Page 100 - HCPVitalityChronicles

500-Mile Pilgrimage Through Spain Leaves Jim Geier Hungry for More

Although he had read many books how non-judgmental the pilgrim walkers
about the Camino de Santiago, the ac- were. “Most times you don’t know what
tual journey was something Jim Geier, the other person does for a living. You
Manager, Systems Administration, had just relate to them on a personal level.
to experience for himself. Geier com- There is beauty and simplicity in that,”
pleted the 550-mile pilgrimage, from Geier said.
southwestern France and into Spain, in He did hear some interesting stories
April and May this year. “Nothing that I and meet some inspiring people along
read prepared me for how difficult it is the way, including an Australian man
to walk six to seven hours a day, in who has walked the Camino 10 times,
rough terrain, in rain, cold, and wind,” and a 73-year-old woman from Switzer-
he said. “At the same time, nothing pre- land who walked from her home in
pared me for how uplifting it is, to walk Switzerland, across France, and into
through this amazing scenery.” Spain, in 99 days.
He walked for 35 days. Typically the The beauty of the Spanish countryside
morning was a meditative time, walking in spring, which included spotting wild
for two to three hours before stopping horses, eagles, vultures, and snow drifts,
mid-morning to eat lunch, often with stays with Geier. “Walking through this
someone he met along the way. During scenery, you connect much more inti-
the journey, people often walked to- mately than you would if you were driv-
gether, perhaps meeting and speaking ing through,” he noted.
briefly, but mostly just enjoying the ca- Although the cathedral at Santiago, the
maraderie and scenery amidst the com- final destination, was stunning, for Geier,
pany of others striving to reach the it was a bit of an anticlimax. “For me, it
same goal. Geier did meet a couple from was more about the journey than the
Paris, France, who he now keeps in destination,” he said. In the past, pilgrims
touch with. reached the cathedral to have their sins
Something that struck him was the forgiven. Since this was not Geier’s moti-
generosity of the Spanish culture. “Peo- vation, the journey itself was more im-
ple in the towns you pass through are portant to him.
very eager to help you; they want to This accomplishment earns Geier Ex-
help you succeed,” he said. He stayed traordinary Achievement status in the Vi-
overnight at hotels, and had to do the tality wellness program, along with 700
small amount of laundry he was carrying Vitality points.
with him in his backpack. At least five or What’s next on his agenda of adven-
six times he recalls that the hotel staff tures? Another go at the Camino de San-
would tell him about a self-service laun- tiago. He is looking into walking the
dry, only to do his laundry for him and Camino again in spring 2017. “I would
deliver it to his room. “The generosity of Top photo: Jim about to start the first day of walking like to walk the Camino one more time,”
at the entrance arch to the town of Saint Jean Pied
the culture is very touching; it is very de Port in southwestern France. he said. “A part of me wants to see how I
Above: Jim in front of the lighthouse at Finisterre, the
real and very deep.” kilometer marker is 0.00 km. (Finisterre: "finis" is the would experience it differently.”
Another thing that struck him was "end," and "terre" is the "earth." Finisterre is what was
thought to be the end of the Earth before Columbus
and those explorers who followed.)
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