Backpack by taxi - a story

[Richard Ferguson]

The stories about having backpacks carried by taxi reminded me of of something that happened to me on the climb to O Cebreiro.  I had been walking on and off with a couple of nice ladies from the Basque country.  I was by myself and then they appeared.  The older one turned to show me the tiny knapsack on her back, not much more than a purse, and told me "Un Milagro!  Santiago me quita mi mochilla!"  (A miracle!  Santiago took my knapsack!).  We all laughed, and then she told me that she had sent her backpack with some other packs by car or taxi to O Cebreiro, and was carrying just a few essentials in the tiny knapsack.  Maybe you had to be there, but it was funny at the time.

If you plan to use a taxi to carry your backpack, you will need a small lightweight knapsack or beltpack to carry water and a raincoat during the hike.  Such a pack could serve as a kind of purse for walking around while your backpack stays in the refugio.  I have even seen backpacks that have a kind of detachable module for the same purpose.

Richard