Here I go again! However this time, I will be accompanied by my husband George. Norman, my sidekick and “Monkey on my Back” is resting from his Appalachian Trail adventure and holding down the fort. So needless to say, there’s a new Sheriff in town, and his name is George.

The Camino, for those who are unaware is a Pilgrimage in Spain. Saint James, Jesus’ half-brother is believed to be buried in a cathedral at Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain. For centuries, Pilgrims have traveled from their hometown or villages, and yearly make their way to Santiago. It has become known as a Spiritual Journey that brings one to their knees as they cover hundreds, if not thousands of miles.

A movie was released some ten years ago called “The Way.” It has encouraged and inspired many to find their way to Santiago. With the many routes and countless stories of Pilgrims, normal everyday people, forever changed by walking towards this place of peace. I have no idea what to expect, where God will lead me or who I may meet along the way. But what I do know is that the Lord always has something predestined, and I am prepared to have my heart opened, to receive and provide countless blessings to others, along this path.

So what goes into planning to walk from Lisbon to Santiago? First of all, it is much different than backpacking. Hence the opportunity for my dear husband to travel with me. Along the way, there are Albergues, Hostels, Hotels and many accommodations that support Pilgrims. I should not be a stinky hiker along this path. Showers and beds will be provided nightly, along with meals, coffee and wine. It truly is a glamping type of walking, with roadways, cobblestone streets and some maintained trails. The routes are clearly marked with arrows pointing you in the right direction. And did I say there are Cafes and Restaurants so no need to carry a stove or days worth of food! This is an experience that will open my eyes to a new way of doing things. Hopefully it won’t soften me and ruin my lifelong career of backpacking! It’s definitely Five-Star hiking.

George and I have been doing some light hiking near our home in Granite Bay. We walk along the trails of Folsom Lake preparing for our adventure. Our dog Zoey is always happy to accompany us. Although she tends to flush out any little or big critter that may be hiding in the brush. Watch out Jack Rabbits, Deer and Egrets! Zoey loves a good chase. But she also loves to hike and even herd us, from time to time.

My backpack is much smaller this go around. While my husband and I were watching videos a few years back on gearing up for our first Camino, George found the perfect backpack. It’s a 40 Liter Decathlon Pack which is fairly lightweight with sacklike construction. He ordered it online and once it arrived, I was ready to purchase one too. The gear we pack is much less as there is no need for a tent, mattress, or stove. Each of our packs weigh less than 15 pounds and that’s fully loaded! That alone makes me smile.

So what do we bring on a Spiritual Journey? Not much but my clothes, shoes, hat, toiletries and a bible. I could write another blog on all things in my pack but it wouldn’t be very interesting. We just don’t need much for a few reasons. First of all, we are walking through towns daily. Hence the reason food is not needed to be lugged on my back and water is available by way of fountains and Albergues. When I backpack, I can get my base weight down to 17-18 pounds but with food and water, it is closer to 25-30 pounds. That makes a huge difference, especially in the distance you can walk comfortably daily.

Secondly, no tent or sleeping pad is required. We have places to sleep along the way. Some are multi-use with a plethora of bunkbeds, while others are semi-private rooms for 2-3 Pilgrims. George and I plan to bring sleep sheets and I’ll bring a lightweight sleeping bag as I like my own bag and not a wool-like blanket. Outside of that, a small towel, and some clothespins to hang out clothes after hand washing them in the evenings. That pretty much covers our sack.

Another adventure awaits, with many more miles to walk. This will be such a different experience than I have had in the past. The idea of a Pilgrimage is intriguing. I love the thought that rather than being a hiker, that I will be identified as a Pilgrim. George and I have a large scalloped shell that will hang from our packs, identifying ourselves as Pilgrims. These were presented to us at The Pilgrim Gathering that we both attended last spring at Zephyr Cove.

Pilgrims are different than hikers as they walk two distinct journeys. The outer journey is a physical one on foot, bike or horseback which is more or less a test of fitness and stamina, than one of strength in character. The inner journey inside the mind is where you discover more about who you are, what you can achieve, how to live life simply and how little one needs of the material world. And there is also a social journey in which you learn to accept and negotiate with other people in mutual respect to achieve a common goal.

When I consider my many long distant hikes, there is three predictable paths. The physical, the mental and the spiritual. The physical is typically the first to overcome or at least, to accept and build on. This is when you realize that you have or have not trained properly, or that your aging body is not capable of performing like it has in the past. Each day is a challenge with miles to tackle and obstacles to overcome. The mental, at least for me, was more about handling the unexpected. The challenges with weather and terrain, partners or lack of, equipment failures or a severe lack of calories, to name just a few. It has much to do with your attitude rather than the immediate issue on hand. Once one embraces the physical and mental aspects, you move into acceptance, making your way to the spiritual path. There is an ebb and flow, where you can move from one to the other, and with any success, the hiker finds their way to joy and contentment on their journey. This is the spiritual component that I have found, only when I tap out of myself and lean completely on the Lord.

This weekend we fly east to Portugal. It will take a bit to get there, so with the time change and jet lag, George and I will hunker down in Lisbon for a couple of days. This will allow our bodies to adjust to the new time zone and pick up a few items like hiking poles and maybe, a pocket knife. TSA don’t appreciate pokey things so those need to be left at home. Outside of that, we are ready to start our journey as Pilgrims and look forward to how the Lord will guide us along the way.