Walk to Winters

Winters welcomes the spring.

Blackheart:

Kay, Liz, Red and I woke up early Sunday morning to make a 12 mile walk to the quaint and charming town of Winters to meet with a man who has the inside scoop on the Camino.  I'm afraid it's my fault we woke up so early, as I had to be back in time to watch the Oscars - a tradition that spans back to a five-year-old Blackheart practicing her acceptance speech for best actress/director/screenwriter to an applauding grandmother cradling a bowl of microwave popcorn.

So off we went at 7am, leaving one car in Winters and the other at the start of the walk somewhere near Davis.  Perfect day.  Perfect weather - cool but sunny.  No rain.  No blisters.  Light traffic for the most part.  No men whistling at us from rusting pick-up trucks.  Just blossoming trees, green grass, blue skies, walnut shells underfoot, enough birds to scare Hitchcock (including a Great Blue Heron and hoot owl!) and lots of tight-bodied road bikers saying 'hello' instead of the normally heard expression: "You're on the wrong side of the trail, walkers!  Move the hell over!!!!"

Didn't bring my pack this time, but Red tried out her insanely lightweight Gossamer Gear backpack, which judging by her need for a shoulder massage during the Oscars, may not cut the mustard in terms of comfort, but will certainly take some pressure off the old pups.

Once we arrived in Winters (a town I would describe as "cute as a bug", although I hate bugs so maybe a bad simile), we grabbed our Camino insider from his office (filled with watercolor paintings he had made along the Camino) and ate lunch, while listening to his bevvy of helpful advice.  Mainly I took away the following insights:

1. Take everything out of your pack.  Look at it.  Then take away half and never look back.  
2. Underwear can be used instead of a bathing suit.  Again, every ounce counts.  So goodbye bikini!
3. Theft is not a problem amongst pilgrims, which means my uber expensive Moving Comfort sports bras will be safe.  Phew!
4. The main problem with refugios (where pilgrims sleep communally) are the snorers.  Ear plugs, check.
5. My mom will be okay wearing a nightgown in the refugios, as it seems anything goes.  Hell, most of the bathrooms are co-ed - a fact that made my aunt particularly nervous.  I, personally, had the benefit of co-ed bathrooms and showers in the dorms at UCSC.  And what a lovely experience that was.  I can still hear the sweet and serene sound of men hawking loogies and farting in the showers next to me.  Ah, memories...
6. Enjoy the small things along the way, as the final destination of Santiago is anti-climatic at best.  This is a walkers motto I learned hiking across England when a scone and clotted cream looked as breathtaking as a da Vinci.  When crossing a stile was as exciting as a roller coaster ride.  When a red phone booth in the middle of nowhere after getting lost in the mountains and hiking 22 miles was as miraculous as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
7. Find something creative to do at the end of each day.  Painting.  Photography.  Writing.  As you'll be too tired to do anything that requires your lower extremities to move.



Pedestrian RR bridge to Winters.

8. Do not eat at the corner cafe in Winters during the Sunday brunch rush.  45 minutes is a long time to wait for a salad and can possibly make you late to watch the Oscars red carpet on E.  

This is all I remember for now, as I've just returned from a day of snowshoeing in the hot sun in Santa Fe, and my brain is a bit fried.  But perhaps mom will have more to add in her next blog entry.   Overall, however, great advice.  Great talk.  Great salad (jicama, yea!).  Great day of walking. 

Oh, and if anyone has advice on things that can do double-duty on the trail, let me know.  So far, as I mentioned before, underwear = swimwear.  Also, body wash = shaving gel.  Fleece Gator = ear warmer & neck warmer (so no need for scarf or knit hat.)  Ipad = computer & reader (so no books to haul around).  And Moving Comfort sports thong = sling shot in case attacked by gypsies/bears/fellow pilgrims gone mad from lack of sleep due to loud snorers in the refugios.