“The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.” – Hellen Keller Walking through L’Aubrac was like walking through the legends and stories Eric read as a kid. Five days after leaving Le Puy, we reached the true highlands of the Massif Central, irregular rolling hills of open,Continue reading “The Day I Almost Quit the Camino (#CaminoTuesday)”
Tag Archives: Book Excerpt
Beyond Even the Stars: A Visit With Kevin A. Codd
My summer is in its full “manic mode,” with work and pre-release book stuff and social engagements filling up every corner of the weeks, and travel every weekend, and my poor Camino del Norte story sitting neglected here on the blog. I’ll get back to it, I really will. But before that, I need toContinue reading “Beyond Even the Stars: A Visit With Kevin A. Codd”
The Ugly American
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about a story that will be in Walking to the End of the World. Linda, my developmental editor who was generally right about everything, expressed some concern about keeping this anecdote in the final book. She worried that it would make me seem too critical and would turn readersContinue reading “The Ugly American”
“No Problem!” On the Generosity of Camino Strangers (and a Wild Ride to Logroño)
One of the best parts about planning this summer’s mini-Camino is that it gives me the chance to go back and walk the 40 kilometers of “missing link” in my last Camino, between Viana and Najera. There are lots of reasons why a Camino pilgrim might decide to skip ahead on the trail via bus,Continue reading ““No Problem!” On the Generosity of Camino Strangers (and a Wild Ride to Logroño)”
The Morning We Became Pilgrims of Le Puy
(An excerpt from the book in progress, describing the morning of April 8, 2015.) Despite the wine and the jet lag, I slept fitfully in Le Puy, waking every hour to stare into the darkness and listen to pilgrims breathing in the cubicles around me. We were so close to beginning this thing. When myContinue reading “The Morning We Became Pilgrims of Le Puy”
When It Rains…
We woke the next morning to a sound we hadn’t heard since we arrived in France: rain. Lots of rain. Our pod of pilgrims got up reluctantly and geared up for wet weather…
Conques, Theme Park of the Middle Ages
One of the most famous stops of the Chemin du Puy, the Way of Saint James from Le Puy to Saint Jean Pied de Port, is in Conques. For many pilgrims, this is a high point of the trip. Our experience was not quite the same. Here’s an excerpt from the book-in-progress
camino times two 