On the Way to the Way 5: Purchases and Pains

"Don't take much. 

Don't worry too much about preparing. 

The journey itself will prepare you for whatever you need to be prepared for."

Charles Foster

I've come an important conclusion today, it is a good thing that I am not planning on going on pilgrimage too soon. Why? Because I do not know how to correctly operate a walking stick. Yes, that's right, I said a walking stick.

I had been thinking about buying a walking stick for sometime. On the trails I walk people will occasionally have them. In addition in the movie The Way, which is a large part of the inspiration for this little jaunt several of the characters use them, one person uses two. I briefly thought about buying a two pack,  but for my current walks I help Henry keep steady with one hand so I only have one hand free, hence I purchased one walking stick.

I looked at several places and the prices were very similar so I decided I would just pick it up at Wal-Mart. I had looked at their selection a few times and decided that I wanted a metallic green one, they only had one of those but I held out hope that it would be there when I finally decided to pick it up. I went on Monday and lo and behold it was there, except some crazy customer had decided they wanted a closer look, so the packaging was damaged. Not only that, but when I examined it to make sure the previous examiner hadn't messed with it the lower third came off in my hand. So, I bought a blue one instead.

As I said I bought it Monday with the plan to try it out that day, but due to several unforeseen occurrences I did not get to go hiking that day. Then my car decided to go crazy on Tuesday so I didn't get to go then either. Finally Henry and I got to set out today.

I have never owned a walking stick before [although is it rally a walking stick if it it made out of aluminum?] but I have occasionally picked up a stick along my walks in life, and they never seemed all that complicated. To that end I thought I could just pick this one up, make it the right length and go to town [or forest]. I would place the stick a couple feet ahead of me, and pick it back up once I had walked past it. Now, I don't know exactly what I did wrong, but I ended up getting the beginning of a blister on my thumb.

I am guessing that I incorrectly operated the walking stick. Either that or as Mary suggested I need walking stick gloves. I've never thought that I did but, perhaps I have dainty hands?

Are any of you out there walking stick aficionados? If so give me your wisdom, if my thumb begins to get a blister after 2 and a half miles it may just fall off after 500.

Buen Camino,
Pastor K