About the Camino Lady

Who am I – the existential question. My life has been characterized by change. I had a very transient childhood, which included living in Europe during my pre-teen years. My mother raised my sister and I alone during our early years and brought a sense of adventure to each day. That transience and my mother’s spirit instilled the qualities of flexibility and a sense of adventure in me, which I have carried throughout my life.

My first Camino, in May/June 2023 was the Camino Frances. I walked that Camino a few months after my husband abruptly left our 38-year marriage, claiming I was too frail to keep up with him and didn’t have his sense of adventure. In my soul I knew this wasn’t true, but even in my shock, I knew I needed to do something to challenge and reclaim my self and to erase the tapes place in my head. I walked 470 miles, from Roncesvalles (looking back I wish I’d started in SJPDP) to Santiago, then on to Finisterre. I didn’t know what to expect as I sat alone on the plane to Madrid thinking “What on earth have I gotten myself into?”. But I can tell you with all my heart that after 39 days of walking, reflecting, praying, and meeting some of the most amazing people – I returned to North Carolina with a renewed sense of self, purpose, faith. During this journey I reclaimed the fact that I was indeed strong, confident, capable, fun, able to make friends, and had a deeper faith that I’d ever imagined. The Camino was not just a long hike for me. It was truly transformational.

The following year, May 2024, I walked the Camino Portuguese. In 2025 I’ll be walking the Camino France again, this time beginning in SJPDP. Then in 2026 I plan on walking either the Camino Puy path to SJPDP or the Via Francagena, a pilgrimage to Rome. Yes, I’m hooked.

My experience, as I said earlier was transformational. I want to share my experience to inspire, but also to help take some of the guesswork out of the more practical aspects so that your focus can be on your reasons for going – and your feet. Buen Camino!