Let’s Walk the Camino de Santiago

Last training hike before the Camino

August 29, 2022.   I was up early, at 5:30 am, both a remnant habit from my work life, and a part of walking the Camino where it’s essential to start at or before sunrise in order to beat the midday heat.  I was also fully packed, just as would be on the Camino.  My pack weighted 20#, reasonably close to the 10% of body weight recommended.

I headed into the morning stillness, with only occasional cars and people walking their dogs on Cherry Street, and headed East along Lake Drive toward East Grand Rapids.  I passed the bagel shop, but did not stop.  I needed to get some miles in. Turning onto Wealthy, I wanted to see the school kids traveling by bike, scooter and foot to the middle school.  Sure enough, as I approached Reeds Lake, kids started darting out of every corner on bikes, motorized scooters and even little motor bikes.   Crossing guards managed the bike traffic jam that you could not see anywhere else in the county.  In GR in would be yellow school buses; in Forest Hills it would be large SUVs clogging the road.

Pushing east, I cut through a neighborhood of mansions, each one presuming to be bigger than the other.  Every lawn and garden prim and proper.   Back to Lake drive the final 100 yards on to the entrance to Calvin College, and down the tree-lined perimeter drive to the Eco-Preserve.   It was time for my first break, and I gladly shed my backpack and watched the sun start to peek over the trees through the morning mist and dew.

Only a couple of miles remained until my destination, the Paris Cafe, but wait, they were not open yet.  Time to change plans and opt for the new Whole Foods Market with its cafe which I have used in other cities while traveling by bike.   Walking into the new, squeaky-clean building I was greeted by Jason, a young lady who quickly prepared a cappuccino to with my  fruit bar.

Heading home, I was surprised to catch a break in traffic on 28th Street and jog across to a tree-lined street heading north.  I cut west on Mulford to Saginaw to stay in the shade and arrive at the freight railroad heading northwest.  I hopped the tracks and headed past Christian HS, and then clambered up a narrow path to Plymouth.  On Plymouth I was greeted by a Peach tree so loaded with ripe fruit that it bent down over and onto the sidewalk.   Certainly any ripe peach in the middle of the public right of way is free for picking, right?

Heading north, I started to notice a little more burning in my right heel.  I was wearing a new set of sandals, and suprised at how free and airy they felt.  But this burning sensation was a little concerning.

I stopped again a couple of times for water and a snack as I turned north and west on Lake Drive and by 11:40 am arrived back at home.   13.9 miles completed before noon.  And a big blister forming on my heel.   I was thankful to learn some more lesson before starting the real hike.