Every once in a while, I can make out the words of the Sculptor as He whispers in my ear. For three days, He has been kneading the clay of my body, He slowly adds clay of the Earth to my shoes, to  my clothes. The weight slows my gate and focuses my energy.

This third day He moved from my feet up. As water poured from the sky, my legs became the base for a papier maché sculpture. The Scultpor confidentlt placed saturated strips of paper on my thighs and shins. Layer after layer, He replicated the contours of the long leg muscles. The capillary action of the paper allowed the Sculptor to find every crevice between my hips and the soles of my feet.

For an hour, I carried nearly two extra pounds of water weight. And then, I was dry.

Walking days: 14
Km covered: 218.1

Harmony and Mom were away for Father's Day, so Sister was able to go all-out this year. She orchestrated a way for brother to disappear for two weeks, as well as a way for Dad to grow facial hair without complaints from Mom. She also bought a $30 gift card to Lowes, just in case Dad needed something tangible.  That will be used to build a gate on the back deck to retain the dogs.

The only drawback to sending Brother away was the fact that we traded him for Harmony's dog. We got the short end of the bargain. He's a sweet dog, but his magic tricks are less sophisticated than Brother's, and his jokes need a lot of work. Sister suspects he is a black and tan coonhound mixed with some sort of spaniel. He is currently doing his best to learn how to be a gentleman.

With two dogs in the house, Sister's morning view looks something like this (image to right).

Sister signed her first teaching contract for this coming fall!! However, it came in the mail with a huge surprise: under "Assignments" it had "social studies/English". Sister is not a certified English teacher (just a grammar snob)!! One quick telephone call, and all was right in the world once more.

Dad has been teaching teachers how to teach physical science. While Dad loves teaching, this was just a bit too much "Inception" for him. He is happy to return to his regularly scheduled broadcast. The yard needs mowed, the deck needs a gate and a coat or two of stain, and Sister is not going to continue to bathe the dogs once a week by herself. He's done a fabulous job cooking dinners and cleaning the kitchen (especially all that shed dog hair!!!).


When Dad grows up, he wants to take his own seven week pilgrimage across the United States from Atlantic to Pacific in his Piper Super Cub. Brother will probably want to go along. 

The views here at home are absolutely breathtaking. The Hydrangeas Grandma gave Mom last year for Mother's Day are in full bloom (thanks to Dad's hard work. Seriously. Sister doesn't do yard work). 

Finally, Sister's new friend the lizard (whom she met walking the dogs this morning) wanted some time in the spotlight. Sister doesn't speak Lizard, but this is Sister's best guess based on the lizard's bright personality.

Sister, Dad, and Grandma send love, support, prayers, and just about everything except a new phone across the Atlantic to Harmony and Mom. See you guys in 6 weeks!!

With seven weeks to explore, we are not in a race. As pilgrims, we have no hurry. As explorers, we miss cultural exchange when we rush. As humans, we tire when we push too hard.

El Camino slows the chaos; it eases stress. Everything we need is here. We are whole when we take the time to live.

--Harmony

Language and cultural exchange is one of my passions. A language´s melody and diction communicates as much about culture as the words and sentences themselves. Since I am not fluent in any language, even (my English is questionable at this point) my questions and thoughts come out in a garbbled mess flavored with a dash of facial expression. I get so bogged down in vocabulary and grammar that I miss the universal body language. Mom, who does not speak French or Spanish, often understands more in her flexible state of mind.

Today we passed an elementary school in Pamplona. There were two girls, about seven years old, climbing up the fence around their playground. "¡Hola! ¡Hola!" they screamed. A boy who was about four or five ran after us asking, "¿A do´nde vayas?" (Where are you going?) and "¿Porque?" (Why?) When he was satisfied with my answer, he ran away. This small boy was the clearest speaker I have met so far. Therefore, I speak at the level of a four-year-old Spaniard. Bueno.

El Camino and all of the pilgrims remind me how much I love being a citizen of Earth. Love is a language; we all are born with the ability to speak and understand Love. 

