The Journey

 We are 4 pilgrims from Washington state in the United States. We each have our own reasons for undertaking this journey starting in St. Jean Pied de Port, France along the Camino de Compostela and ending (we hope) in Santiago de Compostela, Spain some 5 weeks later. Each of us has our own reasons for attempting this effort, and each of us will write of our personal experiences as we progress.

I am writing this introduction to our story while still safely lodged in Washington and fully anticipating the fulfillment of several years of consideration, planning, saving and preparing to get to the point of departure. My name is Bob. I have lived my life in pursuit of solving puzzles. My career was in engineering, but my passion is puzzle solving. 

I have faith in the existence of God. I've explored many manifestations of God through various religions. I feel that most of those religions teach an ethical  and behavioral approach to loving your neighbor which is buried in dogma that enables the faith to be clothed in guilt. The guilt is used to enable men to direct the religion to their own purpose.

The Camino has been in use for more than 1000 years by pilgrims seeking enlightenment or forgiveness from guilt - which may be the same thing. I'll play this puzzle while examining my own heart as I participate. Oh, I'm a wine maker and there may be good opportunities to learn other approaches there as well.