3/26/13 - More Gear - REI Purchases and Training Walk

REI Standby ...

Using up the Gift Card

Late Posting ... Today (3/26/13) I had scheduled to visit REI - Framingham (the nearest one) to make purchases of more gear and to use up the gift card money from Boston Centerless employees.  So, shopping list in hand, I headed to Rt. 9 and Framingham.

The list had Poles, Socks, Sock Liners, Stuff Sacks, and Convertible Pants.  Two hours later ... mission complete.  All the above plus some rubber tips for the poles, and a micro-fiber wash cloth.  They do a good job at REI.  And, as the name implies, and as folks will tell you, REI stands for Return Every Item... and they honor that if you have a problem.  Keep your receipts.

UPDATE:  Late April - early May.  Training walks have begun in earnest.  I have routes of 8 miles all the way to a little over 15 miles, all starting at the back door.  Another route, to get in some hill training for the mountains, is to walk up the road way from the Base of Mt. Wachusett, below the ski lodge facility and walking up the road to the Visitor's Center and then following the Up-Summit Road to the top for 4.5 miles...returning for another 4.5 miles and then doing it all over again!  That's a gut-buster.

The thing about training walks is how they help you prepare, not just for the distance; that might be the least important.  Other than that, one gets used to his pack weight, where the various zippers are, what to do when something doesn't feel right.  Essentially training gets one accustomed to everything automatically.  If something doesn't seem to fit right, a discovery might be made on the road ... at home!  For example, I had my camera in its case but really no place to carry it where I could have quick access to it.  Hanging it from my neck was a problem and that seemed to be the only solution.  Then, I realized that the case has a velcro lock belt loop!  Problem solved ... it fits perfectly on the backpack waist belt.  I tether it to my pants, position it to the left side of the backpack and I have the quick access to retrieve it, shoot, and return to the case, all without missing a stride! 

Training also breaks in the feet and the shoes.  One learns what works and what might not for blisters or other problems.  I am now comfortable with snacks in the backflap which I can unzip over my head, retrieve a snack, rezip, and continue.  Of course, water management is also learned with daily use of the sipping tube and the water bottles.

Aside from that, my daily routine (not all days, but many) becomes automatic and much like it will be on the Camino.  Early rise, grease up the feet, get dressed, put on the shoes, leave the house, strap on the backpack, and start walking - all in about 30 minutes ... in the semi-dark hours of early morning.  

Sholan Farms

Up Summit Road

Wachusett - Balance Rock Road

 

3/22/13 - Gear Talk - 2

Let's see what we have here. 

Take it from the top left working clockwise around the horn...

Earplugs

Highly recommended for sound sleeping in the Algergues.  Take a large group of 40 - 50 or even a hundred pilgrims and put them in a dormitory room with as many as 75 or 100 bunk beds, cots, mattresses or what have you, turn out the lights, and expect them to be as quiet as church mice?  Probably not going to happen.  So, it is good to have a little help when you put you head down at night.  Hence ... EARPLUGS.  Some also recommend a mask for your eyes so that the inevitable flash light does not disturb you.  Should that happen, I will just use a bandanna over my eyes.   

Vaseline and Silk Liner Socks

One of the highly recommended methods to avoid blisters on the Camino is the use of Liners under a Merino Wool sock.  In addition, to avoid friction, which is the main cause of blisters, they suggest ample coverage of the suspect areas of the foot with Vaseline.  So, I have been doing that, substituting Bag Balm for Vaseline, because I have a big container that I want to get rid of.  It works ... perhaps I will take some on the trip.

Money and Valuables Belt

Next in the picture is a tan object with a red dot on it.  That's a money belt.  Used under all clothing and to be retained on the body or in your hands at all times.   Yes, there are pickpockets in Europe.  In this, carry excess money (Euros), passport, tickets, and debit card.  It is protected from water and a special liner that will protect the magnetic strip on the debit card.

Quick Dry Microfiber Towel

The brownish object is a towel.  Big enough to wrap around one self and also to be quick drying.  Not very good to have a large cotton based fluffy towel all wet and in the rain.  It just won't dry.  This one will dry in minutes and it is wide enough and long enough to cover when necessary.

