Well, we all made it back to the USA, but not without adventure. Allison and I had a relatively smooth ride to Charleston where we will sow d some time visiting my sister and brother-in-law and my mom. We’d planned to rent a car when we arrived and it wasn’t until literally 30 seconds until …
Author: Mark Dowty
"An Intentional Life"
Jakobsweg Day65 Geneva
We enjoyed our last day before heading home by touring the International Museum of the Reformation here in Geneva. It was surprisingly entertaining and interesting for anyone who likes history. My favorites are below. A papal indulgence (one of the hot points of the Protestant movement) The First Peace of KappelOn 26 June 1529, the First …
Jakobsweg Day65 Martigny-Geneva 6mi
With our pilgrimage over, we became tourists for the day. After sleeping in (until 7am) we had a breakfast of Croissants, butter and jam. Allison also ate a hard boiled egg that she’d saved from the night before (or was it two?). We then walked the short walk through Martigny https://youtu.be/ueGqlYFQcko?si=1ZBgr6S6R4tcixBT and caught the train …
Jacobsweg Day 64 Conthey -Martigny 16.1mi
Heavy rains were predicted this morning, so last evening we made the decision to sleep late. We had planned to leave our lodging around 9am. Our discussion at breakfast led us to make plans to return home. Yes, we are stopping this pilgrimage early. This one has always been different insofar as we never had …
Jakobsweg Day63 Salgesch-Conthey 17.39mi
We woke up at 6am in the dark (we all remembered the 5am sunrises 63 days ago in Prague). We packed under the light of our phones and dragged our stuff under a light near to the bathhouse at the campground. There, we basically repacked because things weren’t in the right place, and we also …
Jakobsweg Day60 Mürren-Bundalp 8.42mi 3743ft ascent
Today was challenging to say the least.. Those 3743 feet of ascent were all real and included a challenging descent as well. We are tired. Morning I’m not sure what we can upload tonight due to poor wifi but we will try to catch up again tomorrow if possible. We packed up our damp tents …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day60 Mürren-Bundalp 8.42mi 3743ft ascent
Jakobsweg Day59 Grindelwald-Mürren+ 16.34mi, 3609ft
Short update today because we are wild camping with no wifi nor electricity. We are well. Our 16.3mi with 3600+ ascent sounds like quite a feet, but honestly it included 2200 of a cable car ride so let’s just subtract that off and make it a 1409ft ascent. That’s all we can say. Descending from …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day59 Grindelwald-Mürren+ 16.34mi, 3609ft
Jakobsweg Day58 Grindelwald-Grindelwald 0km
No update today because other than eat and plan lodging we just rested. The pilgrimage starts again tomorrow. Grindelwald
Jakobsweg Day57 Grindelwald-Jungfraujoch-Grindelwald 0km
Early Morning Rest Day Start Today was our first rest day but that doesn’t mean we were not active. We woke at 6am to leave the apartment by 7 and begin an adventure to the top of the Alps. Jungfraujoch is the highest peak in Switzerland and claims several other “-ests”. At over 11,000ft of …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day57 Grindelwald-Jungfraujoch-Grindelwald 0km
Jakobsweg Day56 Grosse Scheidegg-Grindelwald 5.1mi (39.4ft ascent) 704.7 Total
We woke in our tents to the pattering of rain so we knew today was going to be a less-than-ideal start. It’s no fun packing up wet tents in the rain. Also, neither Allison nor I slept well since our stomachs were feeling off. We were not in a rush since our bus back up …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day56 Grosse Scheidegg-Grindelwald 5.1mi (39.4ft ascent) 704.7 Total
Jakobsweg Day55 Meiringen-Grosse Scheidegg 9.63mi (4482ft ascent)!
“Good morning pilgrims” is a phrase you’ve likely heard us say most mornings as we do our morning update. This is because in many ways we count you as pilgrims with us on this journey. But today, more than ever, I wish you all could have been with us in person. Today’s walk was superb …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day55 Meiringen-Grosse Scheidegg 9.63mi (4482ft ascent)!
