On Monday, June 27th, 2016, I embarked on perhaps one of my greatest adventures of my life. I flew to Europe and made my way to France so that I could fulfill Adventure Activities and Experiences Bucket list item:

#109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana.

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, is 490+ mile pilgrimage across Spain. There are multiple routes, but I had decided to join the traditional Camino Frances Route. This route, in general, starts in St Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. From there, I became a pilgrim or peregrino and began my walk toward Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Why does one walk the Camino?

The main purpose for the Camino is to make your way to the city of Santiago de Compostela. It is here where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Greater are buried. But, people make the pilgrimage for many other reasons. Some use it as a retreat for their spiritual growth. Others walk to discover their past or reveal their future. There are even some people walking in hopes that a miracle. To them, they believe that the Camino may heal them or someone they love. It all kind of sounds like some mystical, religious, self-discovery adventure right out of a C.S. Lewis or Paulo Coehlo novel.

People walk the Camino de Santiago for many reasons. But while you walk, there are some funny but true things & even a few insanities that'll accompany you on this journey. #CaminodeSantiago #CaminoFrances #BuenCamino
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Funny But True Things about the Camino de Santiago

For me, I walked for a mix of it all discovered a lot about myself and my relationship to others. But while you walk on the Camino for days on end, there are also many real-life quirks, funny truths, and even insanities that accompany you on this journey.

Here are some of the funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago I learned along the Way:

1) You will give away the deed to your house back home for a bottom bunk

It doesn’t seem to matter if you are 18 or 80, the idea of climbing up to the top bunk at the end of a hard day of walking is enough to make anyone cry! In most albergues, it is kind of a first come first serve situation, while in others they have an over 40 rule.  However, you will bargain your treasures for the bottom bunk. If you are unfortunate enough to get the top bunk, then you must take care of everything before the climb because you will then enter the contest of “how long can I hold it before I have to climb back down to use the bathroom!”

2) You will politely HATE ALL CYCLISTS!

The first time you see a cyclist struggling to push their bicycles loaded with their saddle bags up a mountain, a sense of pity will encompass you.  Don’t fret, that will only last about 4 hours because then you will pray for them to crash down a mountain.  Why? Because these cyclist will come zipping by you, out of no where, at top speeds nearly clipping your arms and shoving you off the trail as they happily shout, “Buen Camino!” It’s insanity to say the least.  They own a $1,000 bicycle and can’t afford an effing $2.00 bell to warn you!  Stupid Cyclists… “Buen effin Camino!!”

3) By day three everyone qualifies as a registered podiatrist

Feet, feet, feet!  Everyone discusses their feet or the feet of others on the Camino.  Between blisters, bruises, twisted ankles, and lost toe nails every possible subject regarding feet is discussed – by everyone!  The earliest records of visits paid to the shrine dedicated to St. James at Santiago de Compostela date from the 9th century. So, as you walk you will start to wonder what type of space aged leather the pilgrims used for shoes as the Roman roads beat your feet into mush like Ivan Drago beat Apollo Creed’s face in Rocky IV!

Safety Tip: Walking the Camino de Santiago is a relatively safe adventure. But as in any place you travel please use common sense and stay to main areas while exploring. Plus, with any physical activity, please make sure you pay attention to your body. To give you some added security while in Spain, we strongly recommend that you consider getting Travel Insurance from World Nomads.  It is simple and flexible insurance to keep you safe while tackling any bucket list adventure.

4) Everyone has seen The Way, read The Pilgrimage, & owns a Brierly guidebook

You are so excited to start walking in the beginning, especially after seeing THE WAY or reading The Pilgrimage or your Brierly guidebook!  You will ask everyone if they have seen or read them and openly admit that you they are the catalyst to this adventure for you.  I mean why not, they make it seem so wonderful and easy!  But by the first week, you will wonder what map Martin Sheen had because his character was all over the place! On day 2 you will start to create voodoo dolls of John Brierly and wonder if he has ever even walked the Camino because this is way harder than he describes.  With regards to The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coehlo, you will think he must have been tripping out on some serious shrooms as you walk through towns he visited and had his visions yet see nothing that resembles the mystical world!

5) Spain’s metric system is more of a general average rather than an exact science

Perhaps one of the most insane and funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago has to do with math. Spain’s definition of 1 kilometer seems to vary from place to place and sign to sign with a +/- variance of +4 or +10! Wait or was it -22?

But seriously, reading your guidebook or maps will drive you insane as you walk for endless kilometers on end with no similar scale from day to day.  Even legitimate government road signs will vary along the many hours you spend walking toward Santiago, only to find out the next sign added 5 kilometers to the initial sign you read that morning!

6) You will hate energy & water conservation, but only in the bathroom

Spain seems to be doing wonderful work with energy conservation as you see the beautiful horizons lined with windmills.  However, after awhile you are willing to sign any petition that will get the timers off the bathroom lights or the shower water button to last longer than 38 seconds!

7) No one will question that you are following graffiti to your destination

The Camino de Santiago might be the only time in your life where you will deliberately follow crappy yellow spray painted arrows across an entire country and no one will think you are crazy!  I mean imagine if you were back home and you told your parents that you found some spray paint markings under some bridges or on random trees & you wanted to see where they led. They would definitely try to talk you out of it! But on the Camino, you search for them and start get nervous when you don’t see them after awhile!

8) You will carry the Camino with you every day

No this isn’t some sort of deep thought! This is a literal statement.  Of course, you will carry with you, the symbol of a pilgrim, your scallop shell. But also, every time you take off your boots you will pour out pounds of dirt, rocks, and unknown particles!  Suddenly you will feel like Andy from the Shawshank Redemption as he emptied his escape route into the prison yard.

9) You will become a Pyrenees Snob

Well you might become a Pamplona snob, a Burgos snob, a Leon snob, or another location snob to anyone who starts after you! I mean come on, you suffered far harder circumstances and have become an expert on the Camino in the 3 days before they started! Well, everyone can agree that the jerks that start in Sarria will never understand! It’s weird when you realize your contempt for those who start in Sarria as they complete the bare minimum length of the Camino.  Even in John Brierly’s guidebook, he warns to “Beware of signs of irritation at the intrusion on ‘my’ camino…” as new pilgrims enter at Sarria!