  
  

3/29/13 - Training ... Catching Up

Getting behind in my posting ... so much to do in retirement, along with training walks!

Up early today for a Good Friday Vigil at church for 1 hour.  That is always nice to be alone in the church on a Vigil watch.  

And since I was on the road yesterday, I will take a pass today.  Plus, I have so much other stuff to do.  Have to go to the bank to update some accounts and also to let them know that I will be in France and Spain during May and June.  This is key so that they do not close my accounts when they see foreign activity.  I also want to be sure that I get a new Debit card with a new magnetic strip.  My current card is old and I don't want failure mode to occur in the middle of Spain!!

Yesterday I did another 10 mi. out-and-back loop with lots of hills.  I have this one, another which is a continuation on a larger loop and will give me 14 miles, and the first circuit I did which is 8 miles.  Trying to get something going every 2 or 3 days.  I did two back to back days and that went well.  Much of doing a long walk is psychological and the other key part is to Walk in a Relaxed Manner - from the title of the book.  It is really key.  And using my new poles, I found that they are very nice, easy to use, and comfortable in the grip.

Soon I will do a 14 miler, rest for a bit at home, and then go for a shorter 8 miler.  That will probably be about the max for a day in Spain.  Of course, I hope the snow melts soon; I would rather do that on dirt trails instead of the roads.

Some people NEVER do any training.  I don't get that ... you want to do 500 miles over 6 weeks and not get in some road work?  Crazy in my mind.  These training walks serve two purposes, the most obvious is to get ones feet, muscles, and mind in shape for the long walks.  Just to know what it feels like is very important.

The other reason is to test your equipment, to make sure it functions properly, and to know how it works.  I now know how good the Vaseline, sock liner, Merino wool sock combination works.  I have a good feel for my new poles, and as we go along on more works, I will know the ins and outs of my back pack.  

Several years ago, on a full day hike to the summit of Mt. Katahdin, I was with a couple who had water bladders in their back packs.  Filled with water and thirsting after several miles, they wondered why they could not get the tubes to work.  Answer:  the nipple that one sucks on was factory sealed and had to be cut open in order to function!  We did it, but it might have been a major failure.  This worked out OK in the end.  Another example, I had my water bladder filled on a recent walk and wondered why it was slow to deliver water.  The reason was that I had it upside down in the pack.  These are the things you want to go smoothly when underway.  And thus, you have to spend some time on the trail! 

3/23/13 - Training

Better Get Some Training In

It was a real nice day today so after some errands, I decided to pack up and hit the road going out for something in the neighborhood of 14 miles.  I had done this route a while back, so thought I would do a repeat.  Last week, I had a good week with a couple of 8 milers and a 9 miler, but it's time to think about stretching it out.  My main concern is getting my feet in shape.

Preparation began as the previous hikes - vaseline [actually I used Bag Balm], a silk sock liner, and a heavy outter sock.  This time I used the Asics Gel Liner and my orthotics.

In spite of the snow earlier this week, it was sunny and the roads were clear.  Unfortunately there was very little space on the side of the road or in the gutters, so this was almost exclusively "on pavement," not what I am looking for.  But, the snow is here too!

I took it easy with lots of hills facing me ... of course, you go up, you must come down.  I stopped every hour or so, took off my shoes, and massaged my feet.  That felt good and there was never any sign of a blister or any hot spot.

At the half-way point, my right hip did begin to feel some stress.  I think that was due to the macadam, because when I did get some relief, it felt better.

I stopped to eat at lunchtime ... barely able to find some dry spots on a broken stone fence beside the road.  With a brisk wind blowing all day, I couldn't stop long as it gave a chill to an already sweating body.  The wind forced me to use my hood as well.  Lots of water - two bottles of ~1 liter each.  I carried my old back pack which weighted in at 10 lbs plus water and lunch ... probably carrying about 13 or 14 lbs or so.  And of course a winter jacket, extra winter layers, gloves, my Garmin tracker, and a cell phone.  Drinking the water naturally caused me to seek trees and out of the way rest facilities along the way. 

