BackPack/insecurities

[Adrienne Patton]

--- lmorris <kesatotaSHAW.CA> wrote:
> Hi, Has any one really looked at the cover of
> Linda Davison's book " The Pilgrimage Road to
> Santiago"? Here we have three girls walking the
> Camino and as far as I can tell they only have what
> I would call a day pack, can't get much in those
> packs.  If this is really what they took for a pack
> on the Camino, what are we doing with 50 60 L packs
> and or what do they knowthat we don't?  Do we
> really need large packs or are we packing for our
> insecurities?

I took a look at the book cover and saw 3 women with
what were probably daypacks, no walking sticks, 2 of
them wearing jeans.  They appear more likely to be
day- or section-hikers, or maybe traveling with
vehicle support.  I'm not sure how anyone would pack a
daypack for a 4-6 week through-hike.  (Outside of
those special few who really are comfortable with
nothing but a toothbrush, a change of underwear and a
guidebook.)

There is much discussion here about backpack weight
and size, but might I respectfully suggest that it is
not really all that important?

I started my 1st Camino with way too much weight in my
pack.  As my walk progressed, more and more things
were discarded, all the way to the end.  A couple of
things that should never have been brought were not
discarded because of their personal value to me.  In
the end, it was a very important lesson in attachment
and simplicity.  But I had to learn it the hard way,
through experience.  Ultimately, you take what you
think you need, and find out for yourself what is
really important to YOU.

I think this listserv is a great place, very
informative.  And it provides a great community for
those, like myself, who may not have people in their
immediate lives who understand our drive to Walk.  But
I also believe it is important not to OVERthink this
thing.

Packing smart is certainly important, and talking to
those with experience can provide us with some good
tips, but perhaps being overly obsessive about kilos &
ounces & backpack liters and whether we need 1 t-shirt
or 2, is its own form of "insecurity".

Your pack can be symbolic of your own life's burdens,
but you don't have to solve every problem or make
every decision BEFORE you go.  Leave something for the
Walk to do - let it work its magic.  Try not to leave
your home full of fear and trepidation about whether
you are doing it "right", or whether those extra 3
pounds will make or break you on your way to
Roncesvalles.

But that's just my 2 centimes...

Love & Peace,
Adrienne
casamagdalenayahool.com



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