Walter Lauter has already completed many crazy and challenging bike tours. From the Grenzsteintrophy to the Mallorca circumnavigation and the Survival Camp. He has also ridden stages of the Way of St James from Fulda to Santiago. This year, he will be travelling the "Original Way of St. James" on his fat bike. It weighs 15.6 kilos and another eight to ten kilos of luggage.
"The feeling with the Surly is simply wonderful on a trip like this. It fits perfectly with the flow you experience on a pilgrimage," says Walter. The extra weight and the poorer rolling resistance mean I'll be out and about one to two hours more each day, but I'm happy to accept that." He can expect plenty of nature, lots of trails, the occasional pushing section and a dose of adventure, as he will mostly be spending the night in a tent. On 28 July, he will fly back home from Santiago. This means that Walter has to cover around 100 kilometres and 2000 metres in altitude every day. "In between, of course, I will cycle a few more kilometres a day to build up a little time buffer." Over the next few weeks, Walter will let us read along in his "pilgrim's diary" and share his journey with us.
Diary Way of St James
Saturday, 29 June, by train to Munich
No bike transport even in Schweinfurt. So next train. Jochen picked me up at the railway station by bike. Picked up the first stamp at the convent of the Poor School Sisters, the starting point of the Way of St James. Then spent the night at his place. Rainy weather!
Sunday, 30 June, 6:30 am; start in Munich, first day of pilgrimage
Isarauen, soon lost my way for the first time. Ended up on the worst hiking trails. The weather improves. At 11 a.m., after 50 kilometres, beer and veal sausages in Andechs Monastery. PROST :-) Cycled until 21:30. It was going so well. Would have loved to cycle into the night. But after 204 kilometres and 2450 metres in altitude, it has to end :-)
I went to the big M in Marktoberdorf beforehand and treated myself to a Mac. How good that the Aral petrol station next door still had a 1 litre FAXE :-) I looked for a cosy campsite at the edge of the forest. PROST and good night :-) All's well !!!
Monday, 1 July, second pilgrimage day
Slept very badly last night. Woke up very often. That showed in my performance today. The climbs were quite slow. 118 km with 2650 metres of altitude. But I'm still doing well.
Germany is behind me, Austria almost too. Off to Switzerland tomorrow morning. The Pfänder on Lake Constance was very tough. Met a dear friend in Bregenz :-) Overnight stay at the campsite in Bregenz, showers again :-). Pasta dish and a can of beer, ALL GOOD :-)
Tuesday, 2 July, third day of the pilgrimage
What great weather :-) Sweaty as a fiddle. That's the way I like it. Today I met a few pilgrims on foot, Swiss, Africans, French and Germans. A farmer not only filled my bottles with spring water, but also offered me a beer. OK, so I spent the next half hour rolling around in the tran :-)
Picked wild strawberries on the way, delicious :-) cooled my feet in Lake Zurich and washed my socks.
Now I'm sitting under a church canopy after 111 km and a whopping 2300 metres of climbing, watching a thunderstorm and rain pass me by. Let's see if I can do anything today!
Wednesday, 3 July, fourth day of the pilgrimage
Yesterday evening from 19:00, a thunderstorm with heavy rain slowed me down. I sat under a church canopy for 2 hours and the rain didn't stop. I then lay down on a covered bench behind the church to rest. OK, no goodnight beer and nothing good to eat, but the emergency ration (trail mix) comes out just in case :-)
I slept very well and started at 05:30. "Only the early bird catches the worm" ;-)
By 08:30 I had already covered 32 km and almost 1000 metres in altitude. I collected my 2nd pilgrim's stamp at Einsiedeln Abbey and had a proper breakfast. (Switzerland is pretty expensive!) The forecast for today was continuous rain throughout Switzerland. Only a few drops until 14:00. Thought that was it. But then it got heavier. I hiked a trail above Lake Lucerne that was more of a via ferrata! Definitely not suitable for bikers. But all good. As my gills and swimming legs grew in the afternoon, I spent the night in a pilgrim hotel today. Total today: 105 kilometres and 2300 metres in altitude. Pure sun again tomorrow, YEAH :-)))
Thursday, 4 July, fifth day of the pilgrimage
Too bad: the rain should be over this morning :-( Laundry room outside! As I have a cosy hotel room in Beckenried, I start a little later. I'm well in time and not on the run :-) Then cycled off in a "full body condom" despite the rain. That's a good thing too. Tunnel vision on, not thinking much. That's the way to go. Finally dry after 2 hours. I passed many lakes (Lungener, Brenzer, Thuner See ...). Now after 7 hours I'm slowly getting hungry again. The rest of the day was pretty easy with great weather. I ended up at a campsite on Lake Thun. The Swiss cheese/sausage salad tasted delicious. Oh yes, 125 km with 1780 metres in altitude. I think Switzerland is getting flatter :-)))
Friday, 5 July, sixth day of the pilgrimage
Slept perfectly. Met a cool pilgrim from Schwyz on foot. He has an estimated 30 kilos of luggage with him, a rucksack and a one-wheeled handcart. I'm looking after his luggage at the moment, as he's also looking for geocaches :-) When I asked him how long he would be travelling for, he said "four months to two years"! That's also a statement!
