Bob resting at lunch

Betsy cooling her feet in a stream

 We continue to train by increasing both the distance we are hiking and the weight we are carrying in our backpacks. Raleigh affords us lots of places to hike. So far we have hiked
        Umstead state park
        Durant nature park
        Capital area green way
        Falls lake trails which is part of the NC Mountain to Sea Trail (MST)
We have also joined a local group that hikes  various places during the work week which us new retirees can take advantage of.

For the past two weeks we have been consistently hiking between 10 and 14 miles with Betsy carrying 10 to 17 pounds and me carrying between 20 to 26 pounds

Umstead State Park

Falls Lake MTS Trail

Around town, our hiking often takes us on the Raleigh Green Way





         Our good friends Mary & Mark and Janet & Jim continue to train with us. Yesterday
        it was 7.5 miles with Betsy carrying 17 pounds and 21 in my backpack  

Janet, Mary and Betsy

Jim and Mark ... yes it is hot :-)

        

Once again the ladies far out pace the men

Our grand kids Kaden & Bryson helping us train for the journey :-)

Pop pop and Kaden

Nana and Bryson

We begin preparing for our Camino pilgrimage

 written by an English Pilgrim 1998: 

"However sceptical one may be about the basis of the pilgrimage and the legends surrounding it, one cannot help being affected by it.  Maybe it's the simplicity of the life and the closeness to nature that makes one conscious of deeper realities and I hope, as a result, I have learned to be a better person, or at least I will try to be."