Walking the Morning Away

My first long training walk was surprisingly easy and really relaxing! The air was crisp and the sky was a bright winter blue. All of the puddles from yesterday's rain were frozen over and the asphalt was a bit icy. I found a meandering trail from Sussargues to Castries that winds through the garrigue.  I passed the ancient quarry and little patches of vineyards tucked into the woods.  It is  a very calm route with few cars even though I was walking during the Sussargues "rush hour".

After my walk, I sat with a thick blanket on my legs feeling chilled to the bone! You'd think I would have known to dress for the cold! It was 1•C out when I started walking this morning at 8:30. I wore two thick layers under my ski jacket, but only a thin pair of yoga pants on my legs. After 1/2 hour in the warm house, my knees are still numb and my legs muscles are radiating cold!

Distance - 11.4K
Time - 2.5 hours

Walking the Way in Montpellier

This morning I decided to walk around the hills of Montpellier. It is part of El Camino!!! Do I get credit??

Decisions Decisions!!

So according to Google Maps, walking from Léon, Spain to Santiango de Compostela is 298 kilometers and would take a pedestrian around 62 hours OR you can take public transportation and it would take 4 hours...

Map: Léon to Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Our Favorite Walk

Monday 21 January, 2013 - Jazzy and I walked the short 4.5K walk in the vineyard. So brilliantly sunny and warm! He loves to explore the countryside here! A flock of sheep had passed by recently and Jazzy went wild sniffing their trail.

A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

I figure that if a thought keeps reappearing in your head and beating around your brain to find freedom, it must mean that you should pay attention!  Someone is definitely trying to get you moving!!  This is how I feel about El Camino de Santiago!

I no longer can remember how and where I first heard of El Camino, but for a couple of years, the idea of a walk on The Way has been reappearing in my life.  I have now come to accept that I must walk El Camino.  It does not mean that I have to do what I do in every other sector of my existence by obsessing and overdoing it!  I challenge myself to do this with patience and persistence and within my abilities and measured or judged by no one. I challenge myself to be open to the journey without expectations or fears.  Each step...each breath will have its own meaning and I challenge myself to be open to that.

I want to get to know El Camino, Santiago and Spanish!  I know and accept that this journey will challenge me physically, mentally and spiritually and I accept this completely.  I welcome the challenges, frustrations, issues and pain that will visit me on this journey as opportunities for growth.

So here is my first step...I challenge myself to walk every day at least 4K with one walk a week of 10K.  I challenge myself to learn of St. James and El Camino.  I challenge myself to learn some basic Spanish so I do not feel isolated or lost on The Way.  And finally, I challenge myself to have patience and take it slowly.  To enjoy the journey and the steps!!





Map from PlanetWare.com