Camino Imperii 2024

Date Dec 25, 2023  (Monday) Total All Caminos: 2000 miles Planes: $ 1300 Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Meaningful Moment Last Friday was a nice day. I did my two hours at St Joseph's House of Hospitality. I helped make bag lunches and keep the hospitality tray filled with snacks. It's not demanding or complicated, but there is a small mental reward. I don't interact with the clientle, as I feel that I lack the skillsets required.  Today the four of us working in the kitchen had nice conversations about life experiences. These are good people who care about the world around them. It brings me contentment to learn about others, and vicariously live and/or share new experiences. After that I spent two hours at the YMCA, playing pickleball. Besides providing stress relief, it is good training for my upcoming camino. It requires balance, muscle coordination and speed. Not necessarily anything I need for a daily 12-mile hike, but good for overall body conditionin...

A More Common Occurrence These Days Date Dec 21, 2023  (Thursday) Total This Camino: 0 miles. Total 2024 Caminos: 0 miles Total All Caminos: 2000 miles Planes: $ 1300 Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Meaningful Moment The other day I received an email that another person of significance to my life had crossed the final bridge. I don't know how to phrase it.  It brought both a smile and a regret to the fore. I smiled because I instantly remembered the best of the person, and regret because I realized that I will not build another common memory with them. In the last twelve months, I have attended four memorial services for U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary members with whom I served. (Mike B, John B, Bob C & now Ann P). These were good people who graced my life with shared experiences supporting the boating public through Boating Education or direct support through Boatcrew Search & Rescue or camaraderie as a Flotilla Staff Officer & in Leadersh...

Sightseeing on the Via Imperii Jakobsweg Description: The Via Imperii Jakobsweg leaves Berlin along the Teltow Canal.  Teltow Canal, Berlin My Camino de Santiago along the Via Imperii will wind through wide fields, dense forests, heath and pasture areas and a variety of different landscapes such as the Fläming Glacial Plateau and the Düben Heath.  Fläming Glacial Plateau with sandy bottom Düben Heath Terminal Moraine Landscape Additionally the Seddiner See and Bergwitz See, which I will walk along, may invite me to refresh myself with a dip, but given that it will be January, there is a high chance that I will pass on the opportunity. Route information for the 10 individual stages: Berlin - Teltow (23.7 km): Berlin-Mitte, Berlin-Schöneberg, Berlin-Marienfeld, Brandenburg Staat Teltow - Saarmund (21.8 km): Stahnsdorf, Güterfelde, Philippsthal Saarmund - Beelitz (16.5 km): Wildenbruch, Seddiner See, Kähnsdorf, Kietz, Schlunkendorf Beelitz - Treuenbrietzen (22.2 km): Elsholz, Sal...

Generic Things On My Mind Stats on the 2024 Season LOL Date Dec 18, 2023 (Monday) Total 2024 Caminos: 0 miles Total All Caminos: 2000 miles Planes: $ 1300 (United)  Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Why the Bad Dreams? Been having bad dreams lately. It is not stress or anxiety related to the upcoming hiking/camino trip to Berlin Germany. Last year, I hiked from Munich to Kempten through Bavaria and into Baden-Wurttenburg. I've had another year of study in Intermediate and Advanced German level courses to improve my still survival skill language abilities. Yes, my limited ability to read, hear and speak German was even less then than it is today,    However, on a personal front, I recently crashed thru the big - 70 birthday, which causes me to confront some truths. Approaching the Swiss-Italian Border at Col du Grand St Bernard (Age 66) 2019 Sometimes monsters are big and scary and frightening creatures, and sometimes they are insidious and tiny cr...

Flight Travelocity itinerary number:  United: Confirmation Code Confirmation Email: google My Baltoro 75 Backpack Measurements: 25 x 14 x 9 ( not including waist band straps ) Carry-on Bag Requirements: Though you might find an inch or two of a difference with various airlines, the standard domestic carry-on luggage size is 22" x 14" x 9", which includes the handle and the wheels. This size limit ensures your bag — and ideally everyone else's — will be able to be stored safely in the overhead bin for your flight. Rochester to Berlin Total duration: 12h 18m 1:37pm Departs Tue, Jan 2 United 3509 Seat 22C Economy / Coach (W) Rochester, NY, United States (ROC-Greater Rochester Intl.) 3:12pm Arrives Tue, Jan 2 Newark, NJ, United States (EWR-Liberty Intl.) Terminal C 1h 35m duration Layover: 2h 38m 5:50pm Departs Tue, Jan 2 United 962 Seat 49B Economy / Coach (W) Newark, NJ, United States (EWR-Liberty Intl.) Terminal C 7:55am Arrives Wed, Jan 3 Berlin, Germany (BER-Brand...

Packing List Clothes Everything is quick dry nylon or such. NO COTTON! 2 pr hiking pants with removable lower leg section 2 pr undershorts 2 pr smart wool socks 2 pr shirts 1 outer heavy shirt 1 Buffalo Bills Starter Jacket (good for down to -20F, I believe) 1 wool cap, 1 scarf, 2 buffs, 1 pr glove  liners 1 pr hiking boots - good for cold and snow 1 pr running sneakers 1 pr flipflops 1 rain slick Electronics smart phone power adapter for Spain to USA Charging and USB cables Adapters Be very careful of voltage and/or current surges when connecting your electronics to wall outlets. Best procedure is disconnect your device from the charging cord. Insert the adapter into the wall outlet, then the power plug of your device into the adapter and only then, connect your device via the charging cable. It is not uncomon for voltage and / or current surges to arc across the wall outlet, into the transformer and then travel to your device, possibly damaging some of its features or even crippl...