New member intro

[Karen Holmes]

Hi!

I just posted a message asking for input, but didn't give much of an intro
to me.

I'm a United Church of Canada Minister in Calgary, Alberta, married to
another minister, with two sons.  My congregation  has sent me on a 4 month
sabbatical, which will include my pilgrimage of about 35 days on the
Camino.  I leave Calgary on Sept 21 and expect to start walking on the
24th.  My husband will join me about October 13 for the final 2 weeks  in
Spain.

I've been hiking and biking to get ready for this trip in and around Banff,
and cycled the Icefields parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper in August.
I'm  anxious, in a middle-aged, overweight kind of way,  about the physical
nature of the camino, but drawn to it as well.

I very much like the idea of picking up my pack and walking poles and
walking, the gifts of fellow travellers on the way, having to depend on the
kindness of strangers and surprising gifts of grace and joy provided for
the journey ahead.

Hope to meet some of you on the way!  I fly into Bilbao via Frankfurt about
3 pm on Sunday September 22, hope to be on an afternoon bus on the 23rd to
Pamplona.  Anyone else going this way?

Karen Holmes.