Jakobsweg Day54 Giswil-Meiringen 14.1mi (2350ft ascent)
Leaving our nice Pilgrim Herberge this morning was bittersweet. The hosts had been so kind to us letting us use their oven and clothes washing machine and being available for us. The Herberge in Giswil is highly recommended. We also said goodbye to Otto with whom we’ve been traveling for a few days now. We …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day54 Giswil-Meiringen 14.1mi (2350ft ascent)
Jakobsweg Day53 Stans-Giswil 16.9mi
We had yet another discombobulated Morning Update but we’re just trying to keep you on your toes. After leaving Stans we immediately started climbing and the intensity so early took us all by surprise. We were quiet as we all struggled. Soon up ahead we saw a children’s school group (I’m guessing 8-9 year olds). …
Day 51 Einsiedlen-Schwyz
The monastery was a nice relaxing place to stay. Of course the church bells chimed every half hour throughout the night, so our sleep was interrupted. https://youtu.be/kGEStfWPuXg?si=IqGfwLWeSQytTY1S With the windows open I could hear the rain that began early in the morning. After a pilgrim breakfast provided by the Monastery at the pilgrim's table, we …
Jakobsweg Day50 Rapperswil-Einsiedeln 11.1mi
We planned slightly later start due to the short distance planned for the day and alarms were set for 6:30am. Of course Nadine was up much earlier. The Pilgrim Herberge in which we stayed last night was full and it was the first night sleeping with nearly a dozen “strangers”. I was amazed that no …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day50 Rapperswil-Einsiedeln 11.1mi
Jakobsweg Day49 Au-Rapperswil 16.3mi
Our morning began a little later than normal. Our hosts prepared us breakfast at 7:30am which was lovely and very filling. Then Richi drove us to a high point where we could walk on our route. Boy, was it up high. In my mind I was thinking we cannot possibly walk any higher this trip. …
Jakobsweg Day48 Märstetten-Fischingen Closter (Au) 18.3mi (610.9 Total)
First. Sorry for the discombobulated post today. It seems the ladies were tired and things got a bit scrambled. So some things may not be in order. Because we were warm last night we left a window open. This made the room perfectly cool but also let in an annoying mosquito. So when the alarm …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day48 Märstetten-Fischingen Closter (Au) 18.3mi (610.9 Total)
Jakobsweg Day47 Konstanz-Märstetten 10.4mi -592.6 Total
Nadine So whenever someone tells you it will be flat for the whole day do not believe them. I think we started the day just out of Konstanz with 1100 steps up. (I'm exaggerating just a little). We were lazy this morning and slept in on purpose. It was a wise decision as it was …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day47 Konstanz-Märstetten 10.4mi -592.6 Total
Jakobsweg Day46 Markdorf-Konstanz 15.8mi
PitterPat we woke up to rain on our tents. Ugh. That meant packing up wet tents which is a pain. But we survived the minor inconvenience. https://youtu.be/rWVpgYEKXyI?si=7X2TPWd8Utu6Lnu- We had a short day planned (some of the 15.8mi today was on a ferry across Bodensee). But we all agreed that our legs felt heavy for some …
Jakobsweg Day45 Supplement
Just some videos for completion since I was unable to post last night. https://youtu.be/cI0inqaf_xo?si=l3ePinbjLG3WK3me https://youtu.be/73u-ghSNA9g?si=VDbJVGWTd3MHqtQq https://youtu.be/FFWroTmW7sE?si=HPOE3G_YcuLbgtXr https://youtu.be/ySFc4RvaeqA?si=JaRQ9X77A2phaLoe https://youtu.be/r_Y3Bjj82rg?si=cPzNIsBnVuH1a56V
Day45 Ravensburg-Markdorf 18.0mi
Another short post with limited content because we are tent camping with no wifi. We left in the morning after a big breakfast of eggs, yogurt, and a whole honeydew melon. The walk today was very nice with lots of wooded and farm paths. The rolling hills parted occasionally to reveal ever closer view of …
Day44 Bad Waldsee a.k.a. “Bad Cindy”-Ravensburg 17.4mi
Our day began at 5:30 am. We had a hearty breakfast of eggs, ham, and cheese plus coffee and tea. That is the way to start a day. https://youtu.be/XXO0hvlyhBo?si=Ivo5aAmkRWyzTV9A Our path started off flat but we did climb some steep hills today. We have been spoiled by all this flat land walking. Our mountain climbing …