10) You will Gain Weight

The Camino de Santiago must be the only event where you will burn 9 million calories a day hiking and come home 15 lbs. heavier! How? Perhaps, it is because the only things to do besides walking is eating & drinking!  Every day you stop for a second and third breakfast before lunch. Then, there is the pilgrim’s menu served everyday for $10 or less where you eat like Arnold getting ready for a Mr. Universe body building competition.  Plus, with 95% of the Camino participating in Siesta, the only thing you have to do in the afternoons is eat and drink wine or ice cold pints of beer!

11) Everyone smiles in the same language

It doesn’t matter where people are from or how good your foreign language skills are, you will be able to talk to anyone – if you want. Don’t get me wrong, you may become an expert at charades by the end of the Camino, but it will be worth all the laughter and memories!

How to walk your own Camino to Santiago de Compostela

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The post Funny But True Things about the Camino de Santiago appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago

July 22, 2016: St. Martin del Camino – Astorga

Today we we returned to the beautiful walk as we walked with Maya, Amelia, and their SoCal family from town to town and through the farms between them.

Our first highlight was Puente de Orbigo. This is one of the longest and rather beautiful bridges along walk. The story goes that this preachers often used for knights to joust to gain honor or settle disputes and as you walked across you could easily imagine the scene.

The second highlight was La Casa de Los Dioses Cantina.  Basically this guy David was living the hippie life in the middle of the wheat fields offering places to sit and relax while he gave away free fruit juices, fruits and vegetables, and time to enjoy his little playful kittens as they reminded you of what is important in life.  His Cantina was perfect and across was the most beautifully tall wheat.  I walked across into the field and looked up as the blue sky hovered so close I could touch it.

As I walked into Astorga, I realized that this may have been the first day where all of us were joyful and silly together all the once.  It was amazing as silly photos, singing, word games, and lots of laughter filled the days walk.

After arriving, I went to explore.  Astorga is a classic and clean city with a plaza that is full of life. It even has the building designed by Gaudi next to their cathedral. Later we were treated to a great family dinner cooked by the Irish family and then returned to the plaza for ice cream while watching the locals celebrate their Friday night.

July 23, 2016: Astorga – Foncebadon

Last night I froze again!

We left really early again. I think the heat is too much for some people and others seem to be done walking. Everyone always seems shocked when I tell them I would love to do this longer, or I don’t mind the heat, or I’m not home sick at all.

The walk out of Astorga was relatively easy as we drifted in the cool morning. Even the moon refused to leave us as it guided us until noon.

Apparently we passed the area where a few years back a female pilgrim was misled by fake markers, kidnapped, and then murdered.  We walked through this supposed zone quietly.

Now Rabanal was our main stop for lunch.  It’s a beautiful town that made me feel like we entered a small alpine village. Apparently there’s up Benedictine monastery there that accepts pilgrims for a silent 2 night  retreat.  Perhaps next time.

From here we left toward Foncebadon. The climb was hard and reminded me of our first weekend the Pyrenees.  Personally, I loved it.  Sure it was hot and the path was extremely slippery and rocky, but I loved the challenge.

Finally we made it to this small hamlet.  It was basically a small area of several albergues amid ruins of other buildings on the side of the mountain…it was perfect.  This is perhaps the town where Paolo Coelho battles the devil dog in his book The Pilgrimage. We just sat outside enjoying the view of the valley below and the cool breeze.

July 24, 2016: Foncebadon – Ponferrada

The beautiful morning walk!

I awoke in a great mood.  We left and proceeded up the mountain under an amazing sky.  As the sun rose slowly, we witnessed unbelievable colors crossing through the sky.  We were all in awe.

As we continued, we arrived at the famous Cruz de Ferro.  People often leave a stone or a token at the foot of the cross.  I personally just left my thoughts.

It was a hard walk down Alto Altar, but the beautiful scenery, cool weather, and small villages kept us in good spirits along the way.

By around lunchtime we made it to Molinaseca.  The town has a classic old town but what I really thought was cool was how they created a public swimming area in the Rio Meruelo.  We ate lunch and watched pilgrims and locals alike jumping into the crystal clear cold river to cool off or relieve their aches.

Now the walk to Ponferrada was boring, long, and hot along the highway.  We finally made it to St. Nicholas de Flue, an albergue run by Franciscans.  

Ponferrada was also a boring town.  The only highlight was a giant castle built by the Knights Templar but it was closed.

Later I joined up with Fr Jeff and his friend Jared to celebrate his birthday. While celebrating, we met a girl from Dublin named Sinead.  She was eating all alone in nice clothes reading a Camino guidebook while the three of us looked sun beaten, dusty, and run down.  Fr Jeff asked her to join us and she revealed that tomorrow would be her first day walking the Camino and she was so nervous.  It was fun to see her like this as I tried to think about how I was 24 days prior in St. Jean when I started.

July 25, 2016: Ponferrada – Trabadelo

Herman the German Snored!!!

Last night was a horrible night’s sleep!  For the first time in a while, I got a bottom bunk which was great.  However, Herman the German, as we called him, had the top bunk.  He would toss and turn or jump in and out of bed several times for the first two hours.  It felt like an earthquake as he would shake the wobbly metal bunk bed.  Then after he finally settled, the snoring commenced!  He was so loud that everyone in the dorm room heard him.  I think in total I slept for one hour!

Then we left.  The day was hot and long.  Couple that with my lack of sleep led to a cranky morning.

Finally we reached Trabadelo.  There isn’t much to this village but our albergue hosts were great.  They allowed us to use their private pool to cool off and then cooked us a great dinner.  

Later I crashed into my soft bed.

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July 26, 2016: Trabadelo – O’Cebreiro

I woke up refreshed and happy.

The walk was beautiful as we followed the Rio Pereje through many little villages.  They all had unique personality as we moved closer to the Galicia border.

Then the climb came as we went up 700 meters away from the Castille y Leon region and into Galicia.

Finally we made it to O’Cebreiro atop the mountain.  This area has a unique Celtic feel to it.  After checking into the pension, I found a beautiful spot overlooking the valley to sit and smoke a cigar as the cool breeze relaxed me.

