Tag: GPS

Charging your Phone, Headphones, and Battery on the Camino de Santiago

Charging your Phone, Headphones, and Battery on the Camino de Santiago

For an extended pilgrimage, such as the Camino de Santiago or the Via Francigena, keeping your phone battery and devices charged can be very important. Not only will you want to charge your batteries for photos and videos, but keeping your smartphone battery charged can 

Stages and Maps for Walking the Kumano Kodo – Nakahechi Route

Stages and Maps for Walking the Kumano Kodo – Nakahechi Route

For more than 1,000 years, pilgrims have gathered to walk the Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) through the tranquil Kii Mountains in Japan.   At the center of this religious area are the three Kumano shrines: Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha, and Nachi Taisha, collectively known as Kumano 

Key Differences between the California Missions Trail and Camino de Santiago

Key Differences between the California Missions Trail and Camino de Santiago

With more Americans walking the Camino de Santiago and looking for a Camino walk in the United States, the California Missions Trail has begun to draw more pilgrims seeking a pilgrimage walk in America.

HOW TO: Follow Trail Markers and Trail Blazes in Europe

HOW TO: Follow Trail Markers and Trail Blazes in Europe

As an experienced backpacker in the United States, I’m well-acquainted with how to read and follow trail blazes in North America. However, when I started hiking distance routes and trails in Europe,

How To Read and Follow Trail Blazes in North America

How To Read and Follow Trail Blazes in North America

For many beginning hikers, the excitement of exploring a great trail is often tempered by anxiety about becoming lost along the way. However, you don’t have to be intimidated by the National Scenic Trail system or worried that you’ll be lost. Nearly every public trail 

HOW TO: Five Tips for Urban Hiking

HOW TO: Five Tips for Urban Hiking

Nearly all of my pilgrimage trips have included some amount of urban hiking through modern cities, including the Camino de Santiago as you arrive at the Cathedral and the California Mission Trail through the major metro areas of San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. 

GPS & Google Earth Routes for the California Missions Trail

GPS & Google Earth Routes for the California Missions Trail

In researching the California Mission Walk, also known as “El Camino Real” for an upcoming pilgrimage, I quickly found a number of wonderful resources and communities of walkers. However, specific GPS, GPX, and KML files for Google Maps detailing for the California Missions Trail were 

The Top Hiking GPS Apps for iPhone and Android

The Top Hiking GPS Apps for iPhone and Android

Looking for the best GPS apps for your iPhone or Android smartphone for your next hike? As a solo hiker and pilgrim, I never leave home without a GPS map and guidebook. Since your phone contains a GPS chip that does not require cellular or 

Review: Garmin inReach Explorer 2-Way Satellite Communicator

Review: Garmin inReach Explorer 2-Way Satellite Communicator

Of all the gear I own, the only one item I will NEVER leave home without is the Garmin Inreach Explorer 2-Way Satellite Communicator. Why? Because – quite simply – the Garmin inReach is an essential life-safety device that keeps me connected anywhere in the 

Recommended Apps and Maps for Camino de Santiago

Recommended Apps and Maps for Camino de Santiago

Looking for the best iPhone and Android apps to assist in walking the Camino de Santiago? These Apple and Android apps can help make The Way a little easier to understand, along with maps to help you navigate and plan your Camino journey through Spain,