Continue reading Day44 Bad Waldsee a.k.a. “Bad Cindy”-Ravensburg 17.4mi
Jakobsweg Day42 Rewind
Let me back up a bit. On Sunday we had no WiFi so I was unable to post videos. Here a few to fill in the blanks. https://youtu.be/ZsRqdkU-N-0?si=Vg3pLHGeAPRD-hmE https://youtu.be/3Y7wevMbCTg?si=vAm7o4mmeIEJ_CUe https://youtu.be/ZvWnX9yKeO0?si=hiZxtZnjpexLF_wX https://youtu.be/stu44Oddw0I?si=KmWjBUpep99i4NFV
Jakobsweg Day43 Steinhausen-Bad Waldsee 14.9mi -530.9mi total
We woke early after a chilly night tent camping. It was fine in the tent in the sleeping bag, but the air was cold nonetheless. The beautiful church I mentioned had a bell tower that chimed every quarter hour. We had a disturbed sleep but still woke up at 5:30am. Why wake up so early?? …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day43 Steinhausen-Bad Waldsee 14.9mi -530.9mi total
Jakobsweg Day42 Äpfingen-Steinhausen 16.8mi
Tiny update tonight because we are tent camping with no wifi available. Nice walk today with little asphalt!!! Biberach an der Riß is a pretty town 16.8mi departing at 6:10am and arriving just after lunch. Steinhausen is home to the “world’s most beautiful parish church”. Tent camping with chickens that roam the site and know …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day42 Äpfingen-Steinhausen 16.8mi
Jakobsweg Day41 Oberdischingen-Äpfingen 14.1mi
Mark Mark with our lovely Host Gerda After a great breakfast and a special blessing by our host (an individual prayer for each of us), we said goodbye to this special pilgrim house… Farewell and God Bless …and walked out onto the asphalt sidewalk. https://youtu.be/4zt4LqZRobQ?si=zDdshXUMXIIJR9Np Our first stop was the grocery store to stock up …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day41 Oberdischingen-Äpfingen 14.1mi
Jakobsweg Day40 Ulm-Oberdischingen 14.2mi
Mark I had probably one of my best nights sleep primarily due to this hotels extensive options of pillows. I chose a small firm pillow and a neck roll and slept like a baby. So when the alarm went off at 5:30am I was asleep (not normal), but popped right up, ready to go. The …
Jakobsweg Day38 Hürben-Thalfingen 18.2mi
Mark So let’s cut to the chase. We woke to wet tents after an overnight rain. If you’ve ever camped, you know that feeling after a “good” nights sleep on the ground. But packing up a wet tent in your backpack along with damp clothes is a special treat altogether. We left with a “cheerful” …
Jakobsweg Day37 Supplement
Just the morning update I was unable to publish yesterday due to lack of wifi. https://youtu.be/DKoBPsQzo3E?si=quTgeekHVXlQfW7I
Jakobsweg Day37 Neresheim-Hürben 18.1mi
Short post today because we are at a campsite with no wifi. We had a long day planned so we left early into a cool 40deg morning. We continued to climb through the day which was a little bit of a surprise since we were told (not for the first time) that it’s all downhill …
Jakobsweg Day36 Nordlingen-Neresheim 15.1mi
Allison Today began early. We hit the road at 6:20 am. The air definitely has a cold bite to it at 47 Farenheit with a breeze. The sunrise was beautiful on this cloud free morning. https://youtu.be/vTVwehP9JVc?si=qdb0Q05o5quhDqqV Mark decided it was time to replace the rubber tip on his pole. The old and new tips definitely …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day36 Nordlingen-Neresheim 15.1mi
Jakobsweg Day35 Oettingen-Nordlingen 14.8mi
Mark We left our sweet set up in Oettingen and set out for the day earlier than we needed, but that is just habit. Before leaving however, we had a yogurt and fruit breakfast we’d purchased yesterday. https://youtu.be/ykEJOQ3jSyQ?si=3oXckAOWkvnYdYpS It was Sunday and you could tell because the town was completely deserted at this time of …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day35 Oettingen-Nordlingen 14.8mi
Jakobsweg Day34 Supplement
After our dinner we took a quick walk around old Oettingen. Here are a few shots. Just around the corner from our place. A few Pilgrims Marquee Mama and Baby Stork Inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church Look at those flowers! Stork nests on most buildings. Fun sign! We keep seeing these roofs and wonder how …
Day 34 From Spielberg to Oettingen In Bayern 15.2mi -411.2mi total.
