Unorthodox Training for CDT – The Trek

Here I go again… My family has been anticipating this day, my nature of staycation makes me anxious and I need to leave the confines of my warm abode. After many delays, it looks like the Continental Divide Trail is within reach. There were time issues, life changes and all the responsibilities that come with them and of course my dear husband George and our faithful dog Zoey. These things and many more are always on my mind when I dream of these plans of wanderlust, of setting out on the road in search of my true peace and serenity. But now that I have the blessing of all parties involved, I am preparing.

No husband on long and distant walks?

At Casa Baraga we are doing a training regimen like no other. Italy, here we come. A little history of my madness. My husband is not a backpacker. In our 30 years of marriage, he has graced me with his presence ONCE along the way. Yes, after that trip to Iceberg Lake, he was quick to claim that he would never sleep in a tent again, affirming the fact that it was on the ground! So, to remedy this fact, I introduced George to the Camino. I was absolutely hooked. Walk daily, eat and drink along the way and stay in very nice places with running water, flush toilets and comfortable beds. No, we didn’t stay in Hostels or Donations, and I’ll leave that for another blog someday about why we decided on private spaces. But I will mention that it had something to do with the wild things that happen when two or more naked people get together and share their inner selves. Yes, in a hostel, with us for hours. Now we stay in private rooms.

Triple Crown of the Camino

So during the month of May, George and I will hike our Triple Crown of the Trail. We complete the Portuguese Route in 2023, the French Route in 2024 and now we embark on the Via Francigena. This route originates in Canterbury, England and continues to Rome, a little over 2000 km or 1250 miles. We are walking the final stretch from Lucca to Rome, about 400 km which is equivalent to about 250 miles. That’s my unorthodox training program for the Continental Divide Trail. Check a few vital things off my list. First, it gives me time on my feet every day for three weeks, in my trail shoes. Second, it allows me to accept the weight of my trail pack, which is honestly close to my base weight for CDT, about 15 pounds minus food and water. Third, and most importantly, it allows me to spend quality time with George, my partner in crime, before leaving him for months.

different paths

Every Path we have traveled is so uniquely different. They have their own challenges, including language barriers that make everyday conversations a bit difficult and finding a pace that suits two different styles of pilgrims. But this is what makes it so rewarding and exciting. Immerse yourself in the culture of the locals and live in their homes, even if it’s just for a night or two. And seriously, who can say no to daily ice cream, Italian wine for the price of a soda, and overflowing bowls of pasta? I’m all in and I can promise you there won’t be anything dehydrated touching my lips! This is a never-ending feast of culinary delights. Once I finish this so-called training program, my toughest battle will be wanting to hike 3,100 miles on a dirty, dusty trail, in my single-walled tent with lions and bears nearby. I’m not a gladiator, or maybe, just maybe, I actually am.

Spirituality behind the Camino

In a few days, after a long flight over the great golden pond that separates the United States from Europe, George and I will walk toward St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. There is a saying that when you walk El Francés towards Santiago, as a pilgrim, you are releasing your burdens along the way. People bring stones or tokens that remind them of their previous lives, overwhelmed by everything they have faced. When they reach the final destination of the Cathedral, their new life is clear without the anguish of worry and anxiety. Very similar to a walk. The Via Francigena is a little different in the spiritual sense. It is more about walking or traveling towards the light of God. Walking south, you wake up with the sun on your face and you constantly walk with the sun shining on you. There is a warmth, a sense of communion with Jesus, knowing that He is with you on this pilgrimage. Then, when I venture out, I will be in the light, searching for the deepest part of my being and realizing that I am just a few steps away. This is truly my happy place.

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