Camino 2020 - Finishing up the Via de la Plata.

VDLP 2009

I've been walking the Via de la Plata in stages. 

2009 - no water!

In 2009, Joe and I walked for 8 days on the Via de la Plata. Against more experienced pilgrims' advice, we walked in the hot summer. We were shocked to find fountains dry and as Rebekah of Moratinos warned, the heat "falling like a curtain at 2 pm."  At one point, we were helped by some fireman, who brought us drinking water.  It was just too difficult of a trek for us that year in that heat. We left the route in Fuente de Cantos and jumped up to the Camino Frances for the rest of our time.

Via de la Plata 2013 SPRING!

In 2013, I returned to the Via de la Plata to walk alone.  I walked in mid-May - a much saner decision.  It was an incredibly beautiful walk! The wildflowers were stunning and there were few pilgrims on the trail. I got to spend a few hours at the Thermal Baths in Aljucin. They had a special price for pilgrims.  Wonderful!

That year, I got as far as Cáceres before having to jump up to Pamplona to pick up my walking group. That year, I found it difficult to find lodging at a certain point, because railroad workers were filling up the albergues. 

Next spring, Joe and I have decided we will complete the route in March/April 2020. I was lucky enough to get round trip tickets from LAX to Madrid for only $450.  We will fly into Madrid, take a bus or train to Zafra, and begin walking there, re-walking sections I have walked but Joe has missed. We will walk from March 4 until April 14, spending the last few days in Segovia for Semana Santa!

Albergue de San Francisco, Zafra

The VDLP cuts off toward Santiago above Zamora.  However, we will take the route to Astorga instead of to Santiago. It's easier to catch a bus or train back to Madrid from Astorga in the time we have.

We plan on spending most of Semana Santa in Segovia. We have seen Semana Santa in Seville, Granada, and other parts of southern Spain. We have also seen it in Madrid. It will be exciting to spend it in beautiful Segovia!

Our tentative schedule looks like this, including kilometers between villages.  (pardon the spacing, I copied this from my Excel file):


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5-Mar	Thu	Arrive Madrid
		Train or Bus to Zafra
7-Mar	Sat	Villafranca de los Barros	20
8-Mar	Sun	Taxi to Almendralejo, Walk to Torremejia	14
9-Mar	Mon	Merida	16.5
10-Mar	Tue	Merida
11-Mar	Wed	Aljucin	17
		Thermal Baths
12-Mar	Thu	Alcuescar	22
13-Mar	Fri	Aldea de Cano	15.4
14-Mar	Sat	Caceres	23
15-Mar	Sun	Caceres
16-Mar	Mon	Cacer de Caceres	11.4
17-Mar	Tue	Embalsa 664.26.27.42	23
18-Mar	Wed	Grimaldo	20
19-Mar	Thu	San Gil	21
20-Mar	Fri	Carcabosa	14
21-Mar	Sat	Caparra / Jarilla	20
22-Mar	Sun	Aldenueva del Camino	19.5
23-Mar	Mon	Calzada de Béjar	26
24-Mar	Tue	Fuenterroble	21
25-Mar	Wed	San Pedro de Rosados	28.6
26-Mar	Thu	Salamanca	25
27-Mar	Fri
28-Mar	Sat	Urb. El Chinneral	22.6
29-Mar	Sun	El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino	15
30-Mar	Mon	Villanueva de  Campeon	13.5
31-Mar	Tue	Zamora	19
1-Apr	Wed	Fontanillas de Castro	25
2-Apr	Thur	Granja de Moreruela	12.5
3-Apr	Fri	Benavente	25.5
4-Apr	Sat	Alija del Infantado	22
5-Apr	Sun	La Baneza	20.5
6-Apr	Mon	Villares de Orbiga or Astorga	24.5
7-Apr	Tue	Astorga
8-Apr	Wed	Segovia
9-Apr	Thur	Segovia
10-Apr	Fri	Segovia
11-Apr	Sat	Segovia
12-Apr	Sun	Madrid
13-Apr	Mon	Madrid
14-Apr		FLY HOME

I'm excited!
I bought a new pack yesterday. No pack transport that I know of on the VDLP, so I'll be carrying as little weight as I can manage. 