Allison, Nadine, Mark We slept in! Well, Nadine didn’t, she got up to see the sunrise, but unfortunately it was an overcast morning. Breakfast was served at 8 am and what a breakfast. The meal covered all the basics and the entire surface area of the huge table. Granted we also made sandwiches for lunch …
Continue reading Day 34 From Spielberg to Oettingen In Bayern 15.2mi -411.2mi total.
Jakobsweg Day33 Obererlbach-Spielberg 18.0mi
Mark We had a beautiful but chilly early start to our morning. It was cold enough that we were happy to climb a hill first thing. I think we all agree that getting an early start makes a world of difference. Today ended up being exactly 18mi which is a significant haul. But it felt …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day33 Obererlbach-Spielberg 18.0mi
Jakobsweg Day31 Nürnberg-Schwabach 12.3mi
We had an easy day planned but we started out early anyway. I guess we were just ready to get going again. https://youtu.be/LMGtLBFjUXs?si=L0mB9pXe5i8KqLv5 Nadine is much better despite the bruise. Walking out of a city is always “interesting” you get past the tourist areas into the places real people live. Then you move past those …
Jakobsweg Day30 ???
First, before you read further, we are all fine. Next. We were happy to get on the road this morning, just not in the way we’d expected. Our morning packing and breakfast preparation was underway when Nadine decided to empty the dishwasher in the nice apartment we had in Nürnberg for our rest day. The …
Jakobsweg Day29 Nürnberg-Nürnberg 0mi
Our “rest day” in Nürnberg involved a lot of walking…well strolling really, but we were nevertheless on our feet a lot. On our stroll we met Mark from California who was touring Europe and remarkably a lady from Charlotte NC who grew up in Winston Salem. We visited a few cathedrals the bizarre Ehekarussell fountain …
Jacobsweg Day28 From the woods to Nuremberg-12.5 miles
Last evening was truly an adventure. We camped in the woods with all the creatures. After a leisurely dinner of smoked salmon, potato salad, and rolls, we enjoyed our one beer. Mark was kind enough to hike over to a pub and buy 3 chilled beers. We headed to our tents and we're asleep by …
Continue reading Jacobsweg Day28 From the woods to Nuremberg-12.5 miles
Jakobsweg Day27 Forchheim-Woods outside of Kalchreuth 14.8mi
Very short post today because we are wild camping in the woods and need to conserve battery. https://youtu.be/K4NiqwC8B-o?si=zofiVVv7veYZ-nNG We left Forchheim late to catch a grocery store knowing we might be camping tonight. Mostly farmland today but we did visit two small chapels and got a Jakobsweg stamp. The campground we’d chosen was pretty suspicious …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day27 Forchheim-Woods outside of Kalchreuth 14.8mi
Jakobsweg Day26 Bamberg-Forchheim 18.4 miles
<More video and pictures have to wait until better wifi> Today started early so we could beat the heat and also because of the distance and elevation. Unfortunately, last night was loud. Our lodging did not have air conditioning which required us to open the windows. Thank goodness the owner had a fan we could …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day26 Bamberg-Forchheim 18.4 miles
Jakobsweg Day25 Baunach-Bamberg 11.2mi
<Note: Unless you intend to be anonymous, please sign your comments. We do a good job guessing who you are by your email address but some of you are mysteries since WordPress encodes your responses!> Today was supposed to be an easy 7.5mi day but there must have been a miscalculation, not by much but …
Jakobsweg Day24 Vierzehnheiligen-Baunach 17.7mi 1500ft ascent 95deg heat
< We finished mile 291 today. Tomorrow we will pass 300mi. > Today was a scorcher. Today was a day we kind of dreaded after seeing the forecast. We had a longish day planned anyway and the previous day exposed in the sun had drained us. To add to that, we had a late start …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day24 Vierzehnheiligen-Baunach 17.7mi 1500ft ascent 95deg heat
Jakobsweg Day23 Hummendorf-Vierzehnheiligen 17.2mi