For dinner, I joined a group from Denmark and Holland as we discussed the world, travel, and life.  I’m always impressed that so many foreigners can speak English so well and how I struggle to speak minimalistic Spanish.

July 27, 2016: O’Cebreiro – Triacastela

A walk in the Fog!

Today started out with a snafu.  After hiking up the mountain for about 1 kilometer, I realized I had forgotten my cell phone and had to go back.  Luckily, I was feeling great and was able to run back down and then back up fast enough to catch up with everyone.

It was great though as I was able to witness a beautiful sunrise over the massive fog.  We were so high up that some of the other mountain peaks looked like islands floating in the sea of fog.

Soon though, the fog would overtake us.  But it was actually a blessing as it cooled us off during the hard uphills and downhills.

Finally we arrived at Triacastela.  This town is beautiful as it follows along a small river.  Everywhere you hear Galician music and see celtic symbols.  

I did a little exploring and later went to mass at their “Cathedral” de Santiago.  Then, we enjoyed a home cooked dinner as sat in the beautiful yard of our albergue.

July 28, 2016: Triacastela – Sarria

Today we had decided to finally take one of the scenic routes to see an ancient Benedictine monastery.  It would add an extra 6km to our walk but it seemed worth it.  Sadly, it was kind of a let down.  We walked in cool temperatures passed farms but there were no towns to stop in, so it felt like a very long walk. Finally we got to the Monastery.  Walking down towards it was amazing as it looked like a fortress.  It is reported as one of the oldest in all Europe so I was excited to see its history.  But to no avail.  The monastery is pretty much closed off except for the gift shop.  You can take a tour but it was at specific times and only in spanish, so we passed.

From there we took the long “scenic” path back to the main Camino and on to Sarria.  Sarria was a nice town and soon we met up with Fr Jeff, Jared, and Sinead.

Then my disastrous night began. Fr Jeff, Jared, Sinead, and I hadn’t eaten so we left to find food.  The guys wanted burgers buy Sinead and I wanted Pulpo (octopus).  So we went down to restaurant row by the river, ate, and returned.  Sinead went to her pension and I went up to my albergue only to find it locked!!  I hadn’t realized that we had a curfew especially since it was just the Irish family, James, and I in the place.  So I started knocking on the front door and yelling to the second floor where my roommates were.  After an hour, I desperately needed a bathroom, so I went in search of that and a place to stay.  I first checked the pension that Sinead was staying at.  When I walked in looking for the hospitelero, Sinead was there.  I told her that I was locked out and was desperate for a bathroom and she offered to help.  She was a life saver.  

Throughout the Camino, it would amaze me how pilgrims would often help each other out.  No one seemed a stranger on the walk, always looking out for one another.  Though I didn’t sleep due to the stress of the situation, I felt lucky.

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The post Excerpts from my Camino Diary – Week 4 appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

July 15, 2016: Hontanas – Boadilla

Another long day!

We had as a group decided to leave early to walk another 28 kilometers. Today I realized why the Meseta is so feared and loathed,  though personally I felt that it was okay.

Some of the group was suffering a bit from the heat and even James finally picked up a blister. It was tough on the group as we walked for it seemed like forever with no place to stop and escape the heat.

Now on the Camino, we tend to be hidden from the outside world, but today everyone was talking about the Bastille day tragedy in Nice, France.  One of the younger members of our group seemed to be especially affected by this information and asked me, “why does stuff like this happen?” I don’t envy parents at times like this! I tried to offer some insight but I’m sure by failed miserably as she walked away caring the weight of the world on her shoulders. It slowed my walk that morning!

A couple of the others were struggling as well and needed and escape from the steep climbs and the heat.  I understood their issues but could offer no relief.  The walk can be physically and mentally tough on anyone. After 2 weeks its easy to see why are person would want to stop or even quit and go home.

We finally made it to Boadilla and our Albergue.  Hopefully everyone was able to find relief and recharge their spirits for tomorrow.

July 16, 2016: Boadilla – Carrion de los Condes

Not going to lie, I dislike waking up early! I been spoiled recently waking up whenever I want back home. But the gang wanted to leave by 6 a.m. so I reluctantly woke up.

Though a little cranky, I was happy that we did. As we walked along the Canal de Castilla, I was blessed with that unbelievable sunrise. 

We headed west so the sunrise was behind us but the western sky line was full of beautiful colors as the sun rose behind us.  As we walk to long the canal, old Spaniards lined the banks with long cane poles and baskets as they were crawfishing. A memory of my home in New Orleans.

The rest of the walk was quiet and slow along the “scenic route” of the meseta.  Finally we arrived at Carrion.  Here I met a priest about my age from Canada name Jeffrey. He seemed like a great guy as we hung out for an hour in the plaza smoking cigars and sharing our adventure stories.

July 17, 2016: Carrion – Terradillos de los Templarios

The Meseta is kind of boring which I guess is great for thinking!

James, Greg, and I got started around 8 a.m. after breakfast but soon we walked the path relatively apart at our own paces. After morning prayers, I spent most of my time battling random thoughts with my intentions of the day.

This day in the meseta kind of sucked because it started with 17 kilometers of no break. That means no towns, no food, no nothing, except heat. Being from New Orleans, the heat doesn’t seem to bother me as much but it wears everyone else down both physically and mentally.  At one point James and I met up with Emily and Marie as we chatted about life to break up the monotony of the scenery surrounding us. Finally we made it to our albergue.  This town didn’t offer much, so we hung out playing games in the dining hall and laughing our exhaustion away.

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July 18, 2016: Terradillos – El Burgo Ranero

The day I was kidnapped!

We left early and walked in the coolness along the tree lined paths. The meseta seems to be ending as they were a few more villages along the walk today.

One of the highlights of today was a field of sunflowers that greeted us after an hour or so into the walk.

 Another highlights was crossing the Ermita Virgen del Puente.  On the other side of this bridge was a beautiful gateway arch. It reminded me of the scene in the movie, The Neverending Story, where Atreyu has to be pure of heart to pass between two statues to continue on his quest.  Here between the two arches is the Centro Geographico del Camino or the direct center of the Camino. We made it halfway!