Very hot today. Had to take a few breaks in the shade. But that's the way I like it :-)
Today I cycled through Fribourg. That still worked. But in the late afternoon through Lausanne. A real juggernaut by pilgrims' standards! Pilgrims on foot probably need a whole day to cross it :-)
I'm exhausted today (138km/1970m) but happy and glad to have enjoyed a wonderful shower at a campsite near Lausanne on Lake Geneva. Tomorrow I'll cross the border into France near Geneva. PROST and good night :-)))
Saturday, 6 July, 7th pilgrimage day
What a heat! I arrived in Geneva at lunchtime after 70 kilometres on fairly flat terrain. Break in a park under a shady lime tree.
The pilgrim feeling is slowly setting in. When was the last time I watched an ant dragging away a piece of bread for several minutes?
Campe now in the pretty Rhone valley.
I'll still get a good night's sleep today :-)
146 kilometres with a fairly flat 1240 metres in altitude.
All good :-)))
Sunday, 7 July, eighth day of the pilgrimage
Rode 30 kilometres in the morning and then had a delicious breakfast at a street café. The French always have to exaggerate so much. My cheese sandwich is 40 centimetres long :-)
A little tip on the side: there's always a supply of water in cemeteries :-)
Bugger: I'm probably a week too early for the "Tour de France" :-)
I didn't actually want to cycle 156 kilos with 1780 metres of altitude today until I found a campsite.
Now I'm enjoying chips/nuggets and a rosé PROST :-)
Monday, 8 July, ninth day of the pilgrimage
Oh God, what a tough 126 kilometres with 2100 metres of altitude. Met a Swiss pilgrim on the way who has been travelling backwards from Santiago for 71 days. A typical French breakfast in the morning.
I really wanted to arrive in "Le Puy en Velay". A very important pilgrimage stage. There I first visited Notre Dame Cathedral and then found a campsite close to the centre for 6.43 euros per night. What luck :-) Tomorrow morning I'm going to get a good night's sleep!
Now relax, have a bite to eat and then take a stroll through the city
Tuesday, 9 July, tenth day of the pilgrimage
Is it difficult to get a pilgrim's stamp at Notre Dame Cathedral? I waited until 10am for the office to open.
On these two volcanic cones there is a chapel from the 10th century on one side and a statue of the Virgin Mary on the other, which is 18 metres high and can be walked on. I didn't bother this time, as I had already "conquered" it in 2004 :-)
Who would have thought it? Sweating like an ox just a moment ago and the best fatbike terrain and now a short rain shower at 1100 metres above sea level. Well, the rain gear needs to be aired out again ;-)
I thought that was it. Unfortunately, far from it :-( The bad end was yet to come! Thunderstorm/heavy rain at 1400 metres altitude. Then a long descent, brrh, it was cold! Well, today only 92 kilometres and 2130 metres of altitude. That's fine :-)
Wednesday, 10 July, eleventh pilgrimage day
Since "Le Puy en Velay", there have been noticeably more pilgrims on the road. There are also more and more hostels and restaurants/cafés that cater to this clientele :-)
This morning I had to decide whether to put on my damp clothes (from washing the day before) or the wet ones from yesterday's rain :-)
The paths are sometimes very narrow. Sometimes I have to pull in my elbows :-)
Another thunderstorm at midday today! Getting dry and waiting with other pilgrims in a church.
Then a small pass at 1340m. Finally the sun comes out - about time :-)
A panaché and a ricard in between. You don't treat yourself to anything else.