It was hot and we walked 17+mi. The End Well, not really the end but the heat took a toll on our enthusiasm and excitement about the walk. There were long sections of paved bike paths and that didn’t help either. Oh, and we ended with a climb (always fun on tired legs). I created …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day23 Hummendorf-Vierzehnheiligen 17.2mi
Jakobsweg Day22 Grümpel-Hummendorf-12.3mi
Leaving Gerhard and Heike’s this morning was bittersweet. We have been so loved there, but we also knew it was time to continue the pilgrimage. https://youtu.be/Hg1FrC6_2e8?si=7Qj85iQLzpSGze7c Allison We had to say goodbye to Heike last evening since she had to go to work early this morning. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Gerhard and said …
Jakobsweg Day21 Kronach-Kronach 0mi
First a video from yesterday. The Tauziehen (Tug of War). https://youtu.be/x6yoiKTANWI?si=dLkqoLp6W9IVT-bn We woke this morning early to attend a pre-mass parade. All of the former military men (what we would call Veterans) from nearby villages marched in front of the village square. FYI: Veteran in Germany is exclusive to those that saw combat. https://youtu.be/mIZLoe5hUYo?si=cLei6DU-wswgFPFq We …
Jakobsweg Day19 Seidlersreuth-Kronach 16.8mi -2100ft ascent
Today was an exciting day for me. Ever since we’d started planning this pilgrimage, I’d made it a point to somehow visit my German friends Gerhard and Edgar and their families. I met Gerhard and Edgar in the Spanish meseta during our 2017 Camino. Their massive pilgrimage from their home here to Santiago Spain is …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day19 Seidlersreuth-Kronach 16.8mi -2100ft ascent
Jakobsweg Day 16 Supplement
The morning video link was apparently bad. Here is the corrected one. https://youtu.be/RPBYYjyYiZw?si=fb0ab-gx6DYulz-x
Day 16 Friendenfeld to Wunsiedel 19.4 miles
This morning began with an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs and cheese along with hot tea and coffee. It tasted extra good since we cooked it ourselves due to the use of their kitchen. Click on the link for the corrected video. https://youtu.be/RPBYYjyYiZw?si=fb0ab-gx6DYulz-x We hiked uphill for the first hour of our morning. Eventually we …
Continue reading Day 16 Friendenfeld to Wunsiedel 19.4 miles
Jakobsweg Day14 Letzau-Windischeschenbach 15.45mi
Today started a bit like last night insofar as we had a completely non-pilgrim like meal. It was a luxury breakfast of fruit, meat, cheese, eggs, bread and jam all served over a linen tablecloth. Our host and the amazing breakfast. We received a stamp in our passports and headed out for the day. https://youtu.be/m4RrJr-3irY?si=ryloGwNFojiQPGuR …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day14 Letzau-Windischeschenbach 15.45mi
Jakobsweg Day13 Trausnitz-Letzau 16.8mi
This old joke works well this morning. “I was born by cesarean section….you can’t really tell. Except I always enter my house through an open window.” - Stephen Wright Well this morning started out like a Keystone Cops flick. We expected a nearly 19mi day with significant elevation so we got up at 5:30 and …
Jakobsweg Day12 Ödpielmannsberg-Trausnitz 9.7mi
We had a short day after yesterday’s long haul, but it was mostly in a light rain. https://youtu.be/lDOySJ_Qg0o?si=szJUcrj_yNWD5AN5 But the morning mist made for some pretty scenes. Our shoes were soaked through and our toes were doing the dog-paddle in our wet socks not long after our start. But as a pilgrim you take these …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day12 Ödpielmannsberg-Trausnitz 9.7mi
Jakobsweg Day11 Přimda-Ödpielmannsberg 18.1 miles
Welcome to Germany!! Last night we celebrated our last evening in Czech with a fancy BIG dinner. Note what we are wearing. The temps had dropped to the low 50’s We had chicken pork, beef, pork ribs, grilled veggies, and mushrooms. (We needed to spend some left over Czech Krones anyway). We also treated ourselves …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day11 Přimda-Ödpielmannsberg 18.1 miles
Jakobsweg Day10 Kladruby-Přimda 17.1mi
