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THINGS CHANGE
Several years ago, I started a blog called Grandpa’s Gone Again? As the scribe for my varied adventures, I realized I actually enjoyed the writing process. During my work life, I wrote snooze-worthy budget narratives, project proposals, and bid requests (boring even now). Later, I thought to try writing fiction. You mean I can make stuff up, wow. So, I wrote a murder mystery short story for my mother, a true murder mystery fanatic. Since then, I have written two novels. I’m an experiential learner, so I figured what better way to learn than to write. Neither of those novels is much to read, but they taught me a lot about the process.…
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Camino Del Norte – Route Report
Read it now! It’s finally done. Since returning home from Spain, I have been working on a route report for others to enjoy. For your reading pleasure, the Camino del Norte report is now available here. Each day lists start and endpoints, the distance walked (in kilometers), the approximate time it took to walk that distance, notes about the route, a log of that day’s adventures, people I met and fun we had, and some indication of costs, weather, and trail conditions. Follow this link, or click on the Camino de Santiago link on the menu bar above, then select Camino del Norte. Now available in Kindle format on Amazon!…
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Coming Soon: Camino Route Report – Camino del Norte 2019
Grandpa’s Latest Camino de Santiago During the month of October 2019, Grandpa completed his third Camino de Santiago in Spain. He trekked for thirty-one days on the Camino del Norte, along the north coast, from Irun at the French border to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Daily accounts of that journey to find inspiration and meet new friends will be available on the blog site in the coming weeks. Follow along as the trail days are posted or select Camino de Santiago here, or from the blog’s main menu. Camino del Norte (Coastal Way) The length of the Camino del Norte, also known as the Camino de la Costa (Coastal Way), is over…
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The Via De La Plata – Revisited
Introduction: I was recently asked to present my 2016 Via de la Plata trek in Spain, and I thought I would share my speech and slides in this post. I was one of seven presenters speaking on routes other than the most commonly walked, Camino Francés. My friend Laurie Ferris over at thecaminoprovides.com was one of the organizers of the event and had this to say about the event when she posted the slideshows on her website: “Our NorCal chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino had its annual Welcome Home celebration event on November 11th, 2017 in Oakland. This year we had presentations on Camino routes “beyond the Francés.”…
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Announcing Camino Route Report – Via De La Plata 2016
During the fall months of October and November 2016, Grandpa hit the trail for thirty-three days of walking the Via de la Plata in western Spain. Daily accounts of that journey to find history, peace, and new friends are now available on the blog site. Either follow the links in this post, or select Camino de Santiago here, or from the blog’s main menu. The Vía de la Plata (Silver Way) Starting in Sevilla (Seville), is 1000 kilometers from Sevilla traveling through
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Announcing SU CAMINO… in Hardcopy
The paper edition of Su Camino… is now available on Amazon.com. Su Camino… 20 Days – 785 Kilometers – Camino de Santiago A WHIMSICAL MIX OF PILGRIM RESOURCES AND CAMINO MUSINGS There are several options to obtain Su Camino… at Amazon.com: Kindle Edition, $3.49 FREE to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited Paper Edition, $7.95, £5.95, or €6.95 (FREE Shipping with Prime subscription) All feedback graciously encouraged and appreciated. An introspective global journey to awareness and self-discovery catalyzed by 20 summer days walking the Camino de Santiago, Su Camino… is one American baby boomer’s travelogue come preparation handbook full of Camino anecdotes and advice for the contemporary walker of “The Way.” Steeped…
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Oh So Many Things
Since returning from Spain last summer and sitting down to write about that experience, the one point of that resulting book people repeatedly take away is, “You guys walked 500 miles in 20 days!” We did the Camino Frances in 20 days, due to time constraints, and more as an athletic Camino than a pilgrimage. I too, just like walking and have a good pace, from years of experience. However, WHEN I do another Camino, I will explore more, stick my head—and the rest of me—into churches more often, I will go to Samos, I’ll venture into museums, and go off the beaten path, go to that village not on the…
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FREE for the next five (5) days!!! A Whimsical Mix of Pilgrim Resources and Camino Musings
I’ve just published my new book “SU CAMINO… 20 Days – 785 Kilometers – Camino de Santiago; A Whimsical Mix of Pilgrim Resources and Camino Musings” “Su Camino…” is now available in eBook (kindle) format on Amazon. Any and all feedback encouraged and most graciously appreciated!!! This project, which I describe as: An introspective global journey to awareness and self-discovery catalyzed by 20 summer days walking the Camino de Santiago, “Su Camino…” is one American baby boomer’s travelogue come preparation handbook full of Camino anecdotes and advice for the contemporary walker of “The Way.” Steeped in travels to the far corners of the world over the last two decades, “Su Camino…” is a layered mélange of:…
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Pilgrim Days – Camino de Santiago
As a lead up to the release of my book “SU Camino…”, I’ve been posting here portions of my poetic portrayal of a pilgrim’s day on the Camino de Santiago, from my perspective, as we walked 40 kilometers per day on the Camino Francés during the hot summer month of July. Below, I’ve included that rendering in its entirety: Parts of parts: In his delightful Camino narrative “I’m Off Then”, Hape Kerkeling says the pilgrim’s day is a “microcosm” of one’s total Camino journey; hard to get going in the beginning and exhausted but happy in the end. The pilgrim, the thru-hiker, the spiritual-adventurer takes to the day, sluggish but expectant and…
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Slumber on the Camino de Santiago
Satiated. Clean and refreshed, thrilled by a shower, cool, warm, or hot. Reflecting on the marvels of the day. Looking towards the wonders of tomorrow. De-packing, repacking, always the packing. Read a little; headlamp lighting the page