Stay tuned to see my packing list.

Buen Camino,
Annie
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This Year's Camino Backpack - The Osprey 36L Kyte

*** UPDATED***

Thought I still believe this is an excellent pack, after loading it up and trying it out on a long hike, I decided I was too short for this pack. The top of it kept hitting my head, like those headrests in cars that bug me too. So I went back and bought the Jade pack again and used it for my VDLP. It worked out better for me.  I will leave this review up, however, because I still think this is a great pack.

*******

If you've been following me for long, you'll know that I always suggest a small backpack for the Camino, usually no larger than 28L-32L.  

For years I carried an Arcteryx 30L top loading pack, which I loved for its simplicity, great fit, and small size.  I cut off all the extra daisy chain loops and decorated the pack. 

I used it for about 10 years until it smelled so bad I discarded it after my trek from Malaga. 

Big mistake. 

Arcteryx stopped making that pack, and I've struggled to find a good replacement since.  

Two years ago I bought the Gregory Jade 28 pack. 

It was a nice pack, but didn't quite fit the bill for me. I was looking for a pack for this year's Via de la Plata trek. There is no pack transport on that route so I needed a pack that fit well.

I wanted a small top-loading pack with a good WIDE padded hip belt, excellent suspension, room for a water bladder in case I decided to carry one, padded comfortable shoulder straps, a sternum strap that wouldn't squish my breasts, that was small enough to carry on the plane.

So yesterday, while in Oregon pet-sitting for my son, I stopped at REI and tried on packs.

I loaded each pack I tried on with 15 pounds, the amount I planned on carrying. 

I am 5'3" and right now, I weigh about 155 lbs.  I know from experience I have a short torso and usually wear a small pack.

I began by looking at 28L packs. Sadly, everything they had in a women's 28L pack, except for the Jade, came in a "one size"  -  and that is not good when you'll be wearing a backpack for 6-7 hours a day, every day for 6 weeks.

I moved up to 30L packs. Osprey makes the Talia pack at 30L, but again, it was one size.  The Kresta 30L snowpack looked good, but there were none in stock.

The Gregory 32L Targhee pack only came in Medium and Large. The Deuter ACT Trail Pro looked good, but it was too long in the torso and "one size." 

The "one size" packs just wouldn't work for me. Shoulder straps should wrap around your shoulders. Even the adjustable ones sat way too high above my shoulders, with 1 to 3 inches of air between the strap and my body. Many had tiny little hip belt straps. I knew those would dig into me as I walked.

I continued to look and finally moved up to 34L packs.  Same issue. Either they only came in "one size" or in Medium, Large.

I had loaded and tried on about 10 packs, and was just about to give up when the sales clerk, who had been VERY helpful and VERY patient suggested I try on the Osprey Kyte 36L pack.

I said, "No, that's too big. I don't want to carry a 36L pack."

He said, "Yes, but since you need an X-Small pack, the Kyte, even though it is CALLED a 36 liter, is ACTUALLY a 34 liter pack."

Really?  How would anyone have known that?

So, I tried it on.. and Voila!
It fit like a glove.
It felt like I wasn't carrying any weight at all.

I wore it around the store for about 15 minutes, and decided it was the pack for me. Although it is in reality a 34 liter pack, the lid can be pulled down very tight. The difference between 34 and 32 liters is a small space. Think of a 2 liter Pepsi bottle and that's the amount of space we're talking about. With the ability to pull the lid down, and the various compression straps on the pack, it can be made small enough for carry-on.  

I bought it.

Here are the features I love about this pack.

1) The hydration sleeve is EXTERNAL which means not having to open the pack up to refill it. I don't usually carry a hydration bag on the Camino Frances, but other routes with fewer options for water sometimes call for it.

