The Camino Podcast – Episode 33 – Volunteering on the Way
There are so many ways to make a positive impact on the Camino! The latest episode of the Camino Podcast looks at three: Episode 33 – Volunteering on the Way: Most people only experience the Camino as pilgrims. However, there are many ways to engage with the pilgrim road, and a number of these include […]
The Camino Podcast – Episode 32 – Veterans on the Camino
The latest episode of the Camino Podcast takes a look at military veterans on pilgrimage. Here are the details: Episode 32 – Veterans on the Camino: Soldiers are hardly a new phenomenon on the Camino de Santiago; indeed, the pilgrimage originated hand in glove with the military initiative to reconquer the Iberian peninsula from the […]
Looking the Devil in the Eyes on the Norte
I wrote yesterday about a couple of small, easy coastal detours to consider on the Norte. Today, I offer another detour, but it’s more substantial, and it’s a bit controversial. Many consider it too dangerous to consider. I think that’s over-stated; I led a group of high schoolers on it this past summer and, while […]
Two Coastal Mini-Short-Cuts on the Norte
It’s a funny thing, working on a guidebook to the Camino del Norte, as opposed to the Camino Francés. On the Francés, the vast majority of pilgrims want to hold closely to the “official” route. While more short alternatives have popped up in Galicia, in particular, over the last decade as they try to manage […]
The Camino Podcast Is Back
After an unplanned two-year hiatus, I’m excited to finally be back in production-mode for The Camino Podcast. Over the next few months, I hope to have 10-12 new episodes posted online, and I’ve already got interviews in the can for two-thirds of those. The first of the new batch is now online! Here is the […]
STSS – Episode 2 – Delaware
Sea to Shining Sea is my new podcast, focused on the American Discovery Trail and trans-continental walking across the USA. In the first episode, posted prior to my walk, I introduced the route through interviews with three trailblazers: Eric Seaborg, one of the ADT’s co-founders, and Ken and Marcia Powers, the ADT’s first continuous through-hikers. […]
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 […]