Me stag! Just because I followed a campsite sign, I cycled an unnecessary 350 metres in altitude. Hurts at the end of the day.
A little interim assessment: today, after eleven days, I have half of the route behind me. And still 17 days to go. From now on I'll take it a little less easy :-) PROST for today's 128 kilometres with 1930 metres of altitude.
Oh yes: today I'm camping about 20 kilometres behind Estaing.
Thursday, 11 July, twelfth day of the pilgrimage
Mmhh, is there anything tastier than instant noodle soup? My culinary highlight last night. There must have been a whole beef in there :-)
Love to my three at home. I already miss you a bit! Thank you for making this trip possible :-)
Stopover in Conques. Another historic and important pilgrimage site with a beautiful cathedral. The priest is also a biker, as he assured me :-) Here I got myself another tampon (stamp).
I finally reach my destination for the day, Figeac in the Midi-Pyrenées. The heat was really getting to me today. I was pretty tired at times. But still better than the rain yesterday :-)
First a panaché or two and a Ricard and then I look for a campsite nearby. Laundry, showers, relax ;-)
At the finish, after 105 kilometres and 1530 metres of ascent, a cosy campsite awaits 15 kilometres behind Figeac. All good ;-)
Friday, 12 July, thirteenth day of the pilgrimage
The day starts beautifully. Breakfast at the campsite. I usually start without and treat myself to something 2-3 hours later.
Oh yes, I always wonder whether it's a motorbike or an electric bike :-) My solar panel on the front of the handlebars, which I use to power my iPhone, does the rest. But always astonished and friendly faces :-)) A good means of communication ;-)
The crickets chirp so loudly that they would drown out even an MP3 player. The air is still!
I was almost parched today!
I drank far too little. With the dry air, it's all too easy to forget!
Refreshed in between at a former laundry washing area.
These stone houses are built without any mortar. An art. They were probably used as cold stores for food in the past
Crossed Cahors today and ended up near Lauzerte after 116km/1890 vertical metres.
All good now :-)
Saturday, 13 July, Day 14
Good morning fat sun :-)
You run much better with the right jerseys :-)
The Way of St James in France is particularly well signposted, almost twice over :-) It runs identically to the long-distance hiking trail "GR65"
I passed through Moissac (beautiful cathedral) today, got another pilgrim's stamp from a nun and bought 5 monster shrimps at the market. A delicious, belated breakfast.
Today I ended up at a campsite near CONDOM. Now I finally know where they come from *grin*.
You meet lots of pilgrims here too, each with extremely different stories to tell. Some have been travelling for months. Their life stories are so different! Today was quite undulating at 108km/2050 metres.
I have to call it a day now, there are a few more glasses of red wine waiting :-)))
Sunday, 14 July, fifteenth day of the pilgrimage
Spent too long chatting to nice people yesterday and drank too much red wine. Midnight in the sleeping bag is definitely too late for a pilgrim :-). This morning the weather is all the nicer for cycling: cloudy, warm enough, simply marvellous. I'm sitting on the market square in Eauze, enjoying a coffee and a Coke.
My Moonlander is running perfectly.
I still have about 1000 kilometres to go. So it's time to say thank you for the perfect bike tuning: "Many thanks to the team at "Bikeword Brand". (Gerhard, I'll never forget your scallop shell)
How cool: Sitting in a cool pub and watching the last 17km of the TdF :-))
So, today my first Cite l'Etape (pilgrim hostel) in Pimbo. OK, not quite: as all the beds are occupied, I pitched my tarp tent in front of it. But I could shower/wash my clothes and I was also invited to dinner :-)
Seen in this light, a perfect 115 kilometres and 1920 metres in altitude
Monday, 15.7. sixteenth day
Yesterday, Sunday, was a bank holiday in France. That's why it was decorated everywhere. And the war veterans marched around with flags and proudly swelling chests.
The pilgrims in the hostels go to bed quite early and set off bright and early. So I crawled into my tent at 9.30pm yesterday and set off at six this morning. It was wonderfully cloudy and warm again, marvellous.
And who do I meet on the route? "Dieter from Heidelberg". The coolest pilgrim so far :-) He's been travelling with his donkey and self-built carriage for a long time. The thing is totally well thought out, 170 cm of sleeping space, kitchen, solar, etc. Everything on board...
