Escaping Pavement Before Bilbao on the Camino del Norte
The opening stages of the Camino del Norte, as the route passes through the Basque Country, are some of the most spectacular stretches of pilgrimage in Spain. It’s strenuous, for sure, but the walking is excellent, often following footpaths through coastal hills, with striking views of the Bay of Biscay and surrounding countryside, along with […]
Coastal options on the Camino del Norte between Laredo and Santander
Now that I’m home for a bit, after three months of walking–one on the Camino del Norte and two on the American Discovery Trail, I want to revisit a few of the alternative routes that I explored for the first time on the Norte. This is the first of three or four posts on the […]
Gear Review – Stuff I Used on the ADT
On the whole, I was happy with all of my gear choices on this trip. I went through four pairs of shoes, which was expected, but I otherwise needed no new gear on the walk–everything I brought with me sustained me through my 65 days. In this post, I won’t cover absolutely everything, but I […]
Days 64 & 65 – Finishing (for now) in Denver, CO
I should probably write something about the last couple days of walking. Endings are weird. When I finish a pilgrimage, it’s usually a loaded, melancholy affair. As it’s a pilgrimage, the final destination is a sacred spot, deeply invested with meaning. Religious or not, the entire walk has been oriented towards that destination. In most […]
Day 63 – Green Mountain Falls to North Colorado Springs, CO
The morning began with perhaps the sketchiest stretch of walking of this trip. I was back on Highway 24, descending towards Colorado Springs, and it turns out that weekend looky-loos aren’t the only cause of traffic on this road. Rush hour was rough. Same deal as yesterday–narrow shoulders, fast cars, loose rock to walk on–plus […]
Day 62 – Cripple Creek to Green Mountain Falls, CO
I had a ticket for the long way ‘round today, making the Tour de Pike. Leaving Cripple Creek–my latest departure, 8am, to avoid the worst of the cold–I climbed back over 10,000 feet, heading due north. This opening 10 miles was the day’s highlight, mostly off-road through scenery that, while not as spectacular as yesterday’s, […]
Day 61 – Cañon City to Cripple Creek, CO
To rip off Tolstoy, happy walks are all alike; every unhappy walk is unhappy in its own way. Today was easily my favorite walk of the trip, a stunning climb through the eastern edge of the Rockies. Coming on the heels of two other fantastic days, I find myself challenged to write about the experience; […]
Days 59 & 60 – Florence & Cañon City
As the Kansas wheatfields faded further into the distance, and then even the melons of Rocky Ford yielded ground, the Coloradan countryside finally started to shift. Wild onions lined the highway shoulder, while trucks loaded with their domesticized peers ripped past. Ranches expanded, with cows and hogs gaining prominence, and even the occasional llama. Some […]
Day 58 – Fowler to Pueblo, CO
“You need to take your pack off before you come in here!” I freeze in the entrance to the minimart, halted abruptly in my determined pursuit of coffee, and turn to the lady at the register. It’s hardly an illegitimate rule; even if one weren’t worried about theft, it’s easy to imagine unwieldy packs knocking […]
Day 57 – La Junta to Fowler, CO
Today’s walk was reminiscent of the last section of Kansas, in that Highway 50 cut through the countryside at an angle, while the ADT zigzagged along dirt roads adjacent to it, before swinging far to the north to eventually join a smaller highway. I opted out of that approach, instead sticking with tracks south of […]