Ed has insisted that we train, with full packs, to prepare for the Camino de Santiago 2024, so we have been trekking for successively longer distances in Rock Creek Park, a National Park behind our building. Our reward has been some beautiful views and improved fitness. My new right hip feels great.

This will be our seventh Camino. The first was in 2015 and like this year’s, is “the French Way” — Camino de Santiago Frances. Subsequent pilgrimages have been Camino San Francesco (Italy), Camino Portugues, Camino del Norte part one (Lourdes to Santander), Camino del Norte part two, Via Francigena (Italy).

This summer we have been fortunate to spend time with many dear friends and family, including the newest family member, grandniece Zara.

Zara lives with her parents,  my nephew, Mike and his wife,  Abbie, near Philadelphia.

We’ve also been playing a lot of golf — walking,  of course — to get ready for the Camino. The photo shows us after a round with son Bob and youngest grandson Owen. Owen is a sophomore at St Josephs in Philadelphia while Jack is a senior at Davidson in North Carolina. The oldest,  Ryan, lives with Chloe in Pittsburg where he works for PNC Bank.

We will be leaving on Wednesday September 11 to fly from Dulles to Madrid via Lisbon. After two days there,  where we will mail extra clothing and medicines to ourselves farther along the journey,  we’ll take train and bus to our starting point,  on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees near Roncesvalles. (We’ve decided that once is enough for doing the climb over the mountain.)

Our Camino this year will take us about 400 miles over 32 days across northern Spain to  Santiago de Campostela, the burial site of Sr James the Apostle. We will be walking in the footsteps of 1,200 years of pilgrims.

Stay tuned for the next post.