2) The pack is fully adjustable and I was able to lower the shoulder straps to perfectly fit my short torso. The "Airscape"  backpanel provides air flow between my body and pack, making it more comfortable to carry temperature wise, less sweating. 

3) There is an integrated and detachable rain cover. I won't use this on the Camino but might use it when walking in Oregon, where it's sometimes misty, but not wet enough to wear an ALTUS poncho.



4) There is a zippered pocket at the bottom of the pack to hold my sleeping bag (or whatever you want to put in here that may be heavy). If you do not need the extra pocket, there is a floating divider that can be removed from inside the bag to make one large space inside. I like that the sleeping bag can be removed from the bottom. In the past, with a top loading pack, I put my sleeping bag at the bottom, then put my clothes in on top. This means I don't have to unpack my entire bag to get to my sleeping bag.

There is a side zipper.  Even though I love a top loading pack, this means I COULD get into the side of the pack if I needed to without having to unload the pack.

The lid zipper is on the INSIDE of the pack, next to my neck, not on the outside where pickpockets can easily access the contents.  The lid also has an under-lid zippered mesh pocket. 

There is an expandable pocket on each side of the pack, great for water bottles or guide books/maps. 

There is a pocket on the front panel with a drain hole making it perfect for storing wet rain gear! 

On each side of the the hip belt there is a roomy pocket for holding my phone, camera, chapstick, headlamp, or whatever tiny gear I need to get to quickly. 

There is a stow-on-the-go trekking pole attachment, making it easy to carry your poles when you aren't using them. 

Additionally, there are a series of "daisy chain" loops down the front of the pack for attaching small things, like maybe a carabiner and wet socks? Or maybe to carry your shower sandals? I probably will cut them off as I did on my old pack. I find they just get in my way more than I find them useful. But that's me.

And lastly, there are a ton of compression straps to compress the pack as small as I need it to be in order to carry it onto the plane with me. 

This pack fit so well, I almost did a happy dance in the middle of REI!

As you can see from my experience, you need to TRY ON a backpack. You cannot expect to buy a one-size-fits-all pack and have it fit, without being extremely lucky. 

So please, don't just order your backpack on the internet without trying it on.

Here is a little guide as to what you should look for when trying on a pack:

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacks-adjusting-fit.html

You can find other videos online with a Google Search. There also are several review videos on this Osprey 36L Kyte pack. 

In my opinion, this is an excellent pack for the Camino.

I'm stoked and as soon as I return to the desert from my son's house, I'll pack it up and show you what I'm going to carry this year.

Happy shopping!

Love,

Annie

Camino Chaplet

On my first Camino, I made and sold these string Chaplets to help pay my way on the Camino.

Later, I made them just to give to people who helped me along the way.

Later still, I would make them for the people who walked in my Anniewalkers groups.

I may revive that tradition. They make a nice memento, even if you're not Catholic.

Here is the prayer that goes along with the chaplet.

Santiago Chaplet Prayer

 
This Rosary can be used like a regular 5 decade rosary, or you can use the following prayer:

Crucifix:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Large Knot:
Santiago, as I journey to your city in the love of your name, please
bless my Camino.

Small Knots:
(1) May Hope,
(2) Faith, and
(3) Charity guide my steps.

Large Knot: (1) Say an Our Father

Large Knot: Blessed be the Lord, who has called me to this challenge of Pilgrimage.

10 Small Knots:
Thank you for being my constant companion,
My guide at the crossroads,
My breath when I'm weary,
My food when I'm hungry,
My water when I'm thirsty,
My protection in danger,
My shade in the heat,
My shelter in the rain,
My light in the darkness,
and my comfort when I'm discouraged.

Large Knot:
Our Lady of Roncesvalles, please grant me your motherly protection.

10 Small Knots:
Help me to be honest
Taking every opportunity to help others,
To be patient and kind,
To give generously, and put the needs of others first,
To persevere in the face of adversity,
To practice self-control in thought, word, and deed,
To keep my sense of humor in all situations,
To be humble and appreciate what is given me,
To treat others as I would have them treat me,
To quietly bear pain and hardship.