Then, we finally made it to Bercianos where I broke up the band as they say. My Irish family, James, and Greg stayed behind but I continued on for another 7.5 kilometers in order to get closer to a town called Mansilla where I would meet up with my family from Spain the next day.

When I finally arrived at El Burgo, I checked into a municipal albergue that takes donations only in exchange for a bed. One of the older volunteers showed me to my bed. Then she grabbed my shoulder and said now it’s time to play. So I reach for my wallet, and she said, ” I can’t accept cash I meant to give me a hug”. I replied telling her that I was sweating and disgusting but she didn’t care. She said that all pilgrims need a hug sometimes. So I put down my bag and hugged her.  She was right!  I needed that.

After getting cleaned up, I walked across the street or I met up with some other friends I met along the walk, two Italians, two americans, and an old spaniard. We decided to have dinner together and it was a blast. We had the craziest conversations as everyone spoken in their native tongue while we were trying to figure out what each other what was saying. But that didn’t matter because we laughed.

I was told earlier in this walk a very important quote, “Everyone Laughs in the Same Language!”

After dinner our gang returned outside to the patio where we sat, laughed more, and attempted to drink grappa.

Then suddenly my cell phone rang which was weird because I didn’t have service. As I looked at my phone a van pulled up behind me and a bunch of kids jumped out screaming that they were here to kidnap me! Ah Family…I love them!!

In a whirlwind, I left my dinner party, ran with them back to my albergue to collect all my drying clothes, my pack, and boots. Then I hopped in the van with them! It felt a little weird being back in a car but I didn’t care as Francisco and Bea’ drove me around first to see Amando Llorente’s house and then to their farm house.

From there we ate some more and then surrounded by my many little cousins, we sat outside in the cool summer night as we talked about the Camino, my bucket list, adventures, and life.

July 19, 2016: Rest Day – Leon – Mansilla

Though I wasn’t walking, I still woke up early. So I decided to continue my intentions as the kids and family slept.

Around noon, Bea, Javi, Beatriz, Javi’s friend Eric, and I went into the city of Leon to explore the cathedral there. It was absolutely beautiful. This cathedral is famous for it stained glass windows and it definitely lived up to the hype.

Later in the afternoon after taking a tour of the cow farm, Francisco, Eric, and I took a bicycle tour to the town of Mansilla.  This was great because Francisco is a great tour guide and it allowed me to see a stop on the Camino that I would have missed.

Coincidentally we ran into my Irish family at one restaurant who were staying in that town. Francisco got us some unbelievable meats to try and taught me how to drink Sidra in the traditional way which was a fun event in itself.

Later that evening, we returned to the house where we had an unbelievable feast of tapas. Then after dinner we sat outside in the cool night smoking cigars while the triplets shared hilarious stories of their youth.

It was another perfect day with family!

July 20, 2016: Villafale – Leon

I left my family in Villafale with Pili as she dropped me off at Puente Villarente.  I was happier than anything!

It made me a little sad to think that I might not see James or the Irish family again, but I was too happy to let it bother me.  Then out of no where they all walked up on me.

Together, we all walked again into Leon.  After eating burritos for lunch, I hung out with random people while drinking wine and enjoying a cigar. Emily, the girl from Queensland, Australia, joined us.  She leads an interesting life of travel as she told me of all the places she’s been, where she is planning on going, and how she funds it all.  It amazes me how people can make their dreams work in real life.

July 21, 2016: Leon – St. Martin del Camino

Today was an easy walking day.  The weather was beautiful and cool as we walked through the suburbs and industrial areas leaving Leon.

The rest of the walk was average but about mid day we ran into this great family from southern California.

After making it to our albergue, we just hung out.  There wasn’t much to the town.  However we spent the afternoon with the SoCal family playing card games, charades, and just chatting.

Sometimes you just need to have an easy night.

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The post Excerpts from my Camino Diary – Week 3 appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

July 8, 2016: Viana – Navarrete

I woke up this morning feeling great! My left foot still was really sore and tender but a little better and the lighter bag had Lifted my spirits also!

The girls and Greg left early and James seem to be in a rush, so after we passed Greg, James went after Susanne and her daughters while I walked alone which was good for me. The morning weather was cool. It wasn’t great scenery at all & I often felt a little unsure of where I was going because the markings today were very few or difficult to find. However that had no effect on my joy!

We entered the Rioja region which is famous for its wine which made sense as I witnessed countless rows of grapes everywhere as far as the eye could see.

Finally I made it to Longrono, a big city, where I had caught up with James and the Irish family for my first meal. The city is nice but once past the old town you start entering through the suburbs and then across a gigantic City Park.

As I was walking out of town, I had a fun conversation with my horrible broken Spanish with a local Spaniard woman for about 8 blocks.  When I initially met her, I noticed a cast from her shoulder to her wrist and tried to make some horrible Spanish joke about her karate. She immediately smiled and demanded taking me for a tour of the Camino as she headed to work.  

After a long walk out of town, we finally made it to the small town of Navarrete which has a beautiful church. Here we rested the entire afternoon.

In reality it was nothing special about the walk today but for me it was a happy day!

July 9, 2016: Navarrete – Najera

Leaving Navarrete was ok.  We started in the plaza for a quick bite and coffee while some locals are obviously still out from partying the night before!

For a while James and I walked to the vast countryside. However soon we met up with two new Irish characters: Denis & Brian.  (The Damned Irish are everywhere on the Camino). But I enjoyed their company and their stories as they entertained us the entire time until we arrived in Najera.

The town is very nice and after leaving Denis and Brian, we checked into our Albergue where we met up with the Irish family.

There is a beautiful river that goes through this town.  So, I found a bench beneath a tree along the river and enjoy one of my Cuban cigars as I watched the world go by.

July 10, 2016: Najera – Santo Domingo

Last night’s sleep was extremely rough for me. Between the heat of the night and the locals leaving the bars and discos from around the corner to head home, I hardly got a wink. But I woke up very happy and physically feeling even better than ever.

James and I walked through this extremely boring walk together. It was weird because the Camino was pretty busy today as all the pilgrims were racing to their destination before the heat overtook them.

