Camino de Santiago de Compostela – Update (Part VIII)

Well back to Summit Hut I went this week for an Osprey Hydration Pack to place in the backpack.  Carrying water bottles is somewhat uncomfortable because the pockets to stow them are on the back of the pack.  In order to retrieve one I must either remove the pack or become a contortionist.  The hydration pack holds 100 ounces (3 liters) and weighs 11 ounces unfilled.  I’m thinking this was a smart purchase.  My pack is now consistently weighing 10 pounds and I’m getting comfortable with that weight.  I have also purchased two pair of convertible extra lightweight pants and two lightweight quick drying tee shirts.  Things are starting to fall in place for the pilgrimage.

I’ve checked out some Sierra Club Hiking destinations here in the Santa Catalina mountains and am hopeful that I can get onto some of them real soon.  My friend Patricia also thinks it sounds like fun, so I’m sure we can arrange a date to do some hiking.

My conditioning walks this week were the usual 6 to 7 mile country roads with several 4 mile easy recovery walks thrown in between the harder workouts.  On Friday a friend and I walked 10 miles in Saguaro National Park (http://www.nps.gov/sagu/index.htm).  The trails took us up and down and winding around in the Rincon Mountains here in Tucson.  It took us 3 ½ hours but what a glorious day to be out and about!