Thanksgiving 2019

I just returned from a wonderful Thanksgiving visit with my family in Portland, Oregon.   After Thanksgiving, I flew to Fresno and spent a few days with my mom in Hanford, CA.  Mom is doing so much better! She is walking without the walker and supposed to use a cane, but refuses. She got around great while I was there, cooked, cleaned, and baked cookies.  I feel confident leaving her now. Between my niece and her neighbors, I feel she'll be fine until I return from Spain in the spring.

Me with my sons' father, Joe Barry

Today, Joe Walsh and I will be going over our March 2020 Via de la Plata walk.  We plan on arriving in Madrid on March 3, then nabbing a train down to Zafra, where Joe left off the VDLP several years ago. I picked up the walk from Zafra in 2013 and walked up to Caceres, but since Joe has not walked that stretch, I'll be doing it again. Here is a link to the 2013 walk:

From Zafra 2013

After two nights of rest in Zafra, we will begin walking north on the VDLP, planning to finish in Astorga by April 6.

From Astorga, we take a train to Segovia to spend Semana Santa week there. 

Then back down to Madrid for our flight home.

Joe took a fall this year and hurt his shoulder and leg. I have this pesky Morton's Neuroma that popped up in the spring. So we'll see how we do. There is no pack transport on the VDLP. We will be carrying our packs, so plan on packing LIGHT!

We are going without expectations and are open to whatever plans the Camino brings us. 

I began packing up the van yesterday. Once we've finished going over our VDLP plans today, I will be leaving for Arizona to spend a few months in the van with some of my nomad friends. The WRTR (Women's Rubber Tramp Rendezvous) and the RTR are going to be held in January. I'm hoping to stay in the van until after the RTR, then will return to Desert Hot Springs for the month of February to get ready for our Camino.

Our Holy Year 2021 trips are filling up fast!  I have only ONE SPOT left in my group and Joe already has 3 pilgrims signed up for his trip. So if you'd like to walk with us, now is the time to get your registration in. 

Hope to see you on the trail!

Buen Camino!

Annie