Nadine This morning we left the village of Kladruby a little earlier than usual, around 6:30 a.m. Already, people were out and about, a lady carrying two bags of groceries was returning to her home, children were setting off for school, and people in their cars zipped by. It's fun to see daily life in …
Jakobsweg Day9 Kladruby-Kladruby
Follow up from yesterday. If you tried to see the clip of the vintage sewing machines yesterday, the link was bad. I’ve fixed it in yesterday’s entry. We spent our impromptu rest day by waking up late (6:45am) and having a cooked breakfast of sausage and eggs and a banana. We researched a new path …
Jakobsweg Day8 Hracholusky-Kladruby 15.8mi -First Rain
Before we even left our room this morning the sunrise over the lake was beautiful. I have to take Nadine's word on that because I am not a morning person. Obviously, this is Allison. And our lodging very kindly provided black tea which apparently has lots of caffeine. Apparently when a morning person has two …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day8 Hracholusky-Kladruby 15.8mi -First Rain
Jakobsweg Day7 Třemošná-Hracholusky 13.9mi
FYI. Today we passed the 100mi mark!! A short compilation video is at the end of today’s vlog entry. Good morning,Allison here. https://youtu.be/cCpRRwPPhq8?si=nUKLoR8-jVtVj_We This morning we ate a breakfast of yogurt and pastries in Nadine's hotel room. But much to the disappointment of Nadine and myself there was no tea or coffee. We are very …
Jakobsweg Day5 Kavolina Pes – Nemcovice 12.9mi
Another short post due to no wifi. Actually we have WiFi but it isn’t connected to the internet so…basically useless to us. We started out this morning with the intent to walk again along the Berounka River to a cool sounding campground called Kemp Reggae. We waked through a nature/wildlife preserve and saw some cool …
Continue reading Jakobsweg Day5 Kavolina Pes – Nemcovice 12.9mi
Jakobsweg Day4 Roztoky-Kalinova Ves 14.1mi
First of all, thanks for your patience. We are at yet another campground but this one has showers and WiFi. Thank you Lord!! We all really needed some WiFi and the showers are nice too. Wait…I got that backwards. Second, did you know that there is a “Maps” page on this site? On it there …
Jakobsweg Day3 Beroun-Roztoky 18.6+ day
Short post today for several reasons. No WiFi Low Battery Tired legs and all other body parts. What’s worse than a 15mi day? A 15mi day that turns into a 18.6mi plus day. So much to say but so little opportunity to post. Short summary: Left a little late after tenting last night. Stopped at …
Day2 Cernosice-Beroun – Many Hills -16.4mi >2600ft ascent
We woke early. Wait, let me back up. First you should know that sunrise here in Czech is currently just after 5am. Second, our hotel room faced east. So but 5:30 we were wide awake and packed by 6:00. Our hotel included a wonderful and indeed exceptional buffet of eggs sausage, fruit, pastry, bread, jam …
Continue reading Day2 Cernosice-Beroun – Many Hills -16.4mi >2600ft ascent
Day1 Prague-Cernosice 15.4mi
The pilgrimage has begun. Yay! Literally our first step on this pilgrimage. First the bad news. As we were packing our bags this morning I realized the transmitter mic for our 360 camera was missing. After a few minutes of fruitless searching I recalled on instance the previous day when the camera fell and I’d …
Sunday Special
Happy Sunday. This is the end of our pre-pilgrimage posts. We started our day with something we’d all been looking forward to for some time. We walked 4km (1hr) to a former communist agricultural museum to attend a thriving Christian worship service with Destiny Church. The irony of that cannot be overstated. If such a …
Playing Tourist supplement
Here is the cultural festival video that processed overnight. https://youtu.be/_71hPnN_0dY?si=T0CON1Zg2R8R7uIU
Playing Tourist
First, I promise these Vlog entries will get much shorter once we start walking. There is just so much to see in Prague and our time here is short. I love my sister Nadine. I put her “in charge” of Prague and she has made sure to make the most of our time here. Her …
Travel Day!!
