Jirak Pilgrimage 2023
May 14, 2023
My daughter Josie taking her first plane flight - cool as a cucumber. Sitting in a chair in the sky I am sweating the details. I have spent several hours over the last couple of days arranging all...
May 14, 2023
As I stand on the brink of my fourth Camino journey and the third within a span of three years I can't help but reflect on the blessings that have paved the way for this recurring adventure. Indeed...
May 15, 2023
The day after Josie and I firmly planted our feet on Spanish soil our vibrant group of fellow travelers – whom I've affectionately dubbed the 'Blue Squadron' – will arrive in Spain. This rather...
May 16, 2023
This year's pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago promises to be a unique blend of familiar and new territories. Unlike our previous journeys our destination won't be the traditional Santiago de...
May 17, 2023
With great excitement we began our journey today from St. Jean Pied de Port. We arrived in town at about 9pm and had to roam around a while before we found a place for supper. After that we quickly...
May 18, 2023
The hike over the Pyrenees is both challenging and breathtaking a true test for pilgrims setting out from Saint Jean. It was during this difficult stretch of the journey that we came across a group...
May 19, 2023
Dominic and Petra trying to figure out how we are going to split up the rosary. Today as we were enjoying our hike between Burguete to Larrasoaña I noticed a group of three men all around 60 years...
May 19, 2023
The plan for today was indeed a "Great Plan" but it didn't get off to a perfect start. On the agenda was praying a rosary with the Polish guys meeting up with Blaise and Grace and getting to spend...
May 22, 2023
Today was a great day. Today we were united with Blaise and Grace back on the Way. It was wonderful to relive moments with Blaise while watching Grace experience something brand new. Heading out of...
May 24, 2023
Today has been an extraordinarily long day. As I glance at the clock it's edging close to 7pm marking the end of our exhausting yet rewarding journey. It's incredible to think that we started our...
May 25, 2023
Today we greeted the dawn much earlier. By 6:00 am we were up and ready to begin anew. The sun rose in tandem with our spirits. Rather than battling against time today we were its partners. We...
May 27, 2023
A few months back I turned 42. At this middle age you know that your peak performance has passed. You know that you have something still left in the tank but you look at yourself and wonder if you...
May 28, 2023
Our second and third day of the day commenced after I had thought I had closed the book on this preposterous idea. There was no getting around the fact that even if we got to Burgos the only place...