Preparing for the Camino Francés

If the journey is just as, if not more, important than the destination, then L.A. is the perfect place to start a journey on the Camino. Here are the preparations we did leading up to the start of our Camino hike. 

Physical preparations

Physical preparations aren't obligatory to hike the Camino so why did we do them?
 
   1. To stay healthy and engaged in the process.
   2. To reduce the chance of injury.
   3. To feel more confident overall.
   4. To be in nature and have fun!

How did we prepare physically?

• We made long hikes each weekend using the guidebook Top Trails: Los Angeles by Jerry Schad to choose hikes of varying degrees of difficulty and skill. Our favorite long hikes near Los Angeles were Dawn Mine, La Jolla Valley and Cheeseboro Canyon because of their challenging terrain, relative quietness, and beautiful scenery. 
• We scaffolded hikes to include weighted backpacks at 0% to 80% of total weight over the course of 6 months. 
• Two weeks prior to departure, we hiked Mount Wilson with 80% of total weight in backpacks. This was a strenuous hike that took us about 10 hours to complete with 4,200 feet elevation gain and total elevation at summit of 5,713 feet. I would definitely recommend it to someone starting from St. Jean in France as the Pyrenees offer several tough days similar to this.
• We packed a maximum of 10% of our body weight in backpacks.
• We hiked in all conditions including rain, sun, wind, etc. and used gear and accessories multiple times before leaving. 
• We broke in all clothing and shoes :)
• Each hike, we practiced like we would play on the Camino by applying lotion to feet twice a day, wearing socks specific for hiking, and having a hard copy of the route. You don't want to rely solely on cell signal.  
• We tapered off the two weeks prior by hiking once per weekend while carrying lower weight and incorporating more stretching, yoga, and light weight training exercises (especially those that work lateral body and core). 
• We cross trained at least once a week and incorporated balancing and flexibility exercises in addition to the cardio and strength we were doing.
• We always wore hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. 

                                   

Mental preparations

"What makes a hike different from a pilgrimage?" is a question that John Brierley poses to readers in his book A Pilgrim´s Guide to the Camino de Santiago. In the opening chapter, he provides a checklist to help you hone in on your motivations and a list of questions to reflect upon before embarking on your journey. The questions are meant to help you connect with the history of the Camino, its pertinence to your present circumstances, and how you envision your experience during and after the trip. I intend to tease this out more by writing in my journal each day on the Camino.

Logistical preparations

This was a very time consuming part of the process: to select dates, book travel arrangements, research gear, pack, etc. There were three parts to the logistical preparations:

1. Travel logistics
2. Itinerary logistics
3. Packing list

Travel logistics

• I compared flights on Google Flights and found that Norwegian offers direct flights from L.A. to Madrid (10-12 hours). If you plan to go, consider how much flexibility you have. The best Camino experience would probably be one with minimal pressure to leave Spain on a specific day. 
• We purchased travel and medical insurance for our trip which gave us both peace of mind and flexibility in case we wanted, or needed to, extend the trip beyond our planned dates.
• We budgeted a couple of "static days" at the beginning and ending of our trip in Madrid so that we could acclimate to the time change before starting on the Camino. At the beginning of the trip, this makes it easier to overcome jet lag and, gave me a chance to orientate to the new food, surroundings, etc. before transitioning again. At the end of the trip, it allows some downtime  for which to integrate the experience. 
• We will take a bus from Madrid to Ponferrada where we will start the Camino. In Ponferrada, we will visit Profe Cubelos and her family! A separate post will cover all the fun we have there :)

Itinerary logistics

• We do not intend to book our lodging each night until we get to the city of Sarria, then we will see how crowded the Camino becomes before deciding! In Sarria, the number of pilgrims grows exponentially as it is a popular starting point for pilgrims seeking the Compostela, or official seal of completion, which requires pilgrims to hike the final 100km from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. 
• We have a skeletal outline of which towns we plan to walk to each day. The distance ranges from 20-28km per day. We used Camino forums and John Brierley's book to create our itinerary but will be as flexible as necessary.
• Locations on our current itinerary: Ponferrada-> Villafranca del Bierzo-> La Faba-> Triacastela-> Sarria-> Portomarín-> Palas de Rei-> Ribadiso-> O Pedrouzo-> Santiago de Compostela

Packing list

• Clothes: 1 pair of convertible hiking pants, 2 sports bras, 3 pairs of underwear, 3 socks, 2 t shirts, 1 long sleeved hiking shirt, 1 pair yoga pants, 1 light jacket, hiking boots, flip flops, poncho, a dress with sleeves (for entering churches, dinners, mixing it up from hiking gear!)
• Other: toothbrush, tooth paste, sunscreen, comb, light weight sleeping bag, camp suds (for body, hair and clothes), small first aid kit with ibprofen and hand sanitizer, universal adapter, phone, sunglasses, hat, earplugs, eye mask, passport, camino passport, water bottle, towel or sarong, lacrosse ball for massage, high protein snacks, money belt, mini backpack
• Everything labeled and packed into large Ziplock bags (in case of bedbugs! eeeeek!)
• There will be laundry sites (machine and hand wash) at the albuergues and we will be able to refill water bottles at public fountains and in bars/restaurants. 

                                          

Sources:

Brierley, John. A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino Francés: the Ancient Pilgrim Path Also Known as Camino De Santiago: from St. Jean Pied De Port to Santiago De Compostela: a Practical and Mystical Manual for the Modern Day Pilgrim. Camino Guides, 2003.

Schad, James. Top Trails Los Angeles  Wilderness Press, 2010.

https://socalhiker.net/mt-wilson-via-chantry-flats/

https://herpackinglist.com/camino-de-santiago-packing-list/