Camino Training

Back training for the Camino walk. I will leave Virginia April 22 and meet up with my pilgrim buddy Werner in Biarritz France the next day. We plan to take bus and train from there to the little French town of St Jean Pied de Port from where we will start on our 500 mile walk on April 24.
The weather had been cold and rather wet including snow last Wednesday, but by Saturday it had got warm and I went a very pleasant hike along the James River in Richmond. I completed about 10 miles which was a good way to get back into hiking. It was a beautiful sunny day and a lot of people had taken the opportunity to get out again with families, children, dogs and friends. I felt pretty good after it so perhaps I have not lost too much condition over the last 30 days.
Today I set out again. This time more ambitious with a trip to Pocahontas State Park, about a 40 min drive from home. I had filled my backpack to the target weight for the Camino - 17 lbs.
Again a beautiful day, perfect for a hike. It started out well on a trail through the forest with occasional clearings and meadows.

After a while I came to a stream across the trail but it was easy to cross so no problem

Soon after that I came to the creek that on previous visits I had been able to walk through since there is no bridge and wet feet was a good way of testing my susceptibity to blisters since I am almost certain to get wet feet on some days on the Camino (European spring weather).
What I had not planned on was a raging torrent, too fast and strong to cross on foot. The dam just upstream was overflowing as I had not seen before.

I stopped and ate my sandwich lunch as i decided what to do. I had previously met 2 people on horseback but they were long gone or perhaps they could have ferried me across the creek.
I was more than halfway around the 13 mile circular trail and since there were no other ways to cross the creek I turned around and headed back the way I had come. I headed back and finally arrived back at the car after a total hike of around 18 miles. I was very pleased and satisfied, if a little sore! This would represent a little more than a typical day on the Camino so I feel confident. I will try and do a hike of this length once a week until I leave for France with shorter local hikes in between.
This is also my "training" for blogging which I hope I will be able to keep up with on the trip.

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