Camino 2023

Hello Family and Friends!

Elizabeth:

Gary has taught me, over the close to 40 years we have known one another, and I have learned to appreciate, being flexible with one’s plans is what keeps life interesting!

We just made the decision to postpone our Camino in Spain until next May/June 2023…for a number of reasons, in no particular order.

1. We have always gone to Spain to walk the Camino together. This time, due to my travel schedule with corporate meeting clients I was going to miss the first 200+ miles of walking with Gary in Spain.
2. I do not enjoy getting up at 5AM to train/hike before the sun gets too toasty! We’ve hit 115 a couple of times and early AM’s are usually in the 80’s, at the lowest on average, in July. I was walking at the malls and going to the gym, but actually hiking is the best way to train for the Camino. The springtime will be a much better time to train/hike in Phoenix!
3. The heat in Europe/Spain and even here in the US is real.  We are hotter here in Phoenix than Spain has been, and are used to the heat, but getting away to a cooler location seems a bit more enticing. We walked the Camino de Santiago in May and June in 2019 and loved the cool mornings and very reasonable day time temps. So, we will keep you posted next year re: our forth Camino.
4. Wild fires in the EU are a challenge, especially in France and Spain right now. Very sad for all involved there. The air quality around Arizona and California lately has been poor as we have been affected by fires here as well. So, again, going from one hot/wildfire location to another doesn’t seem to make sense.
5. COVID has been making a strong come back all over the US, and in Spain. The new variant and the “regular” COVID has been hitting people close to us. We know several people who, after traveling abroad, tested positive upon their return. Our youngest son and our eldest son’s mother-in-law both got it after over 2 years of being very healthy. Our son is fine now and the other Mother-in-law is getting better slowly. It doesn’t seem to matter whether or not you’re vaccinated…COVID doesn’t discriminate.
6. We have very generous friends who would take Rangeley while we are gone, and we hope to leave Rangeley with them in May/June if at all possible. But for now, our 2+ yr. old Silver Lab puppy has decided to regress a bit and has taken a dietary liking to book covers and cardboard boxes as well as carrying our socks, sneakers and visors from one room to the other while we are out of the house. I think our packing has made him nervous. He is rebelling a bit : )

What’s next? We will take Rangeley with us on our next adventure. We are talking about another road trip here in the US instead of going to Spain. I am working in NC in August and we are thinking Gary would drive cross country and meet me in Asheville. We could then drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway, continuing up to New England, to visit family and do some Trail Magic on the Appalachian Trail!

We will post again as soon as plans are firmed up…well…as “firm” as our plans get! : )  

We wish you all good health and send smiles to encourage you to MAKE it a great day!

“Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you…” 

– Richard Aldington