Walking in the Pyrenees

[Jeffrey Crawley]

I wouldn't have missed out the Pyrenees crossing for all the world - once it
was over. On the way up (and I used the 'easy' Val Carlos route last time) I
kept stopping and asking myself why on earth I was doing it again and
several times was tempted to turn back. Then I considered what one of my
fellow countrymen would have had to have gone through to get this far back
in the middle ages - I had flown down to Biarritz from London, he would have
spent 2 months walking!

On car assisted pilgrims:

A tricky one this, I used the taxi to transfer my pack up O Cebriero last
time and had a chance to enjoy the walk more - my previous arrival there
with an overweight pack in pouring rain was NOT fun.

Last year I saw more and more signs offering this 'service' especially as we
approached Santiago, even on easy stages. Whether it is morally
reprehensible to use a taxi for transport is not for me to say lest I be
accused of hypocracy.

Medieval pilgrims wouldn't have had such heavy burdens to carry and, if they
did have, I'm sure that they would have availed themselves of assistance
from a passing ox cart.

I met one English couple in their 70's who had walked fom Le Puy but had
their luggage carried for them all of the way, just carrying their daily
needs on their backs - were thay any less valid pilgrims than me?  On the
other hand they were staying in hotel and hostal so weren't depriving a
footsore pilgrim of a place in a refugio. Certainly those who don their
packs just outside of town and then claim a bed are pilgrims of a lesser
kind in my eyes.

I suppose judge not lest ye be judged applies but, as a hospitalero I
wouldn't allow car-pilgrims a place ahead of a walker - if cyclists must
give way to walkers how far down the pecking order should a car-pilgrim be?

I do agree with John about the sense of self satisfaction though, and it's
very hard not to be smug when you've left close on a million footprints
across Spain . . .

Jeffrey

----- Original Message -----
From: john rogers <j_rogersaSYMPATICO.CA>
To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 4:02 PM
Subject: Re: Walking in the Pyrenees


> Last year (April/May)when we walked from Ronceswvalles, a few people used
> the pack carrying services. Some just for major climbs and others for most
> of the trip. I never saw anyone challenged at a refuge.
> In fact a team of 5 from France had up to 4 walk (good weather)and one
drive
> the whole way. Each night when they arrived, they hid the car, put on
their
> packs and entered the refuges signing as "a pied". Needless to say, they
> were looked down upon even more that those who took buses between the
stops.
> It is very much an honor system.
> If one can manage the total trip on one's own, there is a very real sense
of
> satisfaction.