Virtual Camino Finish Line!

I finished the virtual Camino!!! On November 9, I crossed the finish line and promptly burst into tears.

I know it's not the "real" Camino de Santiago but... for the last 9 and a half months, I've been inching along. A kilometre here, 5 kilometres there... some days no kilometres. Would I ever be done??

But I made it. Maybe one day I'll do the "real" one. Maybe not. For now, I will rest on these laurels...

I averaged 2.67 km for every day of this Camino. Which doesn't really tell the tale. Some days I did 7 km and other days I did 0 km. I lost focus in the spring.

The distance was too long and it seemed to take forever. I got distracted and lost my "oomph". The last few months though, I've found my "oomph" and have been doing well.

I have to admit that there were days where I would forget my smart watch at home, on the charger, and be completely miffed that I couldn't record the distance walked!

And now... I wait for my medal to arrive in the mail. I am easily motivated by any little reward... gold stickers... virtual levels... and a real medal? Well, let's go for it.

The Conqueror Challenges were a bit of a "thing" during Covid, when everyone was stuck at home and treadmill use soared. Can't travel the world? No problem... take a Conqueror Challenge and see the world virtually. I saw their Facebook ads go by during Covid and thought it was silly.

Until this January, where I was bemoaning the fact that I might never get to do the real Camino. And my partner suggested a virtual one. I don't think she had the Conqueror challenges in mind... but I remembered that they had a Camino one and... it was perfect.

During the challenge, I also "planted" 5 trees at various milestones (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%). This is through a partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects. They plant trees in various third world countries. I hope my little trees make a difference.

But now what? Well... when I purchased the Camino challenge, I had bought another code to use on a future challenge. After much deliberating... and dithering between two options, I have chosen Hadrian's Wall. It's short - only 145 km or so. I should be able to do that in a month. After what... we'll see...

If I keep up my current pace, I should be done this challenge in a month... The app gives you the option of counting all of your daily steps or just specific activities. It would probably go a lot quicker if I used the step counter option but that seems a bit like cheating... so I'm doing it with specific activities. Onwards!

Virtual Camino Update

I am still inching my way along the virtual camino managing about 3 km a day with our mid-day walk. I passed the 60% mark a month or so ago (screenshot is from July 13).

When I first started this virtual Camino via The Conqueror Challenge... I had had high hopes of managing 10 km or so a day with several walks but... that was overly ambitious! Unlike on the real Camino, where all you need to do is focus on walking... here at home, real life sticks its busy nose into everything!

And it's OK... I need to cut myself some slack which I'm not always good at. But this is good practice in just letting things be and not getting my knickers tied up in a knot about how I am "failing". 

I am just inching along... and inchworms do eventually get places. It just takes a bit longer. This is not a race, nor is it urgent. 

So chill... relax... enjoy the ride and let the pressure go. I tend to have super high standards but the self-induced pressure can turn unhealthy very quickly.

As I write this in mid-July, I'm heading over to Vancouver next week and am hoping that I'll get a bunch of longer walks in there. So I might make a few jack-rabbit bursts towards my goal!

I did receive another virtual postcard a while back when I hit the 50% mark. It was from a monastery turned Hotel, in Carrión de los Condes. I had a look online, and the monastery cloisters look like something straight out of Harry Potter.

And... when I hit the 60% mark, they planted another tree for me! That's 2 trees so far... I hope the little guys are doing OK and will actually grow to maturity.

Update on the Virtual Camino

As regular readers of this blog might recall... I started a Virtual Camino (one of The Conqueror challenges) in late January. As I write this, it is late May... so 4 months since I started the virtual 800 km trek to Santiago de Compostela. I'd like to be able to say that I am further along than I am... but I am not!

I got derailed from my virtual Camino in late March. Came down with a cold which completely knocked me out. And then we went on a road trip and... and... and... I've only been doing one walk a day and that might net me 3 km or so... at this rate... I'll be inching my way along the Camino 4 months from now!

As it stands though... I am 45% of the way to Santiago, which isn't bad.

And, so far, I'm not going to run out of time either, although I could definitely speed it up a bit.

When I passed the 40% mark, a tree was planted by Eden Reforestation Projects on my behalf!! Which is kind of cool... I think I get another tree at the 60% mark. I also received some virtual postcards as I inched along...

Atapuerca is sight of some ancient neolithic remains (1,000,000 years old), which is kind of cool.

And then I received one from the city of Burgos. It sounds like a beautiful city and all I really know about it is the role it played in the Peninsular War in the early 1800s! Thank you Bernard Cornwell and the Sharpe book series!

