlos route allows me to break up the first stage from SJPP to Roncesvalles into two nearly even days. 

I hope you'll follow my blog. 
I'll post as often as I can - 
Buen Camino!
Annie

Walking the Valcarlos Route

 

I've made a big decision!

This year,  I will walk the Valcarlos Route.

In the 20-plus years and countless times  I've walked from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles, I've always walked the Napoleon Route - through wind, rain, sleet, and sunshine.

The Valcarlos route goes through the valley instead of up and over the Pyrenees, with a final 4 kilometer climb into Roncesvalles at the end -  and the elevation is about 400 ft lower than the Napoleon route.

Because of the issues I've been having with my lungs, this route will be safer for me. Plus, I've never walked it!   

I'm thinking this will be my LAST Camino Frances, as I'm 74 this year and I have other routes I want to walk in the future, and I have never walked via Valcarlos.  

 

So, today I cancelled my bed at Borda, and made a reservation for the Hostal Camino de Santiago in Valcarlos. 

 

I'm getting excited!

I leave for Vancouver, Washington 

in one week. 

I will spend 2 nights with my youngest son, then one night at an airport hotel, and leave for Spain early Tuesday morning.

My bag is packed.

It weighs right at 12 pounds without food/water. 

I've already paid for bag transport for one day so I may have the bag transported on day two for the steep walk up to Roncesvalles. 

I saved closed to $500 by using travel points on my credit card to pay some of my lodging costs. I'll never get enough points to pay for a ticket so they came in handy this trip.

Here is my tentative schedule. I hope you can read it. I'll be walking VERY short stages, at least in the beginning. I just want to take it slow and enjoy every moment. I'm staying in a combination of albergues and private lodgings. 

Birt-Hogg-Dubé

 I saw the Oncologist yesterday. 
All looks well as far as she is concerned. 

I saw the Pulmonologist today.
He highly suspects Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

He took blood tests just to rule out Sjogren's Disease.
Those will be back in a week or so.

He is going to set up genetic testing for the BHD so I should know something in the next week or so.

He said my lungs, otherwise, look healthy.

If it is BHD, I just have to keep an eye on my lungs because if cysts form on the outside of the lungs they can make it dangerous to fly. If they burst, it can cause a lung collapse.

I do have one mid sized cyst on the outside but he said "go ahead and fly - just don't cough hard!"  lol!

The cysts are bizarre - just filled with air, and all inside my lungs. For as many cysts as I have, my lung and heart tests were excellent, so he says I'm otherwise in great health, just like the Oncologist said. If it is BDH I'll also have to get regular testing on my kidneys as one of the side effects is kidney cancer if left unchecked. 

I'll also have to let my children and grandchildren know so they can get tested. They have a 50% chance of getting the gene.

I'll post more when I know more. 
At this point, I still plan on leaving August 17 for Spain.

Love,

Annie

A Little Glitch

 Sooooo... I've made my flight reservations from home to Pamplona in August, only to find I have cysts in my lungs that may prevent me from flying.

Apparently the cysts can pop and cause a lung to collapse. 
Sheesh!

This is after a year of complaining to my Primary Care Physician that I was having trouble breathing and pain in my upper chest. I finally had AI write a letter and requested it be put in my chart and THAT lit a fire under them!  Within 24 hours I had referrals for a plethora of tests. 

The CT with contrast showed a lot of cysts in my lungs and one large on on my liver. I'm request another CT of my right kidney as well, because I've also had pain on that side for over a year.  My grandmother and HER mother both had a kidney removed - so hopefully the CT will be approved. 

Who knows how long these cysts have been there. I've always had difficulties with my lungs, especially after a cold or flu - so this may be nothing new - but I'd like to at least know. I tried walking the Camino last Autumn and had to return because I just couldn't catch my breath. After an emergency room visit, was told everything looked fine. 
Riiiiggggghhhht!

It seems when you're over 70, the doctor just figures you're old and going to die anyway, so why bother!?  At least that's how it feels. 
Well up theirs!
I plan on living to be a healthy 103 at least!

I have appointments with my Oncologist and a Pulmonary specialist next week.

Keeping my fingers crossed. 
I REALLY want to take this trip

Stay tuned,

Annie

Back to the Camino!

I've decided to try to complete the Camino I began last year. I had to leave the trail early because of illness and an odd feeling of impending doom, which was so strange.  I just returned from a doctor's appointment and things look fine. A growth turned out to be a benign cyst. Things like that are scary when you've had breast cancer (or any cancer I imagine.)  

I haven't yet decided if I'll start again in SJPP or if I'll just pick up in Los Arcos where I left off.  I'll have up to 3 months to finish and plan on walking slow. 

I'm thinking I'll begin sometime in mid to late August.

Stay tuned.

Love,

Annie

SOLAR on my Van!

A couple of weeks ago, I drove down to Langlois to a vanning friend's house to have solar put on my van!

I have been pretty much homebound during the winters since my mother passed away. This last winter, though mild, was hard on me. As I age, arthritis flares up more often and I ache for some sunshine during the winter. So this coming winter, I plan on taking the van to the desert for a few months. I'll hire a housesitter and follow the sun!

I do have a couple of solar suitcases, but that requires heavier lifting than I'm comfortably capable of these days to set them up. So I bought a 200 watt panel and had it installed on top of the van. It works GREAT! Here are some photos:

Now I have my small propane AND my water in my kitchen

My fridge will live under my bed until destination. Then I'll move it into the side tent.

I had a catalytic heater installed on the back of the kitchen wall.

I also had a CO2 and Propane detector installed

The solar panel itself is very low profile

He used flat wires that to right into the kitchen area

Wiring

Battery

Other wiring. This all fits in the bottom cubby of my kitchen.

My fridge is a Bouge 23 quart fridge. I got purple because it was on sale. 

My battery:

Other items that make vanning comfortable for me include the following items. All of the "electrical" items are rechargeable by USB.

For washing clothes

I love these Eclipse shades!

My Luggable Loo - I've covered it with pretty cloth so it can also be used as a seat. 

For baking 

Both propane and butane

For hot nights

Jet Boil for quick boiling water

My rechargeable shower.

Water pump for my 5 gallon jug

My Jackery for even more power when needed

Side tent for shade and privacy. 
The sides drop.

My chair. I wove this myself.

Window film gives privacy and is pretty

I made these screens

For taking baths

I love this mattress!

TONS of uses for these magnets

For charging phone if my other USBs are full

For light and bug control

Motion lights for safety

Multiple uses including filling with water for window film and vinegar for dish washing

A new screen and backup camera

Just because I love cows!

For making coffee

I had two of these installed for charging USB items

Lightweight, foldable storage

LOONA Urinary device for nights and traveling

I'm set up now and very happy!
I'm looking forward to more van trips.
And... this winter will be a test.

I'll either love it or hate it. 
If I don't like it, then I'm not out much...

but if I LOVE it,

I'll be in the market for a larger van next year
so I can stand up cooking!

Also in the future for Joe and I is ONE. MORE. CAMINO!
We are discussing a very slow Camino.
We'd like to walk 

the Camino Frances again 

and just walk half stages, 

taking around two months to finish.
I'd like to do it Spring 2027 

but that is a HOLY YEAR 

and sure to be busy.
But we may do it.
It's on the burner, 

slow cooking...

SO...

Stay tuned 

and enjoy your life!

Love,

Annie