There was nothing special or visually pretty going on this part of the Walk. Go figure it would be just my luck! I struggled a lot of the beautiful sections of the Pyrenees due to the pain in my legs and feet and now that I’m strong and full of energy, nothing to see!

I think a lot of us we’re starting to get a little weary of the walk. So we decided to bypass the albergues and upgrade to a pension. A pension is more like a dorm room with less beds and a private bathroom.  But it was nice and much appreciated.

The town of Santo Domingo is beautiful. We walked briefly around the old town & explored the beautiful cathedral there. Later we sat for dinner at a street café as I smoked a phenomenal Montecristo Cuban cigar & we all sat watching the world pass us by. It was a great evening!

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July 11, 2016: Santo Domingo – Beldorado

The Irish family left early while James and I left Santo Domingo at our regular 7 a.m. time. There wasn’t much to this walk as we passed countless wheat fields leaving the Rioja region and entering the region of Castilla y Leon.

For the first time the Camino was kind of ho hum to me.  But that was fine as we entered the town of Beldorado at a really early time.

Susanne and her daughters had gotten in earlier and booked us into a great albergue that had a pool and a great dining hall.  It was weird because usually I feel bad about not spending time exploring the towns we visit. But this time we all hung out and relaxed with beers and sangria and just decompressed.

July 12, 2016: Beldorado – Ages

The cold Drizzle day!

Today we needed to walk 30 kilometers, so we left really early. It was a cold day that drizzled on us off and on till 2 p.m…but that didn’t ruin my spirits!

The landscape of today’s route changed some which also kept me happy. One of the unique things is that there are several non religious monuments along Camino in this region. These monuments would share with us information about Spain’s tough Civil War or other battles from their history!

Later we stopped at San Juan Ortega and visited the monastery and church where the famous saint of the pilgrims himself is buried.

However James had walked this one section before and recommended that we continue on to a town called Ages.

It was a great plan and mother nature agreed as the sun came out. Ages is a small town with not much to it .  However, the church totally amazed me.  From the giant stork nest atop the steeple, to it’s history, to it’s quiet cold inside, Saint Eulalia church stopped me for a bit!

After visiting the church, we relaxed in the sun before dinner. Now dinner was a treat, because our hospitelero and his wife cooked us a fabulous dinner made to order. There’s no way to lose weight on the Camino with unbelievable food like this!

July 13, 2016: Ages – Burgos
A long walk in the park!

Today started out really cold but it was a beautiful walk up the sheep path to Alto Cruciero. These hard walks uphill are becoming easier for me though my feet are still a little tender.

I started my walk with Athena, a slightly older woman from Washington DC who has lived a very colorful life of adventure around the world.

I then caught up with James and Susanne as we continue down the mountain into Burgos. It’s nice to stop from time to time at these little towns for tortilla and Cafe Con Leche. Perhaps I shouldn’t stop every five kilometers but it’s so addictive!

From Castaneres, we decided to walk through the park. According to our book it was the scenic route and a welcome relief. We would walk past countless old men strolling around while children would play by the riverside. However this park is enormous and it felt like we were walking forever.

Finally, after a million kilometers, we came into the city of Burgos.  I had never heard of the city of Burgos before but it was great. Apparently Burgos is the city of El Cid! There is a massive Cathedral de Santa Maria in the center as the city sprawls in each direction around it.  We checked into our albergue and then searched for food….Kebobs!  It seemed weird to me not to eat menu de peregrino, tapas, pintxos, or Spanish food, but it was great.

Afterwards, James, Greg, Emelia, and myself took a tour of the city on a fun little tourist train! I’m not exactly sure what we saw, but the train was so relaxing that several of us dozed off.

Then I went to my first mass on the Camino. Now many of the town’s previously visited had offered a pilgrim mass but I didn’t go for various reasons. I guess I feel that my walk is my mass. But we all went as a group and it was very nice.

Tomorrow the Meseta!!!

July 14, 2016: Burgos – Hontanas

Welcome to the Meseta!

The walk out of Burgos was nice but a little cold. I had a horrible night freezing to death and was happy to leave even at 6 a.m.! But today was going to be another long walk, over 30 kilometers exclamation point

Now the meseta is a vast area along the way with very limited trees, towns, or any type of scenery. However to me it has its own type of beauty and I felt that the cold weather was a blessing. For Americans, the best way I can describe it, is that the Meseta is like walking across Nebraska. There’s just countless fields of wheat as far as the eye can see.

Finally we arrived at our Albergue in Hontanas.  This town and Albergue were a great find!  For about seven euros we felt like royalty. The Irish family went to the public pool while James and I sat around a beautiful courtyard beneath the church of Santa Brigida. Later I would take some time to explore this beautiful and simple Church.

Now the highlight for me of this night was our Pilgrim dinner as I ate family style with other pilgrims from Italy, Germany, Ireland, and Spain. The food was phenomenal as it was cooked fresh in the kitchen by our hospitelero. They started out with the traditional pilgrim’s garlic soup and another pot filled with lentils. Then I was served salmon over vegetables followed with rice pudding for dessert. We all went to bed with happy full bellies!

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** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

Week 1: A hard lesson in humility!

July 1, 2016

What a physically rough day. They warn that this day is by far the hardest, but come on isn’t that what they tell tourist? No its 100% true.

I started the morning at the gate of St Jean Pied de port where I found a bench to started my novena and prayed. The weather at 7 a.m. was perfect as I made my way out of town. Throughout the walk you would see many eager pilgrims all wishing each other “Buen Camino”!

But as you leave the city limits you realize why they warn you of the difficulty. See the walk to Roncesvalles is only 25 km or for Americans about 16 miles but in that 16 miles you almost entirely walk up hill ultimately reaching a height of 1450 meters or 4757 feet!

Throughout the first 3 hours, I essentially walked alone amid the crowd. It was pleasant and peaceful as I reflected on my special intentions of the day. They were also beautiful French farms and fields lined with sheep, horses, and cattle. Oddly enough the roads were scattered with enormous black slugs easily 6 inches long or bigger.

