Bill Deutschman's Introduction:

[Bill Deutschman]

Hi:

I sure am glad that this list will provide a continuation of Prof. D's list
and hope that it continues for a long time.

Anyway, on to the introduction.   I'm an "old guy" (61) who decided that it
is more fun to be an adventurer than to contribute to the GNP.  I learned
about the Camino five years ago and then two years ago heard that there was
a gathering of pilgrims in San Francisco.  I attended the gathering and
there was no question that I had to follow the Camino.

Last spring,we left Paris, Easter Sunday and my wife and I cycled to the
Loire river, and then up it to Le Puy.  From there we became pilgrims on the
Camino to Santiago.  We then cycled to Finestere and finally down the coast
to Lisbon.  The total trip lasted 10 weeks.  I pulled a trailer with a tent,
sleeping bags and camping equipment and we stayed in a combination of small
hotels, refugios and campgrounds.  We tried to follow the Camino as closely
as we could from Le Puy to St. Jean but most of the way it was impossible.
The Camino followed the ridges and the roads followed the valleys.  From St.
Jean to Santiago we cycled as near to the French Camino as possible but were
on it only where it followed the roads or along the meseta where we could
cycle on the actual path.

I would say it was the trip of our lifetime but we are now planning other
trips including a return trip where we plan to cycle from Pamplona to
Santiago and then return to Pamplona by way of Finestere and then along the
north coast of Spain following the northern Camino in reverse.  It seemed to
me that we were missing something by arriving in Santiago, changing into a
tourist mentality and then going home.  The "real" pilgrims had to walk home
as well.  The part of the trip from Finestere to Lisbon had a different
"feel" than when we were on the Camino.

I look forward to corresponding with others that may want to cycle along the
Camino or with hikers who may need information that we discovered during our
pilgrimage or on our other hiking trips through Europe.

bill

Bill Deutschman, Ph. D.
Oregon Laser Consultants
455 Hillside Avenue
Klamath Falls, OR 97601-2337
olcbillainternetcds.com