I have walked/hiked a couple of times in Spain, on their pilgrimage routes. (Nowadays, I guess most people there are not pilgrims, but rather those who enjoy walking and hiking.) Although I did go to Spain to walk and talk, when I read Dan Wang's newsletter, I immediately remembered my experiences there. Walking, at least for me, is ment…
I have walked/hiked a couple of times in Spain, on their pilgrimage routes. (Nowadays, I guess most people there are not pilgrims, but rather those who enjoy walking and hiking.) Although I did go to Spain to walk and talk, when I read Dan Wang's newsletter, I immediately remembered my experiences there. Walking, at least for me, is mentally stimulating. It allows you to get away from everyday noise, don't have to think about the little daily hassles. In my experience, walking 15 km in a day is on the low end. It's not challenging at all. You can have numerous breaks and a relaxed pace. For instance, in Spain, it’s easy to stop in a village for a coffee or a sandwich. I you enter a village (as I did in Spain), you can have a cup of coffee or a sandwich. I'm not sure about the US, but I would suggest taking routes that are already popular with hikers/walkers. They typically require less preparation, offer better infrastructure.
Second this based on experience of one of my daughters on the Camino. The highlight for her was the conversations with very diverse groups of people over a month on the trail. She became fast friends with people 50 years older than her and from many different countries and backgrounds. We met her at the end of the trail and got to meet some of her fellow piligrims. What a joy! Hoping to repeat the experience once I retire.
I have walked/hiked a couple of times in Spain, on their pilgrimage routes. (Nowadays, I guess most people there are not pilgrims, but rather those who enjoy walking and hiking.) Although I did go to Spain to walk and talk, when I read Dan Wang's newsletter, I immediately remembered my experiences there. Walking, at least for me, is mentally stimulating. It allows you to get away from everyday noise, don't have to think about the little daily hassles. In my experience, walking 15 km in a day is on the low end. It's not challenging at all. You can have numerous breaks and a relaxed pace. For instance, in Spain, it’s easy to stop in a village for a coffee or a sandwich. I you enter a village (as I did in Spain), you can have a cup of coffee or a sandwich. I'm not sure about the US, but I would suggest taking routes that are already popular with hikers/walkers. They typically require less preparation, offer better infrastructure.
Second this based on experience of one of my daughters on the Camino. The highlight for her was the conversations with very diverse groups of people over a month on the trail. She became fast friends with people 50 years older than her and from many different countries and backgrounds. We met her at the end of the trail and got to meet some of her fellow piligrims. What a joy! Hoping to repeat the experience once I retire.