Kicking Off Retirement - A 500 Mile Journey

At the end of June 2026 I am retiring. In August of 2026, my dear friend Wendy and I will take on the challenge of walking the legendary Camino de Santiago - French Route, a journey of 500 miles. Beginning in the Pyrenees mountains in France, we will walk 10-20 miles each day for 34 days from east to west across northern Spain. Aside from the physical challenge, we will also be raising funds for a cause close to our hearts—Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), an organization dedicated to preventing breast cancer before it starts.

I had never considered walking the Camino because I typically like to take the road less traveled, but when Wendy floated the idea a few years ago it gained in appeal and as the date nears I am getting more and more excited. The route we are taking goes through my grandmother's home town of Logroño. When my mom passed I scattered some of her ashes at her favorite places in Maui but I've been carrying one last little bag around with me for years. I kept wondering why I was hanging on to it but now I know it's because she needed to come on this journey with me. I will scatter the ashes in the sea at Finisterre at the end of the walk. It has been 12 years since she passed. Time to let this last piece of her go. 

I've been watching Youtube videos of others' journeys on the Camino, some of it inspiring, some quite daunting. We'll be arriving from the states on the 18th of August and begin walking on the 20th after transferring from Biarritz to the start of the trail. And the first day is crossing the Pyrenees, a 16 mile day with the first 12 miles being ALL uphill, ascending 4500' in elevation. I watched a video of a young, fit honeymooning couple struggle through the first day, taking 9.5 exhausting hours to get from St. Jean Pied de Port to the first stop at Roncesvalles. Wendy and I have both been wondering what the heck we were thinking, taking this on, but now we're inspired to train even harder. Hard hikes and workouts now will make day one a little less painful. Hopefully.

This walk feels like a gateway to the next stage of my life. The stage where I won't have a "job" and a set schedule anymore. I'm sure I'll find ways to fill my days with play, spending time outdoors, making art and music, nurturing friendships and adventuring abroad. For now it's just wrapping things up with my job, managing one last climb on Mt. Shasta and waiting for the time when I can finally take my first step on The Way!

If you'd like to support Breast Cancer Prevention Partners' important work to prevent breast cancer you can donate to our fundraiser at http://donate.bcpp.org/Camino