BEFORE I LEFT

I don't know where I first heard of the Camino. But it appealed to me as a place to go on tour. At least part of the appeal was that there was a goal - to reach Santiago de Compostela. I'm not that interested in cycling tours that meander around. Second, it was a spiritual voyage. Another part of the appeal was its location. I've been fortunate to travel in Spain with my wife and son, and I love both the country and the people. And the food. And the coffee. And the architecture. And the art. And the weather. And the history. Finally, it was trip I could do alone. I didn't need to join a group to make the trip. The Camino is well organized, and the route is well marked.

My wife, Jennifer, really encouraged me all the way. About 5 years ago, she took an Outward Bound course, and had a great time doing it. Jennifer understood the importance of doing something challenging and purposeful.

So I found out as much as I could about the pilgrimage and cycle touring. It looked as though I could do the full length of the Camino Frances in two weeks.

In January of 2003, I made the decision to do the Camino. I picked September as a good time to make the pilgrimage, as it would be cooler than the summer, and I had read that it would be less crowded as well. It also gave me time to get in shape.

I had 7 months to get ready. In January, I started riding indoors. When the weather got better I headed outside. By the time I left for Spain, I had ridden 1,800 miles, including a century (actually 115 miles in one day) that I rode with my cousin Paul.

I was in pretty good shape - though in retrospect there are two things I should have done before I left.

First, I should have spent more time training on hills. I live in Southeastern Michigan, and it's very flat around here. The terrain is hillier north of my home, and I should have put on some miles going up and down. Second, I should have spent some time riding with the loaded baggage I'd be carrying. Even though I packed light, there's a big difference when you're used to a light bike and suddenly you're trying to lug all that extra weight up a hill. Or two. Or twenty.

Ultimately, I set a goal of 50 miles a day. That meant I'd have 9 days of riding, 2 days in Santiago, an extra day in case I needed it, and travel days from Madrid to Roncesvalles and Santiago to Madrid.

On September 5, I got on the plane for Madrid. You're about to read what happened next.