My sleeping bag and camping pillow were delivered on Thursday. The two Smart Wool shirts came that day also. It was just like Christmas, I love getting things in the mail! It is always with such excitement that I open the box and remove the ordered item. Thankfully both the sleeping bag and pillow are extremely light weight, they don’t add much to the weight of the backpack.
I’ve finished reading Pilgrims Road by Bettina Selby. This book was her account of a pilgrimage she completed from St. Jean to Santiago de Compostela. She wrote of the many churches and cathedrals she visited along the Way, I’m anxious to see them for myself. Whenever and wherever I travel, churches, cathedrals and museums have the greatest draw for me. I did learn of a device the author carried to ward off wild dogs – a Dog Dazer. I have already placed one of these in my Amazon shopping cart for purchase since I am quite afraid of being attacked by dogs. 
Walking this week was somewhat uncomfortable, the temperatures here in the desert southwestern part of the country were up in the low 90’s, and the sun was quite strong. In the past years, when temperatures above 90 hit Arizona, I begin my walking at 5 or 5:30 am. Last week, I started my hikes at 9 am – it was hot and uncomfortable to put it mildly.
I am developing a very strange tanning pattern, my feet are white as snow; the legs are quite tan; my arms have what is known as a “farmer’s tan” with striped wrists from the heart rate monitor and the RoadID; my face and neck are tanned but my shoulders and upper arms are snow-white. Unfortunately, the sun has been too intense to attempt to even out the tan less spots.
I will continue training/conditioning, but these temperatures are beginning to become a concern of mine. I’ve been told by other pilgrims that the temps on some sections of the Camino in September can be in the 90’s and even the 100’s, not much different from the summer’s heat.
Thoughts and Adventures 