Of Sleeping bags and Snakes

But not the two together, thank goodness.

I have made the decision to not take a sleeping bag on even a sleeping bag liner- this time I will just be packing a lightwieght silk sheet. Mostly due to the fact that I am taking a 24 Liter pack as opposed to the weight. it takes up quite a bit less space as you can see below. I am not to concerned about being cold, though maybe that is naivete. I figure I can just wear most of the clothes I will be bringing and hope that with luck the cold albergues will have blankets.

Its warmer enough now here that horny toads are snakes are out and about.  On my long walk on Sat. I saw several horny toads and a bull snake. I have a phobia of snakes. I have had ever since I was little. (I blame my parents showing me Raiders of the lost Ark at a tender age) As I was walking along today I came across a dead gopher snake. It was huge and made me quite upset. Partly I find myself to blame for its death. I've never been good at confrontation. As I was driving back from my sister's I saw a car pulled over with some people on the side. They were messing with the snake. My instinct was they were going to kill it, but I rationalized to myself they were doing the right thing and getting it out of the road, especially as it wasn't a rattlesnake or coral snake. Just a harmless snake. And I did nothing. I didn't take a picture of it. I wish I would've said something, but I let my fear stop me. Even if they still killed it at least I would have tried. I need to stand up when I see something wrong instead of taking the easy way out and turning a blind eye. Another thing for my list of things to improve upon.

My maxiumalist shoes have arrived!

On my first camino, I just wore my regular road running shoes, not even trail runners. And they were mostly white, by the end they wore a faint brown. My biggest pet peeves were:
 1) Feeling rocks through the soles on the uneven terrain
 2) Lack of traction when wet

I'm in the camp that doesn't like gore-Tex shoes that much. Probably since its so hot most the time in AZ I really value the ability of shoes to breath, also if your shoes do get wet (and if its really raining they will regardless of what they are made of) they will dry quicker as you walk. So I set out to find a better shoe to take. I like runners because they are comfortable too me and not too heavy. I had read an article about a new shoe that was gaining popularity in the Ultra-marathoning world- the Hoka One One. The trail version retails for $160, but I was so happy to discover they were one on discount on Sierra Trading Post for only 94 plus I got a $20 gift card that I was able to turn into an Icebreaker tank top. So far I love them, there are super comfortable and also give me an inch or two. If I can feel a rock thru these I will be in Princess and the Pea territory. Here they are pictured next to a pair of my regular running shoes- quite the difference. tomorrow will be the real litmus test as I plan on taking them on a long walk thru the desert on uneven ground. I've had a few blisters during my training so far so I am ever hopeful that my feet are tough enough not to get any new ones, always a walkers hope.

Less then three weeks!

I'm a terrible blogger. I really only like blogs that are often updated, but I now know it does take a bit a effort to maintain one. Sincere apologies to all the bloggers I have mentally been annoyed with lack of updates.

I can't believe how close it is to take off. I am so excited. And on other great news I can wear my pants!! I was a bit worried I wouldn't make it in time. there are still a little snug, but hopefully the next little bit and a few days on the camino will take care of that. Secretly I would still like to lose a pound a week on the camino, but have resolved to not obsess about it. I find it strange that I can go from basically not caring as much as I should about my diet to the other end of the spectrum and getting worked over small things. Which is probably why I have a bit of a weight problem, never learned moderation. Another thing for me to add to my list of problems I would like to work on.

I've gotten into training a bit and up to ten miles. I'm not sure if I will go farther than that as most days I have things to be doing, and its hard for me to just walk to walk,  not getting anywhere I would much rather run (not that I can run 10 miles right now). This past walk I did get to see a lot of wildflowers here in the desert. Here are some pictures of flowers and where I normally walk. I do love the desert. One of my big regrets is that the other day there was a surprisingly low flying military airplane, I could read the numbers on the side but I was too slow with my camera, or it was too fast.