Our last two days were full and joyous.
We spent yesterday hiking the Baldfaces with a great group of people. Mark, Nat, Mike, Donna, and Hugh -- thanks for the good times. Dan and Janelle, it was a pleasure. I'll post the trip report on Tuesday.
Alex and Sage with friend Janelle on Baldface Circle Trail.
The girls and I got to bed late last night...then we woke early this morning and attended University of New Hampshire's "Know the Coast" Day. Oceanographers gave interactive presentations to school kids and homeschoolers. Highlights included an interactive demonstration of a watershed, a presentation on octopi, and the handling of a live horseshoe crab. The girls loved it.
Alex handles whale blubber.
The girls learn about horseshoe crabs.
We left "Know the Coast" and drove straight to our karate dojo...then we shopped for Halloween costumes...we got home just as the clock struck nine....the girls were understandably beat and are therefore currently snoozing.
Now that I have a few quiet minutes, let me take the time to say...
HOORAY!!!
We're walking the Camino de Santiago!!
The girls and I have been talking about hiking the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago ever since we saw the movie, The Way. After a few months of discussion and planning, the girls and I are ready to publicly commit to this exciting and arduous endeavor. There will soon be a webpage dedicated to our Camino; that webpage will contain all the information about everything having to do with our hike. I'll post details about our gear preparation, training hikes, and fundraising progress. Once we're actually on the Camino, I'll post trail-journal entries with photos as often as I'm able.
I've received a lot of questions about this upcoming journey. As I wrote above, the forthcoming webpage (which will be linked to this blog) will contain a lot of detailed information. In the meantime, however, here are some FAQ (and answers):
1) What is the Camino de Santiago?
"The Way of St. James" is a 780 km route across northern Spain. This link will provide you with information regarding the various routes and the historical significance of the pilgrimage.
2) Are you walking to raise money for charity?
YES. We hope to raise a certain amount of money for 1) GirlVentures, a San Francisco based nonprofit that guides adolescent girls through various wilderness adventures and 2) Global Fund for Women, a nonprofit that promotes health, education, and equal rights for women around the globe.
(This hike, by the way, will take care of Thursday Thing #9..."Organize a Walk for Charity.")
3) How can I contribute?
I'll have a "donate" button for each organization on my webpage. You'll be able to click on the button and donate whatever you can spare directly to the nonprofit. Or, you can pledge a certain amount per mile and I'll collect the pledges when we return from the Camino.
4) Are you walking for religious reasons?
No. We are not Christian. That being said, we do consider ourselves spiritual. We experience the beauty of the Universe during each one of our hikes; I suspect the Camino will be no exception.
5) Will Hugh walk with you?
Sometimes. The girls and I will walk the entire 780 kilometers. Hugh will join us here and there as he is able.
6) How long do you think it'll take you and the girls to walk the entire route?
I anticipate we'll need about eight weeks to walk the entire route. I could be wrong, of course. We may need more time, we may need less. We'll adjust our schedule as needed once we're out there.
7) When are you walking?
We'll start our Camino in March 2013.
8) Will you encounter cold temperatures and snow?
Since we're starting our Camino during late winter, we anticipate experiencing a wide range of conditions. I think our upcoming New Hampshire winter will adequately prepare us for whatever we'll face in Spain. We're used to frigid temperatures and deep snow.
The new webpage should be up and running by the end of next week. I look forward to putting it all together.
Have a great weekend, folks!
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