Around Orisson, I began walking with a older gentleman who had just left Greenland and was returning to home country of Denmark. He was a bit sad because his 18 year old son didn’t want to leave his girlfriend at home to walk with his father on this walk.

Some time later we met up with 3 others: Lucca from Italy, Max from Germany, and Zack from Sacramento California.  We would all walk and talk and tell our stories while struggling to make it to the peak of Col de Lepoeder.

From that point we thought the hard part was over. Boy were we wrong! The downhill was even worse. The constant hammering on our hips, quads, knees, and shins was brutal. It felt never ending until suddenly we crossed the bridge into our town. Hopefully the cool fog will lift and possibly the rain will be over tomorrow.

July 2, 2016: Roncesvalles – Zubiri

Today almost killed me!

I was so sore from yesterday that I walked very slowly all day (about 2 miles an hour in fact). It was a downhill nightmare on my legs.

I started my morning with the morning prayers and intentions and left in the cold mist alone. It was quiet and beautiful as I pondered millions of thoughts. There wasn’t much to the walk except the difficulty and by 2/3rds I way, I was dying physically.

By 2 p.m. I had made it into Zubiri. It’s a beautiful town and I debated on plowing through to another 5 km to the next town. My legs burned and after talking with other pilgrims, I had decided to stay which was great because we sat and rested at a local bar drinking, smoking, and eating a great Peregrino dinner while relaxing. Tomorrow to Pamplona!

July 3, 2016: Zubiri – Pamplona

It was in Irish kind of day!

James, a friend I met in Zubiri, who is from Ireland and I both left around 7 a.m. At first I stayed with him, but soon he jetted off and I lagged behind. However it didn’t phase me because the day was beautiful as I struggled along the beautiful countryside.
For a while I walk with this young Canadian couple along the Arga River. Then I arrived at Cafe Parada, where James sat with others including this Irish mother Suzanne and her 2 daughters. From that point we all decided to walk together into Pamplona.

The second half the day, though still hard, was fun as the 2 young daughters entertained us with their questions, songs, and stories.  I learned that there is an actual Irish language that is still taught in schools and used in many of the towns. Not some dead language but alive like our Cajun French in Louisiana.

One of the highlights was we had decided to take a detour to an old convent still owned and run by the daughters of Sacred Heart (okay only run by 4 nuns but still). We visited with one of the sisters who laughed at my Spanish and showed us around the beautiful church. We were allowed to climb into the bell tower and ring the bell for good luck. Though we didn’t stay there the convent is also still use as a hostel to feed and house pilgrims for a donation. It was tempting to stay but we decided to head on for Pamplona.

We made our way into Pamplona. The city here was alive and noisy as it prepared for the commencement of San Fermin. We walked around a bit as I sat amid the noise of the plaza next to the famous Cafe Iruna, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway.

Today was a great day!

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July 4, 2016: Pamplona – Puenta De La Reina 

Leaving the city was good. We left fresh and happy making our way to the concrete jungle of Pamplona but this would become our longest day. Susanne is a lovely woman and it amazes me how old she is because she’s always smiling, happy, and positive. Though it is evident that she is a mother as she worries for her this health and safety of her daughters.

Walking the long hot fields to Cizur Menor seemed easy but the heat really slowed us down. This made us search for escape which in turn prolonged our daily battle of walking in the heat. Plus Ayisha, the eldest daughter was struggling physically. Hell we all were beaten and bruised but she seemed worse for wear around her knees.

Then we climbed! It seemed a slow gradual climb but in our condition seemed very hard. However you never can stop and soon we reached the top of Alto de Perdon where we witnessed the famous iron silhouettes of pilgrims as we rested beneath the windmills.

At this point some of our group decided to give up their packs as James and I continued down the valley with our gear toward Puente de la Reina. It was a very long walk down the Mountain. A very  long walk!

I did get a chance to stop at a small town called Obanos, where I got to see the skull of St William encased in silver.

It’s amazing how you find yourself missing out on so much. Much like life I suppose. As you walk down the steep hills of these horrible broken ancient Roman roads, you keep your head down staring at your feet so you don’t fall. It kind of sucks!

Usually we end each day around 2 or 3 p.m. but today we crawled into town around 6 p.m. When we found our albergue, we immediately jumped into the pool and later celebrated surviving with a lot of wine. I never slept so good!

July 5, 2016: Puente de la Reina – Estella

My morning with Greg!

James and I left at our typical 7 a.m. time, while the girls and Greg and Australian man who had joined us, had left out earlier.

However, by the town of Manenu, we had caught up with Greg and he was struggling with many blisters on his feet. So I decided to walk with him for a while as James continued forward to catch the girls. It was great hearing Greg’s story.

Greg is a principal from Perth Australia, who was essentially forced to take a 7 month holiday due to some Australian laws since he hadn’t taken is mandatory Holiday in several years.

However a short while later we had caught James who is with Emelia, a young girl from Denmark who reminds me a lot of my precious cousin Graziella.  It was fun as we passed through the infamously evil town of Cirauqui.

Then by the town Lorca, we had caught up with our Irish family and powered through the last 8 to 9 kilometers to Estella.

Estella is a beautiful town along the river with a castle on a hill. It’s a decent sized town but felt small which was nice. Susanne had also found us a place to stay at the Albergue Anfas which was awesome because it was only 7 euros but also it is run by mentally challenged individuals who took special care of us.

July 6, 2016: Estella – Los Arcos

Today was hot! James, Greg, & I left after my morning prayers as the girls had left and hour earlier.

The walk started out nice into Irache where we got to drink from the famous wine fountain.

But then it just became a very long hot walk through the open farmland without a shade! Sadly Greg fell behind again but we did find the young Canadian couple, Nick & Kelly, again and walked with them for a bit.  James also met up with another northern Irish man named John Greene who joined us.

July 7, 2016: Los Arcos – Viana 

Last night was a rough night of sleep for all of us, plus when I woke up my left foot felt bruised, sore, and was super swollen. It was painful all day.

Luckily the Irish girls and their mother had convinced us all to break up the next two days according to the guide book into three days.

So we started out leaving Los Arcos on the long walk to Sansol about 7km away. I personally like starting out at 7 a.m. and walking for a while before having a breakfast break. I tend to feel more energetic that way. The past few mornings I’ve been drinking cafe con leche which is odd for me since I rarely drink coffee but when in Spain do as the Spaniards do I guess.