I had this idea that I would be clicking off 10 km a day here at home and that I could do the virtual Camino handily in 3 months but... that's obviously not the case. Life has gotten in the way. Or I've gotten distracted by life.

I could definitely add in an early morning walk, especially as it is now almost the height of summer and the days are long and start early! Perhaps I'll get myself in gear. Even walking to a nearby coffee shop (30 min walk) and back would work. Although... I did try the nearest "coffee shop" that opens early (McDonald's... ick) and although it says that it opens at 5 am... nope. It was not open at 5 am! So I need to rethink that... 

Anyhow... one step at a time. Every step counts and that's really all that matters. I'm moving forward slowly and that's OK too. It's the journey that matters... not how fast one gets there.

Essential Equipment for the Camino

I've stayed in many youth hostels during my European travels. I have learned, from sad experience, that the most essential pieces of travel equipment are... ear plugs and a sleep mask. Without those... sleep is a virtual impossibility in a shared dorm room!

From the people who clatter into the room at 2 am after a night out at the clubs... giggling and whispering and stumbling into things and turning on lights... to the groggy travellers staggering into the room at 1 am after a delayed flight, massive suitcases in tow.... to the stentorian snorers who gasp and snort and sound like they are about to expire. Noise... lights... more noise... and yet more lights.

You see... travelers have this annoying habit of packing everything into separate plastic bags. And... in the middle of the night, they rustle through their myriad plastic bags, seeking their toothbrush or their pjs or... who knows what... rustle, rustle... more rustle, rustle... an eternal symphony of rustling! ugh!!! 

On my last trip to London in May 2019, my sister loaned me one of her sleep masks. One that has cupped eye coverings, so it's not pressing down on your eyes. It was blissful!! Super duper earplugs and an eye mask... I actually slept pretty good. Except... of course... when people were climbing up and down off the bunk bed... that shakes the whole bed and isn't restful. Sometimes it's better to be on the top bunk so you're the one doing the climbing!

It's not perfect, but it works. And from what I've been reading about the Camino... shared dormitories are de rigeur. Unless you want to pay $$$ for a private room. And... with 40 days (or so) to cover... I don't know that I want to spend $100 a night... every night. Maybe once in a while...

But for the regular run-of-the-mill stay in an albuergue (hostel/dormitory)... I'll be packing a serious sleeping mask and multiple sets of ear plugs... just in case some get lost along the way. It's these small things that make a difference. And I definitely want to have a good night's sleep while trekking the Camino.

Following in the Footsteps of Other Pilgrims

I'm not a big fan of re-inventing the wheel. And something like the Camino... there are a lot of already invented wheels out there!! I figure it's just smart and savvy for me to tap into their experiences and learn something. My first stop... the local library!!

I scrolled through the local library catalogue and ordered a few books to read about the Camino. There are a LOT of books listed!!! I eventually settled on one by Roxey Edwards - To Each Their Own Camino: One Woman's Walk Along Spain's Camino de Santiago (available on Amazon). It was published in 2018 and had one glowing review in the library system. And it was available! 

I picked it up the other day and am well into it already! Roxey has a nice writing style that is easy to read and engaging. I've got my Camino guidebook open next me as I read Roxey's book, so I can follow along on her journey.

I have learned tonnes already - like breakfasts in the albuergues are not what one would expect (hot drink, toast, jam) with zero protein. Huh... going to have to think about that! Roxey's only on Day 3 of her pilgrimage, so I'm hoping I'll learn a bit more about how to survive the scanty breakfasts. I've also learned that earplugs and sleeping masks are an absolute necessity. She also got me thinking about a pillow... apparently the albuergues supply pillows but their quality varies and... my neck is sensitive. So it might be time to investigage some inflatable pillows...

And a triple bonus... Roxey actually lives here on Vancouver Island, a 40 minute drive from where I live. At some point... I might reach out to her. She did the same when she was planning her Camino in 2016. Found a local retired day-care operator who had done the Camino and became Roxey's mentor.  I love the idea of paying it forward... 

And while I was tempted to order multiple Camino books all at once... I resisted the urge... small steps... just small steps!!! 

The Virtual Postcards of the Virtual Camino - Mar 26

I love getting mail!! But nowadays... the only mail we tend to get is junk mail. Nobody sends real mail anymore! So I was a bit excited when I signed up for the Virtual Camino trek (through The Conqueror Challenges) to learn that I would receive 14 postcards on my epic adventure.

