Welcome to the Journey

Bien Camino! I’m going to put myself out there and call myself a pilgrim, even though I haven’t yet walked the Camino Frances. Here’s why: I have made the commitment to walk it. My hope is that I will leave April of 2022 for Spain. On April 28, 2022, I turn 50 and I want it to be unforgettable! 

Since I was a little girl, one of the things that has defined me is my love of walking. My mom says that beginning at the age of two, I constantly pestered her to take me walking- I didn’t care where, I just wanted to be out. In my older childhood years, the bike took precedence in town, though I spent many a long days year after year out in the Red Desert of Wyoming wandering around while my parents, who were rock hounds, did their thing. I loved watching the afternoon clouds build, inspecting the gigantic ant mounds, chasing Horned Lizards and sniffing a stem of spicy sagebrush to complete the effect. My dad gave me a patch to put on my jacket with Smokey the Bear on it that said, “Don’t follow me, I’m lost too!” 

As an adult, walking has always been my favorite mode of exercise and hiking is my passion. To me there is no greater way to appreciate and enjoy the outdoors than through the simple act of walking. The equipment needed is simple, and the the access to beautiful places is unparalleled. 

I’m fortunate to live on a farm that looks out at the shadowy Owyhee Mountains and high desert plateaus of Southern Idaho. These stomping grounds provide me with a daily dose of bird watching, sky viewing and the occasional coyote, pronghorn or deer.

Every Spring, Summer and Fall, I am plotting and planning my next hike. I have hiked many places in the Northwestern United States- the round the mountain trail at Mt. Hood, Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge and the Sawtooth Wilderness in Idaho are among some of my favorite stomping grounds. 

Years ago, when The Way came out, I was blown away. My kids were still pretty young and I was taking care of my ailing grandmother, so though I couldn’t go then, I knew I would one day plan and execute my own journey to the Camino Frances. 

As the end of 2020 came with all of its difficulties, I have found myself more drawn than ever to completing The Way. My job as a dental assistant at a Health Center, hasn’t been stress free. One by one, my family all caught Covid and finally myself. We are all okay, but this year has caused me to reevaluate. 

I want to focus my life on helping others, strengthening my faith and my spirituality. I want to find peace in the pain and difficulties that are part of the fabric of my life. As I start a new chapter of life with grown children, I want to be physically, mentally, and spiritually fit and healthy. I want to have a great adventure on the Camino Frances. I want to celebrate walking adventures past present and future.

This blog will be the center of that exploration. This year, my friends and I are completing the Camino de Frances together- virtually!! We have maps printed off and we are each tracking our progress along the route, all while we learn everything we can about the Camino. As we go along we are going to discover all there is to know- the history of Spain, the Camino, all about St. James and the many other characters who are a part of the Camino story. We will explore the people, the language, the natural history, the food, the music and the culture and we’ll have great fun along the way! 

So join us!