New member

[Joe English]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2002 21:12:52 -0500, Tony Schuster <agsustraCHARTER.NET>
wrote:

>Hola!
>
>I joined the Friends today because I am walking the Santiago trail with my
wife in September/October. I am a reasonably experienced backpacker but
this will be our first exposure to trekking. We are in the process of
defining the gear to be carried, and the like. We expect to follow the
Napoleonic Route starting at St. Jean Pied de Port in mid-September. Advice
on gear, weather and the like would be much appreciated.
>
>This is an exercise in cultural and physical adventure. We have been to
Spain a couple of times, have dear friends there and have greatly enjoyed
the people and the country. We hope to become acclimatized to the culture
and maybe even pick up enough of the language to stop our continual
reliance on English. If we can also get some impression of the history in a
real, rather than book, sense and renew an old friendship with the wines of
Rioja it will be a great time.
>
Welcome new member,
Firstly let me say I love your attitude and your reasons for walking -
cultural and physical adventure.  I have sometimes felt a little out of
place in this listserv because I did not walk the camino for religious
reasons. My wife and walked last year because we both love walking and the
outdoors and the intrigue of taking part in anything that is 1000 year old.
We had such a wonderful experience that we are going back this summer.
There is something 'different' about walking the camino than any other
activity I have undertaken. There is a peacefullness and an ability to
connect with ones self that is hard to explain. Is this spirituality?
religion? ... who knows. Look out for it as you walk and as you enjoy the
Rioja (the Navarra wines on the first stages are under rated but excellent)
Have a great camino.
Joe
>