Camino Di Santiago

bumbo

Thinking of doing Camino from pamplona to santiago over about 14 days at end of september with girlfriend. Only started planning it in last few weeks so is a bit of a rush job but just looking for any advice/suggestions.

Girlfriend hasn't been cycling regularly but has good level of fitness and she does spin class a couple of times a week. Would doing camino be achievable?

Also going to hire bikes from
http://www.tournride.com/

Anyone got any experience of using these?

All advice/comment/suggestion welcomed.

blorg

The Camino is great, much reccomended. I have done it on the Camino Frances through the middle and also the northern route along the coast in reverse. Put up some pics here of the latter. We did it in 11 days from France and my girlfriend while a regular cyclist wouldn't be extraordinary. So I imagine you would be fine. The more fitness you can build up before you go the more you will enjoy it; I would get out on the bikes ASAP.

Bear in mind that 2010 is a holy year and so it will be absolutely jam packed. Numbers have been going up every year and they expect 2010 will be the largest yet with over 250,000 pilgrims. Many of these will have done it earlier in the summer though to get there for St James feast day at the end of July. The bonus, if you are a believer, is that you get all your time off purgatory for doing it in a holy year. Doing it in a normal year you only get 1/3 time off.

bumbo

Thanks Blorg. We gonna give it a go - no time in purgatory has sealed the deal!

Morgan

I did it myself a few years ago. I'd recommend bringing your own bikes if possible - just from a comfort/familiarity point of view.

I assume you're planning on following the walking trail (rather than the road) so you'd want to get a bit of offroad practice in if you haven't already.

Oh, bring loads of puncture repair stuff for your wheels.

Some photos here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/morgan.oconnell/CaminoDeSantiago#

Don't stay in Monte de Gozo near the end - it's fecking horrible (in a vast prison-camp / mental hospital kind of way)

bumbo

Hi Morgan, thanks for that. Nice photos btw.

Unfortunately I only have road bike so not really suitable to bring over.
Maybe buying second hand bike here and shipppin it might be the way to go.

Did u follow the walking trail all the way? Is it possible to do this?
I believe from what I have read some stretches are better done on the road.

Morgan

Yeah, you can ride the walkers trail the whole way if you're on a mtb. It's pretty manageable if you're used to that kind of thing, very rough in parts but you get to see a lot of the countryside. Crossing the Pyrenees and descending from Croix de Fer are the most technical (and fun ) parts.

Marvinthefish

blorg wrote: »

The bonus, if you are a believer, is that you get all your time off purgatory for doing it in a holy year. Doing it in a normal year you only get 1/3 time off.

Is this true? :eek: I walked it in 2007 and was under the impression that I'd wiped the slate clean and wouldn't get any time in purgatory if I died at that moment. Don't fancy purgatory myself to be honest. I'd probably end up cycling with the wind in my face going up a never-ending hill.

Planet X

Great pictures Morgan. Trail looks well rough alright.