I have daydreamed about walking long distances for a very long time. I have been especially interested in exploring the rail-trails in the Western U.S., walking through Great Britan, and taking a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Dream is about all I have done. I walk all the time, but I have topped out at 5K (3.3 miles). That was my goal long ago and, when I reached it, I did not stretch out beyond that comfort zone. Sometimes I hike a bit farther but not often.

Lately, the long distance walking dreams have resurfaced. It started last August when I stumbled upon the northern section of the Arizona Trail, on the Kaibab Plateau. I have to walk up here. Someday, I thought. Then, unwittingly, I settled in for the winter along the Pacific Discovery Trail. Then, I learned about the Palouse-to-Cascades Trail that crosses Washington. I started to read about walking in Great Britain again and picked up a book about the Camino de Santiago. Walk, walk, walk. The desire is strong again and the time is now. This time I decided to answer the call. The northern section of the AZ trail is still on the list, but I have discovered other trails in the PNW for now.

First, I started section hiking the Pacific Discovery Trail. I saw the trailheads all over this area, so it was impossible to procrastinate. I also made a plan to section hike the western half of the Palouse-to-Cascade trail, starting at the Columbia River and going west, section by section. Depending on the weather, I will start the third week in May. Any sooner and I will run into rainy and cold weather since this section ascends into the Cascades. I don’t need a repeat of the cold wet spring that I sat out near the WA/BC border last April on my way to Alaska. Late May should be picture perfect.

Walking the Pacific Discovery Trail is training for the Palouse-to-Cascades Trail. However, both are training for my ultimate goal – a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. There are many sections and feeder routes; it is not just one long trail as I previously thought. People traveled on foot trails for centuries through France, Portugal, and Southern Spain to reach the main route through Northern Spain. I will do a section of the main route during Holy Week next year. I already have the dates set and am saving pennies for the airfare.

The Camino de Santiago will be thru-hiking. However, I don’t need to carry all the classic backpack stuff. Walkers usually stay in hostels along the way, and the proprietors offer evening meals at a reasonable cost. The Camino is both a pilgrimage and a social event rolled into one. I cannot wait!

So I need to do some training for my upcoming long distance walks. As I mentioned, Tango and I walk all the time, but not on any particular schedule and rarely beyond 3 miles. I have been looking into training tips for long distance walking, which includes walking a minimum of 3 days a week and going for increasing distances. Coincidentally, the training starts in my comfort zone, at 3 miles, so the first challenge is to do that three times per week using walking poles and carrying a day pack. From there, I increase to 4, then 5, then 6.6 (a 10 K). That is where I will top out for now. I don’t plan to walk in more than 5 miles once I start the Palouse-to-Cascades. Once I get in that far, I will take a long break before walking out.

I have an impulse to outfit myself with ultra-light backpacking gear and do 1-2 nights on the trail. Or maybe, just packing some sections, alternating with nights in a campground. Right now, I am trying to quash the backpacking part. A voice in my head says to go slow. However, I will be doing light backpacking on the Camino de Santiago in a year, so another voice says to follow the impulse and start now. I have a perfect training run literally right outside my door. A section of the Pacific Discovery Trail starts about .25 miles from the RV park. From there, it is about 1.5 miles to the edge of the Sequim Bay State Park. About .25 miles further down the trail, the park has special hiker/biker campsites. That makes 2 miles to a cushy campsite if I want to try backpacking. The next morning I could hike another section without the backpacking stuff and come back for another night at the State Park, then home again the next morning. Hmmmmmmm. My impulsive side usually wins these coversations.

I have done some backpacking before but never stuck with it for long. I realize now the problem was tackling tough trails with lots of elevation gain. In the Rockies, for example. I never really enjoyed the extra tough trails but the comparatively tame rails-to-trails are quite appealing. Another advantage of these trails is that they are relatively closer to civilization, which is comforting as I age. I also disliked carrying a heavy pack. However, since those days, backpacking gear has become ultra-light. If you are willing to spend the money, it is possible to gear up and head out with only 10 pounds on your back! It is all quite appealing.

Anyway, back to training. Yesterday, Tango and I started a formal walking routine. We did our 5 K to the edge of the state park and back. I cannot use two hiking poles when I have him on the leash, but one pole was awesome. I carried a day pack with a few things, including my hiking journal, which I wrote in during our long break. I wore my classic hiking boots but, since I am not doing expedition-type trails, I am going to experiment with some tough but lightweight walking shoes.

Onward! I have until the end of April to work up to 10 K on local trails. Then, I explore trails and other areas of the peninsula, hit up a bluegrass festival, and then start the Palouse-to-Cascades section hiking. Super excited to have some new goals besides just wandering around and burning up gas!