In preparation for my October Camino Portugues, I ordered what looks like the definitive guidebook written by a similarly geezerly walker who appears to live on the Camino. A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino Portugues, by John Brierly, is subtitled A Practical and Mystical Manual for the Modern day Pilgrim. The majority of the book, which was updated in 2015, its 6th update, is the usual full-colour maps and diagrams of each of the 23 daily stages of the walk from Lisbon, through Porto (where I’ll start) to the common end-point of all Caminos, Santiago. There are also sections on preparing with clothes and equipment, a brief history, some useful phrases and a short contemplation encouraging walkers to ask “Why am I doing this?”
Nearly 6 months away from my first steps, this seems like a good question to ask. For starters I am clear on one reason that I do not share with most Santiago walkers - I am not doing it for any Christian reasons. As a Buddhist priest I do feel slightly disingenuous in using a space which is sacred to another religious tradition. Truth be told, if it wasn’t so far, dangerous and expensive, I would prefer a Buddhist pilgrimage.
Nevertheless, its part of my understanding of pilgrimage walking that, apart from the Cathedral at the end-point, there is enormous spiritual value in engaging with the path itself. This is probably my main reason. I anticipate and welcome time to pare down my life to a few necessities and spend the days reflecting on those things that do matter to me. I welcome the time away from the demands of an emotionally-draining and deeply frustrating career.
Finally, but perhaps not least, like so many pilgrims worldwide I am undertaking this to re-position my own life as it draws to its natural conclusion. I am noticing how many of my near-and-dears are fading and dying and it causes me to examine the best use of my own remaining sunrises. Just walking for two weeks is such a fulfillment. And it offers me the time and spaciousness to consider what else matters most in this late stage of my life.
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
In preparation for my Camino Portuguese walk in the fall, I decided I would use an alternative to a conventional back-pack . Too old for that kind of lugging. I identified the Dixon Roller Pack, developed by Bob Dixon in the USA, as the ideal choice. It’s a modern variation on the “travois” which was used by Plains Indians to carry loads by foot or on horseback or pulled by a dog. And yes, the Dixon Roller adds a wheel at the ground, so you are rolling the weight not dragging it.
It appealed to me because it transfers the pack weight to the hips, and rolls it. This seemed a kindness to my back and knees. I got mine about 6 weeks ago (cost about $400.00) and it includes a nice duffel bag designed for the pack. It was a piece-of-cake to assemble and I was rolling in less than 30 minutes. I have been playing with the straps and such since then to get the weight distribution optimized. I have been testing it out with light and medium weight loads over 30-120 minute distances on road surfaces or forest trails.
I have found it a wonderful means of walking with equipment. There is zero strain on the upper body and the location of weight along the hips is easily accommodated while walking. It does take some getting used-to because it limits your mobility in that, like a tandem trailer, you need to swing slowly when turning. This can make walking on a narrow and twisting trail awkward. It is imperative that you balance the weight properly too. I tried carrying some wine bottles back from the store and did not pay enough attention to the balance. The liquid sloshed and shifted making for an annoying wonkiness. I’m still perfecting the hook-up process, which can be fumbly at times.
My other accomodation is while pole walking. Good poling form requires a smooth hip-swinging and this can conflict with the pack-harness fitting. At first I had it tight, which was comfortable for weight but not motion. Now I need some fine tuning for the swinging motion - there’s a sweet spot I have almost found. I’ll keep testing it and report more later.
The Dixon Roller Pack comes in 2 load sizes and has a winter ski attachment too. So far I give it 5 out of 5 stars for performance and quality.
You can see numerous videos on these units in use - http://dixonrollerpack.com/
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
Things have fallen into place so that I can walk a large part of the Camino Portugues. This is an alternate route to Santiago. Instead of the Northwest-to Northeast routes that go from France along the mountains and plains to Northern Spain, this route starts in Lisbon and heads due north through the upper half of Portugal into Spain. Here’s a slide show someone recently posted followed by a map of the route.
http://www.caminodesantiago.org.uk/threads/camino-portugues-landscape-photos.4889/
I’ll be leaving in late October and walking for about 2 weeks. After I arrive and complete that route, I’ll head back to Lisbon to meet my wife and another couple for a much more leisurely boat cruise down the Duoro River , from Wetserrn Spain to the Atlantic and the city of Porto.
