New Pack

I bought a new pack!

I had previously been rocking a REI Venus model from probably 2005 that I had picked up at an REI garage sale. It was never the comfiest, it rubbed on my neck and was pretty heavy, ~6 lbs. Plus, it was huge. I'm trying to go as light as possible on the camino, so I started looking into smaller packs for multiday hiking instead of extended treks, and I found this beauty:


It weights 2lbs 11oz. and is big enough to fit all the essentials, but small enough to not allow me to pack anything other than the bare minimum. It rides well, gives me plenty of airflow on my back (you should've seen the difference between Dan and I's backs after the hike we took this morning... I was cool as a cucumber) and plenty of storage.

This was also the first time I've used a Camelbak reservior instead of a Nalgene. Loved it. I could drink while walking and not worry about sloshing it all over myself. I used a Camelbak insulated 2L reservoir and I don't ever want to carry a bottle again.

Consulting the Experts

It's amazing how, once we decided to take the plunge and go for it, all of these random people started crawling out of the woodwork that had already completed the Camino de Santiago. The new hire who is going to be working in my department next fall, a colleague of Dan's, a former teacher of ours, two fellow grad students in my MA program (granted, it's a Spanish MA program so it's not too surprising). Everyone who has survived such an ordeal has advice for us newbies on how to make it without being miserable. Here is their advice:

-keep the pack as light as possible
-mail anything unnecessary addressed to yourself to Santiago de la Compostela to pick up once you arrive
-take your socks and shoes off and rinse your feet off wherever possible
-wake up as early as possible to begin walking
-form a collective and cook as a group
-don't wear cotton socks
-wear a big hat
-don't bring big hiking boots
-break in your shoes first
-if there is a service that will carry your pack up the hill for you, it's a good use of money

Getting Ready

We're in the midst of collecting necessary supplies for the trek and we've hit a nerve. To hike a distance as long as we're going we need to carry as little weight as possible, but to be away for as long as we will be we want to bring as many comforts as we can.

My ultimate goal: carry less than 20 lbs.

Packing list:
-pack
-warm weather sleeping bag
-Big Agnes pad
-two pairs of zip-off hiking pants
-two moisture wicking shirts (one per day/will wash every night)
-4 pairs of Smartwool socks
-sunscreen
-big floppy hat
-Old Navy flip-flops for showering
-low-rise hiking boots
-guide book
-small rock from our house (to put at the Cruz de Ferro-symbolic of releasing your burdens)
-mole skin
-toothbrush/toothpaste
-camp towel
-ear plugs
-camera
-campsuds for bathing and washing clothes

I know I've forgotten some things, but I don't want to take much more than this. No books, no iPod, nothing related to work. My husband is the one I'm really worried about. The man loves to be prepared and that often means carrying a load meant for a horse.

As for getting in shape for the camino... I can't say I really am. This blog will be fun then, as it will probably chronicle me and my myriad of hiking related injuries. I told my students when I gave them the link to check in on me periodically to see if I've keeled over somewhere along the way. I was only halfway kidding. I've been going to the gym more frequently, but I feel it afterwards and I'm nowhere near able to do double digit miles a day. We'll probably have to average 16 miles a day to keep ourselves from stressing out too much, and right now it sounds impossible.

Once school is out for the summer we'll have a lot more free time to spend getting out of the house and getting active. We're planning on going on a 3 day long hike with our good friend Jason as well so we can test drive our packs with a full load.

I'm still nervous though. I've never done anything like this and I would not say that I'm in shape at all right now... unless you count round as a shape. Dan is experienced with longer hikes, but his activity level is minimal during school because he works so much. We're both up a creek.