From Sansol, we walked to Torres del Rio where I saw Iglesia de Santo Sepulcro, a chapel made for and connected to the Knights Templar.  It was beautiful in its simplicity.

From that point I caught up with James who walks a little bit faster than I and we hobbled into the town of Viana.

At first this town looked like a dirty and depressing industrial town, but as we got closer to the old town you could see its charm.

Susanne saved me again! She had found a real post office and I had decided that one week of walking the Camino was more than enough time carrying this massive weight that I was carrying. So I decided to ditch some clothes, my cold weather sleeping bag, and some other stuff. Although it was expensive, hopefully it saves my feet from the 4.25 kilos or 9.5lbs weighing me down!

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The scallop shell (in Spanish: concha de Vieira) has, over the past centuries become the recognized official symbol of the famed Camino de Santiago.  It can be seen throughout the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.  Sometimes it is engraved on posts, sometimes painted on signs, and through some of the more populated areas, as part of their official street signs or emblazed into the road.  This has been done throughout most of the Camino in order to guide pilgrims along the way.

Not only is the scallop a guide throughout the journey, but it has also become a symbol of the Pilgrim themselves.  Often the pilgrims (peregrinos in Spanish) will obtain a scallop shell at the beginning of their walk.  They then sew it to their clothing or pack or wear it around their neck to identify them as a pilgrim – to locals and tourist alike.

But why the Scallop Shell?

One of the biggest reasons perhaps is the fact that scallop shells can be found on the shores in Galicia, near the end of the walk. Maybe pilgrims were looking for a souvenir to take home with them to commemorate their walk or even to prove to others the success of the walk from areas like France or Belgium.

Even though it may have started as a token of remembrance to the pilgrim, over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on symbolic meaning in relation to St. James the Greater (who is the main inspiration for those on pilgrimage through the Camino de Santiago) and his death.

There are two versions of the myth surrounding the origin of the symbol of the scallop with regards to the death of Saint James, who was martyred by beheading in Jerusalem in 44 AD.

Version 1: After James’ death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, the body washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.

Version 2: After James’ death his body was mysteriously transported by a ship with no crew back to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. As James’ ship approached land, a wedding was taking place on the shore. The young groom was on horseback, and upon seeing the ship approach, his horse spooked, and the horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, both emerged from the water alive, covered in scallop shells.

For those non-religious pilgrims (an oxymoron if you will) as well as the religious, the scallop also has come to be a metaphor for the actual map of routes itself.  Imagine (in the photo to the right), that the grooves in the shell, which meet at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of the Apostle, Saint James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela.

Will I be carrying this symbol of the Camino?

Of Course.

About a month ago, I was contemplating how to get my scallop shell, I knew that I didn’t want to buy it at the beginning of the walk like a tourist because this isn’t your typical tourist vacation.  I wanted it to be as authentic as possible.  As I was deciding where I was going to go snorkeling in Florida, a sudden memory flooded me of my late Grandmother, Armen Gamble (aka Grandmom).

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See, although I loved my Grandmom, her life and story remain somewhat a mystery to me.  We often related more to our maternal side of the family growing up due to the quantity of children that were our age that were around to play with.  However, despite my lack of intimate knowledge, I suddenly remembered how she collected shells and proceeded to contact my cousin and Aunt – sure enough they had one perfectly preserved scallop shell left that belonged to my Grandmom.  It had been wrapped in tissue paper and tucked away in my Aunt’s drawers.

When I asked why my Grandmom collected shells at all, she said, “Grandmom was born in Atlantic City, NJ and lived one block from the beach on Ventor Ave. this is where and when she was the happiest. When the Great Depression came, the family moved to Washington DC. She was about 10 years old and it was a very big change. They were extremely poor and living conditions were difficult – bed bugs etc. but when they could, they made their trip to the “shore” to have a vacation – to refresh their spirit. My mom knew how to budget and stretch a dollar and support 2 kids on her meager income which included sending us to Catholic School, piano lessons and scouting. She always took us to the beach one week out of the year. She went to the beach to renew her spirit – she was so happy there. She just loved the ocean so much – it was just fun to see what “treasures” we could find.”

So with my symbol, a gift from my Grandmom, I hope that the Camino will also renew my Spirit!

How to walk your own Camino to Santiago de Compostela

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A pilgrimage is when a traveler, typically on foot, journeys to a holy place of special significance, usually to a particular religious belief.  As they walk to this church, shrine, or location of importance, the pilgrim will often find that the route in itself becomes a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth.

So, where does the 490 mile walk of the Camino de Santiago take a pilgrim?  What shrine or location of importance is found through this experience?  Does the pilgrim have to pray and to whom?

The answer is found in the name of the actual Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  Santiago which translated from Spanish to English is Saint James.  He is the patron saint of Spain.  But who is he?

James, son of Zebedee (died 44 AD) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle.  Often, he was known as James the Greater because there was another younger apostle named James, son of Alphaeus (aka: James the Lesser).  According to the Gospels of Mark 3: 17, James and his brother John were given the nickname Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus.  In the Gospel of Luke 9: 51-56, the two brothers showed their fiery temperament as they called down fire from heaven to destroy a village which had refused them hospitality.  Also, James was one of only three apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguration. (The Transfiguration is when Jesus became radiant in glory upon a mount as he met with Moses and Elijah.)

So, how does one of Jesus’ Apostles become the patron saint of Spain and the focus of an entire pilgrimage across the northern part of the country?

Well according to legends, post-resurrection of Jesus, St. James preached the gospel in Iberia as well as in the Holy Land.  The Virgin Mary appeared to James on the bank of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, while he was preaching the Gospel in Iberia. She appeared upon a pillar, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, and that pillar is conserved and venerated within the present Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, in Zaragoza, Spain. Following that apparition, St. James returned to Judea, where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44.

St. James’ remains were then supposedly carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried on what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.  In one story, after James’s death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain, a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, it washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.  This lead to the symbol of the Camino de Santiago, the scallop shell.  St. James’ feast day is now celebrated in Santiago de Compostela on July 25.