Large Knots:
(1)May St. Raphael the Archangel protect me throughout my journey and lead me safely home,
(2) and may God bless me as I walk

Small Knots :
(1) Under the bright, blessed stars of the Milky Way,
(2) My goal ever before me,
(3) the Cathedral at Santiago de Compostela.

Crucifix:
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.Amen.

Albergues With Constant Bedbugs

I don't usually like to state which albergues have bedbugs because in general, it's not the fault of the management. An albergue can do everything in their power to eradicate bedbugs and all it takes is ONE pilgrim carrying the bugs to re-infest the place.

Most are responsible and will fumigate and clean the place up. However, there are SOME who just don't seem to care.

If you DO find bedbugs in an albergue, or suspect you've been bitten, please notify the hospitalero IMMEDIATELY! DO NOT MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ALBERGUE UNTIL YOU HAVE WASHED EVERYTHING IN YOUR PACK, INCLUDING YOUR SLEEPING BAG, AND FUMIGATED THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE PACK. Please PLEASE be responsible.

A recent client carried bedbugs back to her home after a trip to Asia. Several THOUSAND DOLLARS later, she finally was rid of them in her house. You do NOT want to carry bedbugs home.

I suggest very strongly that upon your return home, you undress in the garage and put your pack and clothing into a black garbage bag to await washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer. HEAT is what will kill them. If you return home in summer, put the black garbage bag out in the sun for several days, then wash everything.

Even if you have not been bitten, your pack can pick up the eggs in an albergue or pack transfer (sitting next to other packs), on buses and even on the airplane.

So... you've probably read my post on bedbugs. If not, do it now. You MUST know how to identify the bugs and their sign and their bites, which are usually in a group on your skin.

And now, the places I KNOW have had bedbugs year after year after year:

SAN JUAN de ORTEGA. A dark and dreary place. You can simply look at the walls by the beds and see they are covered with bedbug specks (feces). By now, if you are smart, you are walking BETWEEN stages, in which case you've stayed at Tosantos, Epinosa, or Villafranca Montes de Oca, and you can walk right past SJDO. I'd take a taxi to avoid it, personally.

HORNILLOS MUNICIPAL. Stage 13/14 in Brierley. This is the one with the chicken statue. I would NEVER sleep there! Supposedly, they've cleaned the place up. However, I continue to meet pilgrims with bedbug bites who have stayed here. And unfortunately, that doesn't leave you a lot of options in that stage. However, I would plan ahead to walk past it and maybe stay at San Bol, which only has a few beds but is a wonderful place with an ice cold healing fountain to soak your feet in, and a lovely family style dinner. Even if you have to arrive super early and sit and wait under the trees, it's a better option. Or Hontanas.

St. JAVIER in ASTORGA. Year after year, I've found bedbugs here and when I tell the management, they just shrug. It really makes me angry because it's a great LOOKING place and those who do NOT get bitten seem to love it. However, the management apparently doesn't give a crap and it's a shame, because after Astorga when I meet people who are infested with bedbugs, I ask if they stayed at St. Javier and the answer is almost always yes. I would avoid this place like the plague! The municipal in Astorga is quite nice, and there are some awesome hotels here also. There is a lot to see in Astorga. Consider getting together with another pilgrim and booking a nice room together. Take a break. But I would avoid St. Javier!!

MONTE DEL GOZO in Santiago. This is a HUGE albergue with 500 beds. EVERYbody ends up here unless they're smart and I've met lots of pilgrims in line at the pilgrim office who weren't bitten by bedbugs until their last night at Monte del Gozo. Santiago has a boatload of other options. Take a break and book a nice hotel. Within a couple of weeks of arrival, you should know the date you'll be there and can book a room. Or PM me for an inexpensive option I use every year.


Just to be clear, I know some of you may have stayed in these places and never seen a bug. But I walk the Camino nearly every year and these places seem to consistently have bedbug issues and IN MY OPINION, these are places to avoid.






Are you itching yet?






Buen Camino!


Annie