I mentioned in previous posts about my intention to walk the route of the Chemin de Saint Jacques (The Way of Saint James). In my most recent post on this topic, I explained how I have broken down the 340 kilometers into manageable daily segments. So now it is time for the final preparations.
Fist was to organise my rucksack. The limitations of weight and space mean that everything is a compromise, but it is done. Several changes of clothes, warm jackets in case it gets cold, rainwear, and the guide book for the route are all obvious inclusions, but there are also a few less obvious. So in went the first aid kit, a torch, a sheet-bag, toiletries, and other items to keep me going for close to two weeks.
With that done, I decided that a rehearsal would be appropriate. I know that I can walk 25 or even 30 kilometers with just my day pack. But could I do the same with a full rucksack? And even if I could, would I have the energy the next morning to get up and do the same thing again? So I planned two days of walking with the full rucksack, and if I was in good form on the third day, then I reckoned I could probably do the walk that I have planned. I chose to walk the Aargauer Weg, stages 2 and 3 as my test. Each stage is about the right length, and also has about the right level of ascent and descent.
And I am pleased to say that it has worked out. Walking on Saturday and Sunday, I walked just over 42,000 steps (almost 30 km) the first day, and just under 38,000 (about 27 km) steps the second. And the next day, I was still feeling fine. I will of course write about these two walks in a separate post.
So now, the rehearsal is done. The bag is packed. The plans are made. And I am ready to go. The journey starts later in the month, and I will of course write about it here.
Walkingman 