So with this history of the Apostle James the Greater attached to the Camino, does this mean I will have to pray while walking?

If you were walking a pilgrimage like the Camino de Santiago, do you feel like you should pray?
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I will try.  In the past few years, though I consider myself a Catholic, I have become tired.  I don’t reject Catholicism, however I seem to look elsewhere for God rather than in his physical “house.”  Therefore, I have been lazy and at times purposeful, about not attending mass or praying.  With this said, the Camino de Santiago (aka The Way of St. James) is largely considered to be a spiritual event, among other things.  Therefore, I have decided to commit a portion of my daily activity to prayer while walking The Camino.  With this commitment, I have chosen to do a Novena to the Apostle St. James and ask for his intercession.  A novena is a series of prayers that are said for nine straight days, usually as a prayer of petition, but sometimes as a prayer of thanksgiving.

My hope is this will help to renew my faith and spirituality.  So starting on July 1, 2016, each day for 9 days straight, my goal will be to open my Novena, focus on my personal intentions of that day, focus on the intentions of another, pray the novena for both our intentions, and then walk in reflection of that daily prayer and intentions of the day.  After the first 9 days, I will then take one day off before I begin the Novena again.  This cycle, (9 days of prayer with 1 day off) will be repeated a third time so that each my 30 days of walking will be filled with prayer.

Will this actually happen? Only time will tell.  But I hope so and with your help I think I can add prayer to this pilgrimage.  So with that said, I am asking for 2 things from each of my readers.  1) Please Pray for me on this pilgrimage!  Not only for me to physically finish but to be spiritually present. 2) I need 27 intentions.  Please contact me with your intention.  It can be for you, your family, or anything weighing on you.  This intention can be asking for help or perhaps thanking God for recent Blessings.

You can get your intentions to me in several ways:  You can leave a comment on this article below, you can leave a comment for me on Facebook by Clicking Here, you can email be from my Facebook page, or for those who personally know me call, text, or email me personally.

Obviously, I would love 27 different people with intentions but I will happily take them from anyone who wants to give them.  They of course will be private if you want.  Just send them as soon as possible.  As I receive them, I will write them in my private Camino notebook that will be travelling with me.  I will also reply with the date, that I will pray for  your intention, so you can join me on that day in prayer if you wish.

Buen Camino!

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Ok So I realize that it is already mid May and that 1/3rd of 2016 is already over but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t plan it out!  I just didn’t share it yet!   In fact, every January, I tend to sit down post Christmas and start Bucketlistlusting (is that a word?) from my Old Notebook.  Then I literally create a year graph and draw out how I think I can manage it.  Then I place it by my notebook in a place where I and anyone can see it to always remind me of my commitment to my dreams, hopes, and goals of the year!

But if you read the Origin of our Bucket List Project, I stated that I needed to always post it online for 3 Main Reasons:

1) I need Everyone’s help…keep me accountable, help me find ways to accomplish my goals, or just cheer me on!!

2) I want to help others with their own Bucket List Items.  #103 on my list is to Help anyone Complete an Item on their Bucket List within 1 year of them Helping me Completing one of mine!!

3) I want to Inspire People to Dream & then to GO OUT & COMPLETE THEIR BUCKET LIST!  If I can do this, then ANYONE CAN!  Too many people, my Friends & Family included, just go through life living a mediocre existence!

Therefore, I am here now to post up my 2016 goals for The Bucket List Project & perhaps some insights on how I am going to pursue these items this year.

Now 2016 is a Special year for me in that on February 25th, I actually took my 40th lap around the Sun!  So I decided to go after a couple of big ticket items. So Below, I will list what I had written on my Graph and add or tell you what I have already changed.  Let me know in the comments below if there is anything that is on your list this year or is there anything else that I should add or subtract.  Also, let me know if you want to join me on any of these adventures or projects!

February

• #199) Raise a Minimum of $2,500 for a Charity I Care for Angel’s Place in New Orleans
• #200) Explore my home state of Louisiana
  • c)  See the Preservation Hall Show Live

March

• #202) Ride in a Submersive Underwater Bubble (S.U.B.) in the Bahamas

April

• #118) Geocache in 4 Cities (#1 New Orleans)
• #200) Explore my home state of Louisiana
  • b)Visit Tabasco on Avery Island
  • g) Boudin & Beer at Fred’s Lounge in Mamou
  • h) Zydeco Brunch at Café Des Amis in Breaux Bridge
  • s) Drive the Bayou Teche Byway

May

• #78) Experience the Kentucky Derby
• #104) Finish Reading the 5 Major “Arts” Books
• #203) Start Reading my 11 Classic Adventure Books
• #77) Experience the Indy 500

June

• #188) See the Synchronous Fireflies in Elkmont, Tennessee
• #5) See my 6 Pack Abs

The Next 3 were added to June/July 

• #109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana
• #185) Visit and Stay with 3 Different Friends who live in Foreign Countries so that I can Reconnect with Old Friends & See that Country through Local Eyes (My Family in Leon, Espana while I am Hiking the Camino)
• #153) Drink Port Wine in Portugal

July

• Do one of my MAKE AMENDS Items hopefully!

August

• #55) Return to Fenway Baseball Park to See the Red Sox Play the Yankees
• #54) Go to a Summer Olympics
• #124) Travel to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
• #185) Visit and Stay with 3 Different Friends who live in Foreign Countries so that I can Reconnect with Old Friends & See that Country through Local Eyes (My Brazilian Friends I met in 2012)

September

• #187) Travel to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada
• #108) Do 4+ Outdoor Adventure “Mud Races” (4th & Final is the Spartan near Banff, Alberta, CA)

October

• #167) Celebrate Dia De Muertos in Mexico
• #185) Visit and Stay with 3 Different Friends who live in Foreign Countries so that I can Reconnect with Old Friends & See that Country through Local Eyes (Stay or Visit with Mike Poissenot for Dia De Muertos in Mexico)

November

• #70) Climb the Statue of Liberty
• #79) See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Person in NYC
• #89) Travel to the Niagara Falls

December

• PREPARE FOR THE ADVENTURE OF MY LIFE!!!!!

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