Hike of a lifetime

Basin couple heads to El Camino de Santiago

Basin couple Doris and Steve Crane recently went to Spain to fulfill a dream of a hike of a lifetime. The 491-mile trek between Bayonne, France and Santiago de Compostela, Spain is a journey taken by many going back as far as 1,000 years. To put such an enormous time span into perspective, Genghis Khan was successfully building the Mongolian empire around the time, Christianity was an emerging religion, and European civilization was just beginning to become what we know it as today.

While the path was traditionally used by monks and pilgrims, today the hike is taken by Spanish natives and tourists alike. 

Travelers from all over the world arrive in Bayonne, France, each year to begin their nearly 500-mile trip through the Spanish countryside. 

This year, the Cranes were among them.

“After we watched ‘The Way’ [a popular movie based on the Camino Frances] we knew we had to go,” said Doris. “There are companies all over the world that organize trips; we went with the closest one which was in Denver. Our flight to Paris was the longest flight I have ever been on. When we landed in Paris ,we took a day to shop and take a look at all of the sights.”

However, their journey was just beginning, “After we made it to Bayonne, we were given our packs and pointed in the right direction,” Steve explained. “The trail takes you right through the heart of the Pyrenees mountains. While there are areas that are similar to the Big Horn Mountains, they are very different than ours.”

As they hiked through the mountain range, time began to catch up to Doris. “I have bad arthritis in my feet so it was already a challenge, then my shoes gave me such bad blisters I knew I couldn’t go on any further,” Doris regretfully recalled.

Suffering from blisters is one of the most common reasons travelers are unable to complete the journey. “We’re going to go back and finish the hike,” said Steve. “The trail is so beautiful that it would be a crime to be finished where we stopped. When you go on a trip like this, it really is life changing. The most amazing thing, in my opinion, was the architecture. There were buildings that had been standing for hundreds of years. Being a relatively young country, Americans don’t always understand how to build things to last. We stayed in albergues (which are hostels located along the road) that had been built before the road became popularized. These buildings emanated history and that was what I loved the most.”

“For me, just the chance to meet such cool people along the way made it all worth the pain,” expressed Doris. “We would keep bumping into the same people and by the time we dropped out, we were great friends. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves new things. The chance to experience culture so in-depth is once in a lifetime.”

After making it just shy of 100 miles, the abrupt ending to
their journey left both Steve and Doris feeling inspired. 

While the road has been traveled by many people since its discovery, El Camino de Santiago remains a top destination recommended by many, and a wonder to all.