I was allowed to help a farmer on the way. He had problems with his tractor and no mobile phone with him. It was really funny how I explained my iPhone to him :-))
The surface is constantly changing: Tarmac, gravel, earth. Today I ended up a few kilometres from "Croix Gibraltar" after 102km/1850m of climbing. Tomorrow I'm heading over the Pyrenees to Spain. ULTREYA !!!
Tuesday, 16 July, Day 17
Last night I enjoyed a delicious 4-course meal. I was really hungry.
Unfortunately it's raining this morning.
Arrived in "St. Pied de Port" at 11:00. The last place in France. Now it's up over the Pyrenees. Nice that the rain has stopped. Thunder in the background! Passing by...
The climb was quite hard! I pushed a few times, well at 20% in places.
Several times in the clouds. Wonderful weather at the highest point. Time to rest, like many other pilgrims. The descent down to Roncesvalles was perfect. I pitched my tent a few kilometres later after 81km/2070m. Tomorrow lunchtime I will cross Pamplona. PROST ;-)
Wednesday, 17 July, Day 18
It was totally foggy at six this morning. But when I set off at eight, the sun was at its best again. The pilgrimage route is quite well developed. There are masses of pilgrims on foot. I only meet cycle pilgrims when there are road sections. Right now, at 13:00, I'm sitting in a park in Pamplona and relaxing a little. As beautiful as these cities are, I'm glad when I can escape the traffic again. Pilgrim signs also for cyclists in the city. These are beautiful pilgrimage routes, but often very rocky. This magical place with metal figures on a mountain: beautiful! The pilgrimage day is done again. 93 kilometres and 1500 metres in altitude, although the last few are always quite sluggish. Reached a marvellous campsite :-) Still 660 kilometres to Santiago. ULTREYA!!!
Thursday, 18 July, nineteenth day of the pilgrimage
I was pretty knackered last night. That's why my dinner came out of my rucksack: beer, bread, salty anchovies in oil and tinned rabbit in white wine. But all very delicious. I slept deeply and for a long time. It was often cloudy this morning, so the heat was more bearable. On the way there were always signs pointing to the "Camino" (path) and beautiful old churches
Afternoon break after 65 kilometres in Logrono. It's good to rest in the shade :-) After 99 kilometres/1780 metres of ascent, I once again ended up at a campsite in Najera. Today I'm off to the beautiful little town for dinner :-)
Friday, 19 July, 20th pilgrimage day
2 portions of calamari, 2 cerveza and a glass of vino tinto: I had a really good time last night :-)
I reached "Santo Domingo de la Calzada" at ten o'clock this morning. I'm going to have a late breakfast here. The cathedral here is unique. There are two chickens living in a cage! (Google "chicken miracle":-) In between, a sign: 559 kilometres to go. I reach Burgos at 16:30. I'm pretty exhausted. First of all a cerveza and scampis, that builds up!
After 96km/1660m I decide to use a hotel bed again after almost 3 weeks.
All's well, PROST :-)
Saturday, 20 July, 21st pilgrimage day
Slept perfectly. Today's stage is quite flat. If it weren't for the brutal heat! The pilgrims' path is perfect for my Moonlander. I meet loads of pilgrims and have some great short conversations along the way. Many build cairns at the side of the path.
Today I was mainly walking on the Meseta plateau (~850m above sea level). There is a passage here where there is no possibility of taking in water for 15 kilometres. No problem for a cycle pilgrim. But for pilgrims on foot. I gave a dehydrated Irishman my 1.5 litres of water. He drank the first litre on his own, poor thing. Today I'm sleeping in the garden of a pilgrims' hostel. There are two reasons for this: 1. all the beds were occupied, 2. it's not as stuffy in a tent as in a 20-bed hall :-) Of course I enjoy all the other advantages (showers, food, small talk and the special atmosphere) :-) Oh yes, 103 km/920 metres ULTREYA !!!
Sunday, 21 July, 22nd pilgrimage day
When I took down my tent at 07:30 this morning, all the pilgrims had already flown out. Well, I'll see most of them again in the next hour on the Way of St James :-)
By lunchtime I had already covered 50 kilometres, again very flat today. I reach Leon in the early afternoon. Here is one of the most beautiful cathedrals on the whole route. Unfortunately, commerce is becoming more and more prevalent here too. It costs five euros to see it from the inside! Not with me. After all, I was already here in 2006 :-)
I finished my ride today at 16:30 after 100 km/950 metres of ascent. Spent the night in a pilgrims' hostel, in a bed for once. Am now about 25 km from Astorga. A few more real hills await me tomorrow. But it's only 285 km to the finish :-)) ALL GOOD!
