The Camino Frances is about 800 km, from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostella. It runs through four regions of northern Spain: Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon and Galicia. This is all new territory for us, and we have little idea of what to expect - whether in road conditions, lodging, food, or weather.

There are three large cities along the way: Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon. We do expect the route overall to be hillier than we are used to overall. After a big climb right off the bat (for which we might take a bus) we expect rolling terrain before a climb to Burgos. Burgos to Leon could be flatter, but things get more mountainous after Leon. There is a high point 150 km out of Leon, at O Cebreiro. Then it's down and up and down, into Santiago.

People have all kinds of reasons for being attracted to this route. Of course, starting from about the 11th century streams of religious pilgrims travelled to the tomb of St. James. As the story goes, James the Apostle had preached in Spain. When he returned to Jerusalem he got executed, but his body was spirited away by followers. When two Palestinian refugees (don't tell Donald Trump!) turned up with the body (or parts thereof) back in Spain, they got permission for a burial near Santiago. (All according to Rick Steves Spain 2010). The burial site is beneath the current cathedral. It was rediscovered in 813, and pilgrimages probably really started around then.

That's the history, but today as mentioned, there are lots of reasons why people attempt this journey today. My own reason is really very trivial. I love bike routes, and if there is a route, I want to try it. But Dodie has developed a little different view. Physically, this stage figures to be a challenge. Dodie is looking at the inevitable results of aging, and rather that go shopping for a rocking chair she is shopping for a challenge. And yes, with bad knees and all if she makes it to Santiago she will really have earned her Compostela (the certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way.)