Yesterday we were 40days and 40nights until our departure.

In Jewish tradition, 40days symbolizes is a period of testing, trial, or probation

• God caused it to rain for 40 days and nights during the flood (Genesis 7:12).
• Moses went up to Mount Sinai for 40 days on two different occasions (Exodus 24:18, 34:1-28).
• Moses sent spies for 40 days to investigate the promised land (Numbers 13:25, 14:34).
• Jonah warned that Ninevah would be destroyed after 40 days (Jonah 3:4).
• Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days for Judah’s sins (Ezekiel 4:6).
• When Jacob died in Egypt, they spent 40 days embalming his body (Genesis 50:3).
• The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5).
• A maximum of 40 lashes was the punishment prescribed for the guilty party in a dispute (Deuteronomy 25:3).
• After the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, God put them under the hand of the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1).
• In the famous story of David and the giant Goliath, God’s people endure 40 days of taunting and challenges from Goliath before David is sent to the battlefield with bread for his brothers and decides he’s the one who will fight for his people (1 Samuel 17:16).
• When the prophet Elijah fled the wicked queen Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and nights until he reached Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8). There, in the shelter of a cave, he heard God — not in the mighty wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper.

In Christian tradition 40days can also symbolize spiritual preparation or a time of great change or even judgment.

• Jesus fasted in the wilderness and was tempted for 40 days (Matthew 4:1).
• And after his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus remained and walked with His disciples for 40 days and nights before ascending to heaven (Acts 1:3).

This idea continues in modern times with our usage with the word “Quarantine”. The idea is a time of waiting, it is irritating…but necessary, long…but endurable.

That’s how I feel today. I fluctuate between “Ugh!, we STILL have 40 days until we depart.” and “Oh No! We ONLY have 40 days until we depart!”

Yesterday we had a 16mi training hike planned. At this point I should be able to manage a 16mi hike and yet after only 8 I was already thinking about ditching and returning to the car. My legs felt heavy and my lower back was really uncomfortable.

Ok, it was the first hot-and-humid day we’ve had this year and that really sapped us. Ok, it was going to be a strenuous 16mi anyway – so perhaps I should be more forgiving of myself. But I was still disappointed. We bailed early and ONLY completed 12.5mi and skipped the last two significant climbs. That was discouraging, especially so when you consider that we only have 4 preparation hikes left and in two weeks we have our traditional 20mi hike. How I’ll manage 20mi – I have no idea.

On the other side of the equation we had a really good week tying up the loose ends on our packing list and strategy. My pack weight is finalized now at 20.4lbs/9.23kg (FSO – from skin out), or 17.6lbs/7.97kg (MOB – max on back) and this includes 3.3lbs/1.5kg of water. I feel pretty comfortable with that weight and based on past pilgrimages, it’s a weight I can manage.

Allison’s equivalent weights are almost finalized at 20lbs/9.1kg FSO and 17.6/7.97 MOB. She has a few items left to explore for weight reduction but none of them are major.

Nadine is the rock-star amongst us with 16.3lbs/7.38kg FSO and 14.5lbs/6.55kg MOB. She has a few items left to add, but none are major so she’s definitely going to win the gram-weenie award for this trip.

The competition is all in fun of course because we are all sharing the weight of some common items so there’s always a balance to be made.

Well, the post is already long, but perhaps I’ll end by waxing philosophically. This time of waiting and preparation isn’t always thrilling. And even that is preparation because there are days walking on Pilgrimage that are not thrilling as well. Certainly we go through quaint villages and gorgeous landscapes, but we also go through suburbs and rundown places and miles and miles of sugar beet or rice fields where the hours crawl-by. So, as inwardly we groan for the excitement of the journey to come, we must also appreciate this time of waiting. For those will be with us on Pilgrimage as well.