Evaluation of  my overall condition would be a B+.  For the last mile or so, I was really finding it tough and had to watch my step.  My legs, feet, and of course the hip were tired.  But, the big plus is the feet.  Great going there.

Sure hope this snow melts soon!

3/22/13 - Gear Talk - 1

It's now March 2013.  We have had more snow this year than just about any in the past decade.  It keeps coming ... first a blizzard in late February, then on March 7-8 (my retirement), another 24", yesterday 10", and the weatherman talks of more tomorrow and this coming weekend!!!  All I want is clear trails.

So, while we wait for the snow to melt, lets review more gear.

Communication with Home  

Some folks take cell phones, ipads, laptops, video cameras, etc.  They post on Facebook or blogs, in addition to phone calls.  Well, that's all extra weight and tends to easily push one over the 15lb limit.

On my research project for Henry David Thoreau's "A Walk to Wachusett," I utilized a microcasette tape recorder.  Very light, easy to use, and it easily fit into a pocket.  I have thought of this option, but at this time, I think it will remain at home.  In addition to carrying the extra blank tapes, batteries would also be required ... nothing is of substantial weight in and of itself, but it is just one more thing.  

For now, I will be going low-tech... pen and paper.

Low-Tech Communications

 Let me explain.  

Journal

I have been a journal writer for years and there is no reason not to continue the practice on this trip.  Surely there will be plenty of things to enter into the journal - new sights, new people, new experiences, new sounds, new smells, new feelings, and new discoveries.  And so a simple blank lined paper journal which is not to heavy.  We all know books can be heavy.

Letters

I am the webmaster for my brother-in-law's Ham Radio Stamp business. - AIRMAILPOSTAGE.COM.  Two of the items which he sells are airmail envelopes and the appropriate international postage stamp for a first class letter to be sent from the country in question to the United States.  And so, with a purchase of 2 dozen air mail postage stamps from Spain and 2 dozen air mail envelopes, I had filled each with a blank paper.  Along the route, I will pull an envelope, write a letter home, and mail it at the next Spanish post office that I can find.  The letters and the journal should reflect a good accounting of the trip.  

Phone Calls

I am told that bigger towns and cities have, for lack of a better term, telephone cafes.  I would expect that I can drop into them and make a call home just to let Kathy know that all is well.

Internet - emails

Like phone calls, there are reported to be a number of internet cafes along the way.  I will probably stop in and, if the price is right, make an occasional email dispatch.  We will see.  Kathy doesn't do email but if I sent it to one of the girls, they could easily take it for her.

 

  

   

.

July 2012 - Preparations Continue

July 2012.  

 Flight Schedules

The airlines open services for flights approximately a year in advance.  In preparation, Jack's daughter, Meghan, who had seen the movie The Way returning home from a school trip to Africa, did the travel research for us. The best option seemed to be as follows:  From Logan, Boston, fly to JFK in New York.  Then (meet Jack and Ellen) fly to Charles DeGaul Airport (CDG) in Paris, take a train to Bayonne, France followed another train to St. Jean Pied du Port.  Returning home would be arranged from Santiago de Compostella by flying first to Madrid and then back home to Logan.

And so, the flights were booked.  Also essential for me was trip insurance!  No one wanted to encounter an evacuation or yet, the return of a body from Europe with no insurance!  Kathy, Sarah, and Mary Ellen insisted.  And so it was purchased. Tickets and insurance in hand ... "Game On!"

We are scheduled to depart the states on May 16, 2013 and return on June 26,2013.  That would give us 39 days in Europe ... however we decide to break it out for walking days, rest days, or even tourist days.

Free Advice

Now we have to get serious.  'Til now I have been doing lots of reading, including xxx, yyy, zzz, signed up in the Pilgrim's Forum, connected with American's on the Camino - Boston Chapter, and had numerous discussions with Jack about all sorts of things related to the trip.

I have found that veteran Camino walkers are always so excited and happy to answer questions and give advice.  One spoke to me on two separate occasions - John from Holliston, Massachusetts, in particular.  I met John on the Pilgrim's Forum (http://www.caminodesantiago.me) one night, but rather than sending emails back and forth, John gave me his phone number and said to call.

