027: Preparing My 71-Year-Old Father for the Camino: Mission (Im)possible?
How my donut-loving, endlessly energetic father tackled his first Camino and keeps surprising us all
Hello Camino friends! Here’s what’s in this issue:
📆 “Preparing a 71-Year-Old Father for the Camino: Mission (Im)possible?”
📸Scenes from the Camino: Dad and I on Camino
🎥If my Dad can do the Camino, so can you. I’ll interview him this Wednesday!
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“What’s the Camino?”
❓Not even sure what the Camino de Santiago is? Start here.
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Let’s get started!
Preparing My 71-Year-Old Father for the Camino: Mission (Im)possible?
When a friend heard my 71-year-old father was going to join me on my upcoming Camino, she said,
“So your father is in good shape, then.”
“Um . . . not exactly,” I said, “He eats donuts for breakfast and hot dogs for lunch.”
“So is he pretty active at least?”
I paused. “He definitely has a lot of energy,” I said, thinking of my husband Michael’s description of my father:
“I wouldn’t say he’s like a monkey on crack, but just a little bit less than that.”
It is true that when my father is awake, it’s rare that he’s not moving. This is the man who never took a cab in all our visits to New York City.
“Forty blocks? We can walk that!”
At which point he’d take off like we were in a power walking competition. Except that was his natural pace.
🦶 Foot Injuries and Training Plans
“So have you got him on a training program?” she asked.
“Well, about that. . .”
Just a few weeks prior to our scheduled start date, my father injured his foot opening the pool for the season. At the time of this conversation, he was wearing a boot and completely ignoring the doctor’s orders to stay off his feet.
When my mother told me about the “pool incident,” my father was, at that moment, in the backyard with a neighbor putting together an outdoor gazebo. He was wearing the boot, at least.
“Well, I can cancel all the hotel reservations up to two days in advance,” I told my mother.
“Oh, no, you won’t have to do that,” she said. “He’s definitely going. Even if he can’t walk. He really just wants to see what it’s like and meet all the people. He’d be fine just sitting in a square all day talking to everyone.”
I think about this. The only images I can come up with of my father sitting for any length of time are when he’s in his recliner chair. The TV is on and he’s got a magazine in his lap—and he’s sleeping.
🪑 When Dad Actually Sits
I realize a man must sit at some point during his waking hours. So I came up with a few situations when this happens for my father:
Driving: But only because we haven’t yet gotten to the point that one can drive while standing.
Eating: Sometimes. But if he’s actively engaged in conversation, he’s waving his arms around like any good Italian. Thus, even when sitting, he’s exerting more energy than most of us.
Serious phone calls: By which I mean placing an order or resolving a bill for his business. He sits hunched over with both elbows on his desk, holding the phone to his ear with one hand, holding his head in the other, saying something like:
“Let me speak to your manager’s manager.”
There was even a rumor that when he calls Pepsi, it says:
“Give this man whatever he wants. Don’t argue with him. We’ll fix it later.”
A friend later went to work for Pepsi and confirmed this was indeed true.
🥾 Camino Challenges
But the question remained: Would my Dad have enough energy to walk twelve to fifteen miles per day for seven consecutive days?
Some (specifically, my sister Jessica) thought I was trying to kill my 71-year-old dad by requiring this amount of exertion. She actually asked me if this was a plot created by my mother and me to get Dad’s life insurance money.
Let me be clear: Dad wanted to do this trip. There was no cajoling on my part. I once met 87-year-old men walking the Camino. If he could do it, I imagined my father could.
And no, I don’t require twelve to fifteen miles per day, either. I initially planned ten miles per day max. But when I told him this the conversation went like this:
Dad: Only ten miles? I thought we were walking 100 miles in a week!
Me: I thought we were doing 100 kilometers. (60 miles)
Dad: How far do you usually walk every day when you go on the Camino?
Me: Twelve to fifteen miles.
Dad: Then that’s what we’re doing.
🌟 Five Caminos and Counting
Dad did his first Camino in 2019. He got hooked. At 77, he’s now done 5 Caminos and has no plans to stop.
If you’re thinking, “Wow. This guy is incredible,” I’d say, “Yes, he is.”
If you’re thinking you’d love to meet him, well, he’s going to be my guest this Wednesday at 11am on Substack Live. I figure if 80+ year-old Lois can figure out the tech, my father should be able to. Here’s hoping it all works and we’ll see you there.
With love,
Rebecca
📸Scenes from the Camino: With Dad
🎥Join me for live interviews here on Substack!
Wednesday, August 27, 11-11:45 EST: Lou Gallo — Walking for the First Time at 71; An Interview with My Dad. Click here on that day/time to join us.
🥾Ready to start planning your Camino?
Rebecca Weston
Camino Planning & Preparation Guide
Rebecca@TheCaminoCalls.com
Your Camino adventure should feel exciting, not stressful — here are some ways I can help you get ready:
🗓️ Camino Planning Session (45 min): Get answers to your top questions and a notes doc created during our call.
📞 Full Camino Experience: 6 coaching calls with detailed notes to plan your trip with confidence and ease.
🥾 Walk With Rebecca: 7-day hybrid Camino walks — 3 days guided, 4 days independent, private rooms, preparation classes, and optional check-ins. Click here to be the first to be notified about my next trip.
About me: I’ve walked more than a dozen Caminos, spent many days volunteering along the trail, and if I’m not walking one now, I’m planning the next—and would love nothing more than to help you plan yours, too. My husband and I live in a town of 6500 people on the Camino del Norte.