Here’s the cruise details:
http://www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com/cruise-destinations/europe/portugals-river-gold/2015-porto-pinhao-porto/index.html
It hardly needs saying that I am excited to join the path of thousands and thousands of other pilgrims who have criss-crossed that corner of Spain. I am equally thrilled and shaky at the prospect of doing this walk solo. I have never attempted anything as long or challenging, so this will mark a new part of my life-journey.
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
For many of us, walking can be a break from thinking. It can be a time to just be, just breath, just step and enjoy the unmediated experience of being alive. I recently finished a new book called A Philosophy of Walking by Frederic Gros, a philosophy lecturer from Paris, which takes the opposite slant. It presents the importance of walking in the lives of several central thinkers of the Western tradition.
The chapters include the obvious and expected story of Thoreau and his time “sauntering” around Walden Pond and the phenomenon of the “flaneur”, the public walkers of Paris in the later 19th century. What was new to me was the passion of Nietzche, whose walking slowed and moderated his gradual descent into madness. I hadn’t realized how much of a walker the French poet, Rimbaud, had been. I loved the portrait of Kant, who only ever had one route, which he took daily, like clockwork, through his town. Other walkers - Rousseau, Snyder and more - fill out a broad landscape of different thinking walkers or walking thinkers who walked in different ways for different reasons in different times.
An excellent and highly recommended read and thanks to my brother, Joe, for the gift of this book. I look forward to walking and philosophizing with you again soon.
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
All of a sudden there’s a lot for us pedestrians to do to compliment our trail time.
1. The Hikers’ Film Fest is on this weekend in Renfrew at the Rec Centre on Argyle.
On Friday at 6.30 pm we’re showing Wild and on Saturday we’ve got The Way. Also on Saturday, Mike and Adele Boire will be present to talk about their Compostela walk last fall.
2. Our April KAPPS walk is scheduled for April 26. We’re sampling the HyperHike route we’ve set for the Hike For Hospice on the next weekend, May 3
Meet at 9.45 AM at the Official KAPPS Station next to the Adult High School at the corner of Carswell and Renfrew.
3. KAPPSter and Assistant KAPPS Konductor, Lara Mylly is hosting a 5 week poling course in Cobden starting on Tuesday April 28, 6.30-8.00pm. This course teaches the basics and some advanced techniques and offers some great walks too. Best of all - its FREE. Poles provided and also for sale if you are looking. Call Lara at 613-582-3685 to register.
AND.... don't forget to get some pledges for the Hike For Hospice, May 3, 1.30 pm in Renfrew
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
Its only about a month from now that we will be joining so many other walkers for the annual Hike for Hospice in Renfrew. This event, scheduled this year for Sunday May 10, is an excellent opportunity to combine our favourite activity with one of the County’s most valued facilities, the Renfrew Hospice. If you don’t know their service, visit the website http://www.hospicerenfrew.ca/ .
Their major fund-raising walk is the Hike for Hospice,
http://www.hospicerenfrew.ca/hike_for_hospice.php , and it normally extends about 4 km (approx 1 hour’s walking) out from Raglan and O’Brien to Mateway Park and back. This year our KAPPS group is promoting the first Hyper-Hike which adds to the route with additional 7 km round-trip, from the turn-off at Mateway, out to Hiway 132 and back, for a total walk of about 12 km (approx 1.5 hours). This just makes the Hike a bit more challenging for walkers and runners, and we hope will raise more money for the Hospice.
To prepare walkers for this event, we are also sponsoring the Hikers’ Film Fest on the weekend of April 17-18 at the Recreation Centre on Argyle St. In Renfrew. We’re showing two films:
Wild
Friday, April 17,
6.30 pm
The Way,
Saturday, April 18
2.30 pm
The admission for each film is $4.00 and all the profit goes to the Hospice. You can get pledge sheets for the Hike as well. We will have information on KAPPS and its walks too.
Yours , on the journey,
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn
