"Pre-trip Hiking/Pack Test" by Sabrina

Mr. March approaches us by email asking us if we'd like to do a hike Friday morning.  Of course we would all love to ready ourselves for the trip, so we all say yes.  To start off, I do not do much hiking. Although I do love the outdoors more than anything, it just doesn't occur much too often.  Little do we know though, this "hike" is a rock climb.  I believe I misinterpreted the hiking part of this little adventure.  My hikes happen next to some gorgeous waterfall, lakeside, or some other breath-taking view.  But oh no, hiking to Mr. March is what I would call a mountain climbing experience.  Mountain climbing sounds great and all, but there is absolutely no way I have ever thought of doing it or even have had the experience needed for it.  Yet there we were standing at the bottom of this, what I would call, mountain.  It seemed a little steep at first, but I didn't think much of it.  My optimism had me thinking that there would be a little incline and then flatten out with great views all around our long hike.  Once we finally arrived at the beginning of the rocks, my nervousness kicked in.  I was thinking to myself, "Where did the trail go?  Are we supposed to go around?"  Even the joyous question of "Are we done yet?" kept rattling in my head with every step up the rocks.  

Let me say this though, even if the hike was difficult, it was beautiful.  I will admit that is not how I felt walking awkwardly (March made us stuff our newly donated Osprey backpacks with clothes and 2-liters of water) up through all of the rocks, but I now have an understanding of the meaning of the hike.  We were all told that our first day or so of the Camino de Santiago would be hard because we were hiking in the mountains, but that hadn't sounded so bad. That was until March decided to share with me that we were currently hiking an 800 foot elevation gain and the camino would be starting with a 4,000 foot elevation gain.  I then began to worry quite a lot.  Don't get me wrong, I am extremely excited for this trip.  It may even be the greatest thing I do for quite some time, but I am a tad bit uncomfortable with the thought of just how steep that is going to be. Especially when I kept saying to myself while walking up that supposed tiny hill, "why would he make us do this and not warn us?" I would love to say though, I did make it.  I am no quitter.  I stood at the top of that hill, or mountain as I'd call it, and felt the joy of completing my first pre-hike hike. I may complain and feel like lying on the ground for the rest of my life, but my ambition has a tendency to kick in when I need it most. No matter how hard getting ready for this trip is going to be, as well as the trip itself, I cannot wait to be in Spain letting go of everything and freeing myself.

Sabrina

Hello, my name is...

 Las Peregrinas

Adriana, Deija, Auna, Sabrina

Sabrina and Adriana E.

Sabrina and Adriana are both juniors at Springfield High.  Over the years they have grown accustomed to being called the wrong name, questioned whether they were switched at birth, and asked “which one is the evil one?”  Though it is sometimes hard to tell the twins apart, they are indeed unique individuals.  For example, Adriana wants to be a marine biologist and Sabrina wants to be a wildlife biologist.   One likes to write while the other likes to read, though sometimes they switch.   One likes to take pictures on the coast while the other is content with simply enjoying the views.  See, totally different.  It’s like night and day.  The only thing they truly share is a deep desire to see the world and experience all it has to offer.  Both look forward to finding out just exactly why they wanted to walk across Spain in the first place.

Deija Z.

My name is Deija, and I am a fifteen-year-old sophomore at Springfield High. I've always wanted to experience Europe, but I never knew it would happen this way.  When Mr. March told me about this opportunity, I was so excited, but I thought for sure that my mom would say no. When my mom said yes I was ecstatic. I know it will be hard, but I am going to try my best. I enjoy soccer, softball, reading, and playing with my dogs. My favorite subject is Chemistry; I would like to become a Forensic Scientist when I am older. School is a big deal for me.  I try to take it seriously, but of course, as a teenager, I do not as often as I should. I like making people smile and making jokes to ease tension is a favorite pastime. I am known as a joker, and that is alright with me. My family is a big deal, they are my best friends. I am slightly addicted to the shows NCIS and House, and yes, I am one of those annoying people that quote lines from episodes.

Auna G.

Hi, my name is Auna and I’m a 15 year old sophomore at Springfield High.  I like to do volunteer work, go shopping, and spend time with my friends and family.  I’m a representative for the student class council of 2013 and love to help with dances and fundraising.  My favorite color is royal purple and while I have only been to two states, one of my dreams is to travel and see the world.  I’m very “outgoing,” as my mom likes to say.  Going on this adventure to Spain will mean so much to me and my family.  It’s the opportunity of  a lifetime for me and I could not pass it up!

Welcome

My name is James March and I am a teacher at Springfield High School in Oregon.  Last summer, 4 students and I traveled over 3,300 miles by bicycle along the Lewis and Clark Trail from St. Louis, MO to Seaside, OR.  The 47 days I spent traveling with my students reaffirmed my belief in the power of experiential travel.  I saw my student’s confidence grow with every crest of a mountain pass and witnessed their ingenuity and fortitude when weather or equipment failed to cooperate.  At every turn of the adventure, we were humbled and inspired through acts of kindness by strangers.  Read more about our journey here at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/lewisandclark2010

My bike tan lines were still fresh when people began to ask of a follow-up adventure.  After a month of deliberation, a new group of enthusiastic students will be ditching the bikes for a good pair of walking shoes.  We will travel to Spain to cover the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in 30 days, staying in hostels reserved for “pilgrims” along the way.  In the evening we will share dorms with and get to know travelers from all over the world.  By day we will simply walk, and with any luck,  get to know ourselves.   

This blog will be updated more frequently as the summer approaches.  In the meantime, we will continue to fundraise to cover the costs of the trip.  We are relying heavily upon donations from friends and family, which can be made through the Adventure Club at our school.  Please email us for more information if you would like to get involved!  Thank you for your kind support of these brave students, our school, and our community.