(This was written a week ago… it is passing so quickly…)
Two weeks to go! It does not seem very long ago that I said “only three months to go!”
So, we are training seriously with another 10km walked today; 14 last Friday, 11 the previous Tuesday and 32 km over the weekend before that.
I have spent the last few months trying to calm a “dicky” knee and sore heel after stepping a little too firmly with a heavy backpack. Needless to say, it is much better now, but it is a bit of a balancing act getting plenty of training in without “overdoing” it.
I think what has always surprised us is all the beautiful walks we have discovered which radiate from our house. There is a track meandering through various parks on this side and the other side of the ring road going to Broadmeadows Station, or at a stretch, Upfield Station via Merlynston Creek. There is a walk to Pascoe Vale Station via another series of parks through Pascoe Vale and Moonee Ponds Creek with the option of travelling much further to Essendon.
A third track, again through parkland (somewhat narrower) goes past our local Coburg Velodrome and soccer ovals. Walking past Coburg under the new raised railway allows for a pleasant walk under cover to Moreland, down the exciting Sydney Road, the beautiful Royal Park till quickly arriving at the city.
Possibly the most picturesque walk, however, is the Merri Creek Trail which follows the creek all the way to the Yarra River at Dights Falls.
With a bus and train within easy reach, other options have opened up such as the walk from Brighton to Port Melbourne. One of our most interesting walks made possible by train travel has been the many day walks as we have made our way from home to South Geelong … (on our way to eventually walk into Warrnambool).
Today:
So, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and the proof of all our training is about to be tested as we begin our Camino Le Puy. Questions gnaw before we leave: Have we done enough training? With pack? Distance? Hills? Will my body hold together? How cold will it get? Will it rain/snow? Will the French riots continue in Lyon? Will the Russian-Ukraine war expand? What about Covid? Unlike our previous Caminos, this one seems to have much more risk to it. We are feeling a little like Abraham and Sarah leaving the security which is only found at home.
They say that the Camino is a reflection on life. We (Pina mainly) will try to reflect each day on Camino and let you know over the next month how things go. Bill
PS. If you would like to financially support people who know better than us what it is like to have little or no security, we have made it easier with a donation page: https://fundraise.jesuitmission.org.au/fundraisers/pinaandbilldunne
pindun on the road to Santiago de Compostella 