Turns out they're not not "real" postcards. They are virtual postcards. And they are not "to" me, but "from" me... which is kind of odd. Sending myself virtual postcards?

Although... maybe the idea is that I send them on to my friends and family? Or post them on Facebook? Huh... never thought of that! 

The first postcard I received was from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port - the starting point of the 800 km Camino Frances.

My rusty French would translate St. Jean-Pied-de-Port as St. John Foot of Bridge (or Bridge of Foot). But it actually translates as St. John Foot Pass. Which makes sense as this place is the starting point of the Camino... and pilgrims have been coming through here for over 1000 years.

The postcard says:

Bonjour,

I made it to the start line and I'm ready to begin my 480 mi journey to Santiago, walking in the footsteps of the past.

Time to start counting down the miles. See you at the next stop.

So... maybe I will post that on my Facebook feed... although it is a bit out of date now!

The second postcard came less than a week later.

This one says:

Phew, that was such a rigorous hike, it just kept going up and up and up for a full 12.5 mi. My legs are wobbly but enjoyed walking in the footsteps of Napoleon and Charlemagne. I think I'll have a nice long rest in Roncesvalles.

I completely missed Roncesvalles as I did my daily walks. Although... as I write this... I am coming up to Pamplona, famous for the running of the bulls. And it turned up... right on time!

This postcard says:

Hola Giselle! (addressed to me?? from me??)

Whose bright idea was it to go running with the bulls? It was the longest 800m of my life. Next time more sprint training first.

Ole!

Giselle

Meh... given that I am doing this in February/March and the running of the bulls takes places in September... this doesn't seem like an appropriate postcard! Hmph...

And... another postcard came on Feb 14! I was apparently trekking through Estella at that point.

I must admit, I do like receiving these postcards. They help to make the experience a bit more exciting.

And it's nice to see some of the places that I am virtually hiking through.

That bridge over the river in Estella looks super cute! I'm not sure how fast I would be able to do the Camino if I kept stopping all the time to take photographs!!

And... just last week, I inched my way through Logroño. My pace has slowed quite a bit what with various other life commitments. But as the weather gets nicer... and the sun gets up earlier, I am hoping that I can reinstate an early morning hike, which should really help my mileage. I am coming ever closer to Burgos and am about 30% of the way through the Camino. Small steps make a difference!

I haven't given too much thought to what to eat along the Camino. As a person with gluten intolerance... and who is trying to eat less meat... I think this might be an issue. But the food looks sooooo yummy too!

Crawling Along the Virtual Camino

Well, I started the Virtual Camino on January 25... and I have made some progress.

Progress Report from January 28, 2023

So far, in the first three days I have walked 31.87 km. Which isn't bad. That's about 10 km per day. At this rate, I'll be done the Camino in about 80 days. Soo... fairly decent... I just have to double my km/day! 

Overall... I would say I am doing it in fits and starts. A 30 minute walk here, a 30 minute walk there, a 40 minute walk... maybe a 60 minute walk... and they do add up over the course of the day. Eventually, the walks will start getting longer, but for now, I am fitting the walking into my day, particularly as the mornings and evenings are still dark and gloomy.

Street/Trail View

I've also discovered a few features of the Conqueror app that I really like. I can get a Google Street View (or Trail View) of where I am on the Camino! Which is quite nifty. I imagine that if I was walking on a treadmill or on a stationary bike, I could actually see the landscape flow by me as I walked or pedalled furiously. But, as it is... I don't know that me staring at the screen as I walk through the local forests is a good idea. Better to stay connected to the terrain that I am actually walking in! Still... a neat feature.

Walking vs. Steps

 The other thing I noticed was that the app would include both my walking activities (where I record an actual walk) AND the extra steps that I do around the house. I'm not 100% sure about including those extra steps. Because it's hard to know how much distance that actually involves. I think the app did a calibration session when I first started but... if I recall... I was doing a fair clip walk outside so I don't think it's going to give me an accurate distance for me puttering around the house. So, for now, I'm not including the "steps", just the walks that I do. This might slow me down, but I think that's more accurate.

Because the truth is... when I do the Camino, I'll be doing some serious walking for 5 or 6 hours a day and then puttering around the local village or city, and those steps don't count towards the Camino, so why should my "puttering around the house" steps count? So... I shut off the steps tracking feature... and am just using the distances that my Garmin tracks when I tell it I am doing a "walk". That seems fairer to me!