--Harmony

(Spell check in Spanish, and time is limited. Please forgive my misspelling.) [Edit: Sister goes through and edits grammar and spelling in her own sweet time :)]

Between Orisson and Roncesvalles, the wind blew. The vigor with which warm and cool air collided makes me think wind is not the right word. Or if it is the correct word to describe the vigorous dance of molecules, I have been using the word incorrectly my  whole life. The climb up the Pyrenees might have been easier if we were pushing a corpse.

--Harmony

After nearly 32 hours of travel, we made it to SJPP. The Prynese look nothing like the Appalachian mountains. Moreover, the Spanish footfills are home to numerous wind farms and solar panels. Already we feel welcome on the camino. Last night we met a couple from Puerto Rico who dream of walking the Appalachian Trail.__Harmony

It has been quite a trip. Spain is beautiful. I love the architecture and the foothills. St. Jean Pied du Port is absolutely wonderful. It is a walled city with four gates. I imagine being in some of the medieval books I've read. Language its a problem. I don't understand much of what's said. My pronunciation is hysterical. Harmony is always asking me to say things again, not because she can't understand them, but because its laughable. One thing is for sure, I'm trying. Tomorrow we begin. Our first stop is Orisson.
__Mom

Maybe it's because I worked for a year in a mom and pop outfitter located a quarter mile from the Appalachian Trail. Maybe it's because I love to learn about stuff--some people attribute this passion to my nerdiness. 

Whatever the reason, I am about to geek out on Camino gear.

A backpack was not on my list of things to buy for the trip, but the new design features on the Cairn were too good to pass up. Moreover, the waist-belt is more padded than my Jade 50.

Mom's backpack is constructed to carry slightly heavier loads than mine. The shoulder straps and waist belt are more padded; there is an integrated sleeping bag compartment; the brain converts into a lumbar pack.

The main difference I have noticed between Gregory and Osprey packs is how the pack expands. The more gear I put in an Gregory pack, the taller the pack gets, whereas an Osprey pack gets wider. The remaining differences seem to speak to a backpacker's individual system.

Last summer I backpacked in a pair of Gore-Tex Salomon's. While I loved the shoes, the toe box was way too big for my foot. I ended up with more blisters than I care to remember.

This shoe laces all the way to the tow, which allows my to adjust fit for the entire length of my foot. Additionally, I can adjust fit throughout the day as the terrain changes and as my feet swell.

Light and low, this shoe shouldn't feel like a lead weight at the end of the day. I like the durability of the protected toe. And, Vibram soles get the job done. Vibram makes a durable, tacky sole to secure footing.

In 2010, this was one of the two most hot selling shoes in our mom and pop outfitter during thu-hiking season. The AT Plus is more comfortable and lighter than typical hiking boots, but it doesn't sacrifice stability and durability. The sole is rugged.


After searching through the Montrail site, it looks like this shoe has been discontinued.

Interesting note--more and more studies are showing a shoe's sole provides more ankle stability than a high-top lacing system. A way to check for stability is bending and twisting the shoe with your hands. Typically, the more maleable soles provides less ankle stability.

Trekking poles are gear Mom and I decided not skimp on. While I haven't used poles much in the past, I think a 500mi trip warrants their use. The idea behind trekking poles is they help carry some of the load--hiker and bakpack--while encouraging proper posture. The more upright posture a hiker can maintain, the less fatigued her back muscles get and the more deeply she can breathe. 

Why Leki? One former sales associate put it this way, "When I'm trying to by good gear, I look for companies that specialize in one thing. I know that company is putting all its effort into making a solid product." Moreover, Leki poles are durable, and their warranty is great.

There is something freeing about hiking and backpacking in a skirt or dress. Beyond feeling feminine and free, a dress provides for ful range of motion movement and complete air circulation. 

This dress has a mesh back panel that extends up under the arm pits. I am excited to see how it feels under my pack. 

This battery charger includes a usb jack to charge other devices. Even more exciting is the fact that is comes with a European adapter! Rather than carrying my huge, heavy converter and adapter, which can then only be used by one device at a time, I can carry one relatively light pack.

Mom and I have more gear, of course, but these are the things out about which I have been geeking. 

--Harmony