I did and what a conversation!  Having done his Camino last year, he was full of enthusiasm, stories, suggestions, and tips.  I have since called him again; it was more of the same.  He couldn't help himself he was so eager to help.  A great resource, right at my fingertips.  And John was not alone.  

Another person who offered help and was open to conversation was Emmett who with his wife Monica in September - October 2012 completed their Camino.  Emmett has his blog at his own personal site:  No Complaints:  Shutup and Walk(tm) (www.shutupandwalk.com).  As you read their story, it is clear that the real heroine is Monica.  Follow her on a difficult but very rewarding adventure.

Lately, I have become friends with Liz from New Hampshire, who will be walking on just about the same exact schedule as us.  This will also be her first Camino so she is as excited as us.  Her husband and their friends have done the Camino Frances in the past.

And so, lets talk about the gear.  You saw the Tilley Hat.  Now for a couple of other major purchases. 

It Rains in Spain!

One of the major concerns on the Camino is rain!  

 Now once again, where does it rain?
Eliza On the plain! On the plain! Henry
And where's that blasted plain?
Eliza In Spain! In Spain! The three
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!

 From My Fair Lady, The Rain in Spain, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner

Yes, it rains in Spain.  We have to be prepared even though the rainy season will slowly be coming to an end as summer arrives.  

We sought all opinions and discussions relative to the proper and the most effective rain gear.  Some people suggested rain pants and a rain jacket.  Other's would elect to leave the pants behind.  And other's, believe it or not, an umbrella!  What came out on top was the Altus Atmospheric Poncho.  It is made in Spain and can be purchased only via the internet or some other arrangement with them such as picking it up in Spain.  Aside from being waterproof, it has an extension on the back so that it goes over the backpack, thus keeping it completely dry. 

Moldeling the Altus at Home

Altus Packs in a compact bag

Obviously, it packs up very compactly as well.  Now, hopefully, we won't have to pull it from the bag and put it on very often.  For those foggy, drizzly, damp days, we will have waterproof windbreakers with a hood.  That will be just fine until large drops start to fall - especially if we are on the meseta - the plains!

The Backpack

Two things are to be considered in deciding which backpack to take along.  How much does it weigh? And What is its capacity?  Everything you take will have to go in the pack and you will have to carry it ... along with food and water for the day! 

Weight and Capacity

Along with everything else, one must add this in with everything else you carry when working to reach a 10% weight limit.  The lightest pack that I could find was for ultra-light hiking.  The LuxuryLite® StackPack designed and developed by Bruce Warren. See LuxuryLite web site. The Stack Pack weights between 2 and 3 lbs, depending on the size.  It would fit the bill most perfectly, except for the price - ~$500 with shipping and handling.!  A wee bit out of my range.  I did correspond with Bruce and he explained all about the Stack Pack, how it came to be and some design considerations.  

I offered to use the StackPack with their logo on the back, but he indicated that, while he has taken that offer in the past, he no longer does.  

But, I still have some LuxuryLite gear that I will bring along.  Our good friend Mark Spencer had, many years in the past, ordered a LuxuryLite Cot from Bruce.  As a free gift in the exchange, Bruce sent along a simple over-the shoulder "shopping bag" which converts easily to a backpack, albeit very light and nothing more than a bag.

As we checked over packing lists used by veterans, we noticed that one item seemed to appear on most lists - "take a lightweight cloth grocery shopping bag to use when making purchases in the market and carrying them back to the albergue.  This will fit the bill perfectly ... and the LuxuryLite brand gets some free advertising.

Shopping Bag Backpack by LuxuryLite(R)

 And now back to reality and my backpack of choice.  I tried the Deuter Futera at a local hiking supply store and the comfort and size seemed to be just perfect.  I checked around and confirmed that it has been used quite successfully on the Camino.  A few extra ounces, but not too big and not too small.  Something bigger, e.g. 50 L , might tempt me with packing more ... which means more weight.  

And as an aside, I rather like the bright red color ... easy for someone to recognize me on the road ahead! 

Deuter 40L Backpack

I think we are getting the basics, but there is still a ways to go.  Lots more to consider.  I laid out what I have and ... Oh My God .... under 15 lbs and all in that "little" red bag?

"Some" of the gear