Good morning Pilgrims. Although the pilgrimage itself won’t start until Monday morning, we are en-route. In the Middle Ages the route was fraught with danger and the unknown. Delays and unexpected events were the norm and not the exception. Our journey is starting with a stumble as well. Our flight from Raleigh to Charlotte was …
It’s packing Day
Well, it has finally arrived. It's packing day. One of the great things about a pilgrimage hike is that you don't have much stuff, and EVERYTHING you need to bring is in your backpack. But how on earth do we get three months of supplies to fit? Well....here's how - watch to the end for …
Permethrin Party 5 Days to Go.
It's Party Time! One of the last steps in our preparation, and one that is meaningful to both Allison and I is our Permethrin Party. What on earth is a "Permethrin Party", you might well ask. Well it all started in 2017. When you walk the Camino de Santiago Frances route you share the trail …
1 Week to Go – and the question is “Why”?
In one week (that's 7 days, or only 168hours!!), we will be starting our journey to Prague. That flight overseas will kick off what is sure to be a spectacular adventure. I can't wait! The trip OVERSEAS... We have a couple special treats in store for us as part of our flight itinerary. First, we …
Bits and Pieces
Just a short post to attach the promised gear review for all the gear geaks that read this vlog. Also...a teaser for our one-week-to-go post. If you've ever wondered "WHY!" Why would anyone voluntarily walk 1200mi and live out of a backpack for 3 months? Well, stay tuned for that post. We will attempt explain! …
2 Weeks to Go – Video shoots! – Allison
Autographs can be Arranged! I've repeated this phrase a lot recently but "things are really starting to happen fast now". Let's kick this off with a video of <surprise> me. This is a gear review of everything I am taking on our trip. If you're not into backpacking, this might not be the most action-packed …
Three weeks to go!
We always end our preparation and training for a pilgrimage walk with three "big" hikes. The first is a 20mi hike at Hanging Rock State park. Being very honest, I never look forward to this one. This year was no exception. First, it is a long hike. After 20mi, I have gone through the typical …
Supplement @ 30 days.
It has come to my attention that some of you do not see YouTube links when you view the VLOG. This may be happening if you read the VLOG directly from email. I'd love to hear from you if this is the case - so that I can diagnose and correct the issue. If you …
30 – One Month Away
Whew! That 10days went by quickly. As most of you know this is not our first Pilgrimage adventure. In fact, for Allison and this will be our fifth. That fact still surprises me. Some of our preparation steps always include examining maps, looking up tourist spots, physical training and a detailed examination of what we …
40days and 40nights
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 …
50 Days -Things are gellin’
We're 50 days away from our departure and FINALLY we have narrowed our route choices down to a single planned path. That doesn't mean it won't change slightly, but the major decisions have been made. As a reminder...when last I wrote about our route...we had a several major options on the table leaving Prague. Well, …
57 Days until Departure – a quick update
I'll save my next update for a few more days but wanted to link this video simulation of our first day (actually our first day + about 4 miles) from Prague. I'm still playing around with the OnceLostTrio opening sequence. It needs some work but I thought it was fun anyway. Enjoy https://youtu.be/eiCV7GHQLOo
Two months – Oh my.
Two months before our trip....yikes! I remember this feeling before every adventure. The months before always seem to drag on and on. But at this point you start realizing that there is so much yet to be done and the weeks are fading fast. We've been planning this for about a year now and we've …
80 days to departure – a Heavy Subject
How do we prepare for a Pilgrimage Hike like this? In the first post about our preparations I wrote about our spiritual and physical training. As promised, today I think I'll tell you about a heavy subject -pack weight. Now this might sound like a boring subject, but I promise you it has a real …
87 days to departure
For those already signed up and receiving updates, don’t worry, we won’t be posting every day for the next few months until we leave. Just every once in a while to practice the vlog apps and work out any bugs. So what do we do to prepare for an adventure like this? We are well …
93 Days Away
...and the Vlog is now "UP" We will use this vlog to share our journey from Prague CZ to Le Puy en Velay FR (Jul-Oct'25). Stay tuned, it's gonna be amazing!!
OnceLostTrio 