Monday, 22 July, twenty-third day
What a day! Everything was perfect today. I love the little churches on the road. They don't show off so much.
Cycled over the highest hill of the whole pilgrimage. Here stands the "Croix de Ferre", the iron cross. This stands on a hill of stones. Pilgrims bring many of these stones from their starting point and place them here. A beautiful custom.
Downhill, a shaman has created a very cool pilgrim stop. Flags and signposts.
I ended up in a wonderful pilgrims' hostel today. Lots of small sleeping cabins around an old church.
Today 98km/1420Hm. Still 194km and some hills ahead of me! PROST !!! (And very hungry)
Tuesday, 23 July, 24th Cycle Pilgrimage Day
Sooo cool today! Slept wonderfully, got up at six, cycled off at seven. It was surprisingly fresh this morning, but that's a good thing :-) The way up was quite rocky and very steep again, I pushed in places.
Just sat at 12:00 at the "Col d' Cebreiro" (1293m). The last long climb of the tour. I'm sooo happy right now :-)))
I always find the Japanese pilgrims funny. They cover their skin completely so that they are not mistaken for rice farmers back home who are partially tanned. A very large and impressive statue of St James on a mountain shortly after the Cebreiro.
And then a wonderful descent. I've been meeting these two Spanish cycling pilgrims again and again for a few days :-) Very nice with bumpy English.
The last few kilometres to Sarria (87 km/1930 m) were easy. We then checked into a pilgrims' hostel here with other cyclists for €8.
Still 112km to Santiago. I'll divide that into 2 easy days :-)) ULTREYA !!!
Wednesday, 24 July, Day 25
The weather was kind to us pilgrims again today. Nice and cloudy and cool in the morning. I joined the two Spanish cycle pilgrims. We cycle at the same relaxed pace. That suits us.
How good that the boys have bells on their bikes. We overtake pedestrians every 10 seconds. That's not surprising. After all, the last 100 kilometres are compulsory for pilgrims on foot in order to receive the coveted "Compostela" (certificate of indulgence) in Santiago.
At the first day's stop, I had my pilgrim's passport stamped again in Portomarin. Whew, it would be very dusty today - first a cerveza ;-)
Finished my day in Melide today after an easy 63km/1230hm. Tomorrow it's another 52km to Santiago :-)) By the way: The biggest festival of the year takes place in Santiago tomorrow. According to legend, 25 July is the anniversary of the death of Saint James. The city is overcrowded. I am excited !!!
THURSDAY, 25 July, DAY 26
What a great evening yesterday. I had dinner with the 2 Spanish cycle pilgrims in a "pulperia" (squid). With the finest white wine :-) The anticipation for Santiago is HUGE! Today it rained again after many days. Just before Santiago is this huge pilgrim statue.
I've just arrived in Santiago at 2.30pm. I AM TOTALLY HAPPY, I think you can feel that :-) Another 52 kilometres and 1050 metres in altitude today for the statisticians, but that doesn't matter now :-))
CONCLUSIONS: What have I done wrong? NOTHING. I organised the route very well. I made up kilometres at the start and then, at the end, when my strength waned a little and the route became more and more interesting due to the many pilgrims, I slowed down and enjoyed everything much better. Apart from stomach problems, I didn't have any other problems, either physically or with my equipment.
All in all, it was once again a special kind of experience: sporty cycling, great landscapes, getting to know lots of nice people, "experiencing" the special nature of the pilgrimage route, focussing on the essentials of life (eating, drinking, dreaming, sleeping, enjoying) .....
Who would I like to thank for this experience? Firstly my 3 loved ones at home, who once again let me go. Then my friend Franz from Brendlorenzen, without whom I would never have focussed on the Way of St. James. The loads of nice people along the way. I never heard a bad word or saw a grim face during these 4 weeks.
Can you dedicate a pilgrimage like this to someone? I mean, YES! I'm thinking here of our friend Klaus Schön, who died last year on a cycle tour and with whom I and six other friends were able to 'experience' the Way of St James a few years ago.
I am now so looking forward to being back home with my family and friends :-)))
