Camino and Hiking Events in December 2017

Happy December! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and taking time to appreciate the many blessings in life. Below is the roundup of Camino-related events and hikes in the SF Bay Area for the month of December.

Lake Merritt Walk in Oakland
Saturday, December 2, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

October 2017 Lake Merritt Walk

This is an informal gathering that takes place on the first Saturday of the month, rain or shine. The group meets at 10:30 a.m. at the Pergola on the east side of Oakland’s Lake Merritt and starts walking promptly at 10:45 a.m. It’s a level, 3.3 mile walk around the lake that takes about an hour. All are welcome (American Pilgrims members and non-members). Afterwards, there is an optional brunch in the area, location TBD.

Directions to the walk: Take BART to the 19th Street Oakland station (Lake Merritt station will be closed this weekend) and navigate your way to the Pergola. If you drive, make sure to give yourself enough time to find parking, as there are many activities on Saturday mornings in the Lake Merritt area.

If you are in the Bay Area, join the Peregrinos Northern California Facebook Group to get details on this and other events.

Berkeley Hills Hike + Optional Brunch
Sunday, December 17, 10:00 a.m.
International House at UC Berkeley

Join me for two of my favorite hikes, the Stonewall Trail and Strawberry Canyon Fire Trail, combined together for a 3.5 mile loop. This is a challenging hike with a steep climb, so it makes for good Camino training.

The rewards are spectacular bay views at the top, followed by a buffet brunch in the student dining commons of International House. ($10 per person, credit card only)

Check out the tracked hike at: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/stonewall-amd-fire-trail-loop

Bring trekking poles if you use them, and water, a windbreaker, sturdy shoes, etc. -the basic pilgrim gear. This hike will be cancelled in extreme weather.

Meet at 10 a.m. on front steps of International House UC Berkeley. 2299 Piedmont Ave. located at the top of Bancroft, adjacent to the Cal Memorial Stadium.
Click here for Google Map/Directions.

Parking is free on Sundays, but be sure to allow enough time to find parking in the densely populated campus area. Or, take BART to either Rockridge station in Oakland or Downtown Berkeley station, and walk 1.5 miles to I-House.

RSVP required for the brunch, so I can reserve a table. Email me, or if you’re on the Peregrinos NorCal Facebook group, click “Join” the event.

SAVE THE DATES!

Taste of Spain: with guest Chef Yosmar Martinez
January 10, 2018 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lafayette, California

Tastes of the Camino

Yosmar Martinez, author of Tastes of the Camino book, is returning to the Bay Area to teach a cooking class at Back to the Table in Lafayette on January 10th.
$95 per person. Space is limited. Click to see details and sign up.

I attended Yosmar’s class and highly recommend it. See my article with photos and video at: Tastes of the Camino with Yosmar Martinez.

Hospitalero Training For American Pilgrims Members
Friday, February 9, 2018 through Sunday, Feb 11, 2018
Sausalito, California

If you’ve been looking for a way to say thank you for all that the Camino has given you, look no further than American Pilgrims on the Camino and its hospitalero training courses. The next one available is Friday, February 9, 2018 through Sunday, Feb 11, 2018 in Sausalito, California.

The cost is $295, which includes the training, two nights’ accommodations and all meals Friday evening through Sunday lunch. Towels and linens are provided. You must stay at the training facility. No off-site lodging. You must attend the entire training for certification so please plan your travel accordingly.

Last day to register is Thursday, January 26th, or sooner if all the openings fill.

In order to be eligible for training as an hospitalero, applicants must have overnighted in at least three non-private (municipal, parochial or association-run) albergues on the Camino, must have walked at least 100 km (or biked 200 km) of the Camino, and must be a member of American Pilgrims on the Camino.

Details at: http://www.americanpilgrims.org/hospitaleros#apoc_training

NOTE: I attended the Hospitalero training in Los Gatos, CA in Feb. 2017 and highly recommend it for those who are looking for a way to serve. I haven’t written about it because “what happens at Hospitalero training, stays at Hospitalero training!” Trust me, it was worth it. I look forward to serving as a Hospitalera in Spain one of these days.

Camino Inglés 2017 Route Report

Here are a few more posts about the first few days of my Camino Inglés.

Apparently, I like to extend that Camino feeling through the fall! The truth is, I’ve been extremely busy at work, and with yoga teacher training. I should have some time this month to continue writing my travelogue. Santiago or bust! 🙂 Follow this blog and check Camino Inglés Stages for new posts coming soon.

Now available: The Camino Provides 2018 patch

The patch is similar to the 2017 design with the rainbow-banded Camino shell, but has the red color for 2018. The rainbow shell design was inspired by the concept of chakras, which was an important part of my journey with yoga and healing over the last year. I am continuing with the chakras theme for 2018 by highlighting the root chakra color at the base of the shell. Learn more.

Purchase for $4 each at etsy.com/shop/caminoprovides.

My mission is to celebrate the Camino de Santiago and the pilgrim’s journey, from the calling to Compostela and beyond. I do this by sharing informative tips on training, gear, and routes; by promoting Camino related events in the Bay Area; by interviewing pilgrims and sharing inspiring stories; and by curating content relevant to the Camino. Purchases help to defray the costs of hosting and managing this blog so that I can keep sharing the Camino love!

There are always opportunities to train for or learn about the Camino. If you know of any Camino related events for the SF Bay Area that should be included in the monthly roundup, please use the comment form below, or email me.

For those who live elsewhere, there are Camino hotspots all over the USA and the American Pilgrims on the Camino (APOC) website has a listing of local chapters where you can find Camino events. There are also many active Facebook groups to learn about events in your region. Check your local REI store for workshops and presentations about the Camino. Check http://www.rei.com/ for events in your area.

Visit the Northern California Chapter page on the APOC website.