Natalie Ticker, Tina Olsen, Linda Valette and Nancy Venetz, four adventurous Old Forge women, are leaving for Spain on October 16, to walk the Camino de Santiago, better known as, The Way.
Each of the women said they were inspired to walk the world famous spiritual path after seeing the movie, “The Way.”
The movie, starring Martin Sheen, was shown at the Strand Theatre shortly before Rev. Lawrence Bartel, Pastor of Niccolls Memorial Church, embarked on his spiritual journey across The Way during the spring of 2012.
“I remember turning around to Tina, who was sitting behind me at the movie, and saying, ‘That’s on my bucket list,’ “ Valette said.
Later that same day, Tickner, 79, called Olsen and said, “I want to do it,” which is not surprising since Olsen, 67, and Tickner have taken many adventurous journeys together, including their trek through the Himalayas last October.
Nancy Venetz, 56, jumped on board as the fourth member of their party when a relative of Tickner’s was unable to make the trip.
The women will fly to Madrid, Spain on October 16, then take a bus to Ponferrada, the beginning point of their journey. Before starting out, they plan to take a taxi to the Cruz de Ferro, the Iron Cross, where countless pilgrims have left stones that represent their worries or intentions. “We’re taking stones from here,” said Valette, 64, who will also be carrying a book of prayers and special intentions.
“I started the book and I’m having everyone write down an intention for themselves. As I journey I’m going to pray for their intentions. At times we will walk in stillness and other times we will converse,” she said.
“I think we will be walking together but separately,” Venetz added.
They will begin walking The Way the day after visiting the Cruz de Ferro, following a route laid with scallop shells and yellow arrows, passing by castles, monasteries and forests.
“We will probably walk 150 miles in 14 days,” Valette said.
The weather will be cool and rainy at times and similar to the climate in the Adirondacks, yet they decided to go in October because it’s the off-season and not as crowded as it is during the summer when most travel the Way.
“But the weather is still good there in October and it will be good for hiking,” Tickner said.
They will be staying at inns along the way. The accommodations were prearranged by Walks in Spain, a company that will also transfer their main baggage, limited to 44 pounds, to the location of each daily stop.
They will also carry their own backpacks packed with rain gear, medication, water and other items not weighing more than 10% of their own weight.
“We’re taking a minimum of materialistic things, but I am taking my lipstick and makeup,” said Valette, whose comment prompted a laugh from the other women.
When they reach the end of their journey at Santiago de Compostela, an ancient pilgrimage city and the site of the Cathedral of St. James, they will be bussed back to Madrid to spend a day touring the city before returning to the U.S. on November 1st.
“I think we will come back with renewed and refreshed energy in our lives,” said Venetz.
And they all agreed.