Frame of Mind

I am not a fan of dark, cold, rainy days, and do find it a bit of a struggle to get out the door on those days. We went on a getaway to a nearby city for a few days and I would get up at 5 am to go to the local Starbucks (about 2 km away). And it was dark... and an industrial area... and lots of traffic. I walked to Starbucks the first day but the second day was a bit of a challenge. I thought about driving but then decided... no... I would walk. 

In some ways, it's similar to my writing. I need to sit down for an hour or so every morning and do some conscious writing. If I am a writer... then writing is what I do. There is no negotiation about "I don't feel like it". It's what I do... so sit and write.

Same with getting out to walk. As a pilgrim on the Camino, walking is what I will do... I will be a walker or pilgrim. I will need to get out the door, regardless of the weather, and start walking. So that is the conversation I am having with myself on those mornings where I am less than eager to get out the door. Because really... from what I've read, the Camino is as much as mental challenge as a physical one. So let the challenge begin now! 

Pamplona (no bulls)

Progress Report from February 12, 2023

Alright... a bit farther along on the journey. I crawled my way through Pamplona and managed not to get gored by a bull (running of the bulls happens there in September). I scampered over Punta de La Reina and passed through Estella. There aren't always Google Streetview images but when there are, the countryside looks very pretty.

Some days are better than others for my progress. Sometimes I manage 10 km a day... other times, I'm only managing 5 km a day. I am trying to do some longer walks each day, like an hour long. My plan is to slowly gear up to longer and longer walks, rather than just doing chunks of 30 minutes or whatever.

And eventually, I will have to weave a backpack into the plan, but for now... managing to crawl along the Camino!

Progress Report on Feb 24, 2023

Well, my progress this past week has slowed to a crawl!! This past week was full of a workshop and I've been lucky if I've hit 8000 steps a day. I still have managed a 3 km walk each day but that's nothing compared to the Camino which is usually 20 km a day.

Right now... I'm just on the outskirts of a small town named Viana. I have done 164.12 km in 30 days, which isn't bad. At least it's something! And I've passed the 20% mark. I'm hoping that now that the workshop is over... life can get back to normal and I can get my morning walk in. It is on that walk, that I can do 5-6 km which adds up quickly!

On the whole, I am enjoying the virtual Camino. There aren't always screenshots of the route but the ones that are there make me feel more connected to the experience.

Hiking a Virtual Camino

Did you see those ads on Facebook during Covid? Or was it just me? We were all locked away at home and going stir crazy and I would continuously see these ads for The Conqueror Challenge.

From what I could gather... you'd walk around your neighbourhood (or on your treadmill) and earn these flashy medals once you completed a "challenge". 

I have to admit, it seemed kind of hokey to me. What do you do with all of these medals anyhow?? Hang them on a wall? Parade them around in front of your friends? And how do they account for the vertical elevation? There's more to the Inca Trail than just horizontal distance!

So I let the ads flash by while I scrolled my Facebook feed and rolled my eyes. Nope, not for me.

Ahem... well... now it would appear that they are! I was looking for some Virtual Camino options and came up with a grand total of two.

One Hour a Day - 3 Days a Week

So, my first steps on this journey to (eventually) trek the Camino...are to walk an hour a day, 3 days a week. That sounds pretty easy. And with everything else that's going on in my life, the walk finds itself squeezed to either end of the day, either early morning or late afternoon/evening. When it's dark... and wet... and cold. But... onwards!

First Walk

I came out of Starbucks one morning at 8:10 am and decided to do a hike along the parkway trail. It stretches a total of 18 km from one end of the city to the other. One day... one day... I will walk that trail from one end to the other! But... for now... I just timed myself... 30 minutes out and 30 minutes back.

I Have a Dream...

Well, that's not true. I actually have many dreams. But there's this one dream that I've had for... over 10 years now... probably more like 15!

I want to hike the Camino de Santiago de Compostella. What a mouthful. The Camino for short. The Way of St. James. Jakobsweg in German. It is a 1000 year old pilgrimage route that leads to the city of Santiago in northern Spain. There are dozens of other pilgrimage routes all across Europe, all leading towards Santiago.

Some Day... One Day... Tomorrow... or the Next Day...

A pilgrim on the Camino

Are you a "some day" person? You know... the "some day... one day" litany...

• Some day I'll get around to learning Spanish
• One day I'll take that upgrading course and start my own business
• Some day I'll travel to Antarctica
• One day I'll learn calligraphy
• Some day I'll read War and Peace
• One day we'll need those pavers in the garden
• Some day I'll need that jigsaw that I have, so far, only used once
• One day I'll hike the Camino
  
• I might need this... some day... one day...