Help need and appreciated!

[Eyskens]

If you intend to walk the Camino Frances, you pretty much have to start
in Sarria which is about 115 km from Santiago.  You can bus from Madrid
to sarria, take the train to Leon (from Madrid) and then the bus to
Sarria, the train from Madrid to Santiago and then the bus to Sarria, or
variations on the theme.  You can mail your excess luggage to yourself
as frank Harrison peregrino lista de correros 15780 Santiago de
Compostela, a coruna.  There will be plenty of places to stay within the
framework of 10 miles per day.  I suggest you get a good guidebook, say
the Confraternity of St James guide for the Camino Frances and maybe
Brierly's.

Buen Camino

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu] On
Behalf Of Frank Harrison
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2004 7:44 PM
To: GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu
Subject: Help need and appreciated!


Here is another voice for the 60+ “Club.”  Indeed, I am almost ready for
the 70 Club.

I am Frank Harrison, a professor of Philosophy at the University of
Georgia in Athens, Georgia. This summer I would like, and plan, to walk
part of the Camino de Santiago. This is, for me, a religious venture.
And, so, I go as a pilgrim. Even so, due to aches and pains of
”maturation” I am planning “to do” at first only the required 100km.  If
all goes well, and I find more courage, I shall perhaps do more.

To prepare I have read a great deal.  Indeed, I am all but overwhelmed
with information, but still in need of useful facts given my situation.
  So, here are some specific questions I have.  I should VERY MUCH
appreciate any help you out there might share with me.

        1) Since I am going to walk only 100+ km where is the best place
to begin?  Sarria? Or some other location?

        2) How is the best way to get to my starting point to begin the
walk to Compostela?  I plan to fly into Madrid and then I can take a
plane to wherever I need to go.  After that, what? That is, how would I
get to Sarria?

        3) I am going to be in Galicia, and other parts of Spain, longer
than I am going to be walking.  Thus, I need to take some luggage with
me – at least one carry on and one briefcase.  Where might  I store
these before I begin my pilgrimage so that I can pick it all up
afterwards?  I certainly am not going to take all of this on my back.
Would it be best, for example, to go directly to Compostela, store my
luggage somewhere, and then travel to Sarria to begin my walk?

        4) While I tell myself, since I am now “in training,” that I am
going to be able to walk some 10-15 miles per day, in all reality it
will probably be more likely 8-10 (and then with the help of Advil and
St. James).  If this is the case and I do begin at Sarria, will there be
places I can reach along the way to sleep and eat?

        5) If anyone has any other insights which might be helpful for
walking from, say, Sarria to Compostela, please let me hear from you as
well.

        Oh yes, I am now listed to teach a short summer course at the
University of Georgia.  So, I shall do that and then be off to Spain in
mid June.

        Thank you for any and all help!  I sure need it!

                                — most cordially –

                                    Frank Harrison

_______________________
Frank R. Harrison, III
Josiah Meigs Professor
Philosophy
Office:  706-542-2823
House: 706-543-6014
FAX: 706-542-2839