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6 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | SEPTEMBER 2019 By Sandra Butler-Roberts Many of us here in Four Seasons are enjoying our retirement, or will be soon. That period in our lives that we looked forward to and worked hard to achieve, that we thought would never come, and now it's here. Retirement dreams are filled with worry-free leisure time, travel, and adventures. Linda Ruoff and Laurie Wolfenden dreamed of doing something very special and adventurous to celebrate turning 70. Linda watched the movie, The Way, starring Martin Sheen, about 10 years ago; then watched it again about a year and a half ago, and was inspired. The story portrays an American father who travels to France to retrieve the body of his estranged son, who died while attempting the pilgrimage to Spain's Santiago de Compostela. He resolves to take the journey himself, in an effort to understand both himself and his son. The movie spoke to Linda and she decided she wanted to take this journey to challenge herself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Their trip spans from Sept. 3 through Oct. 16, 2019. Another friend plans to meet them there, and a fourth person will join them to complete the last two weeks. The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of Saint James, is a network of pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. Since Medieval times, the main pilgrimage route follows an earlier Roman trade route, which continues to the Atlantic coast of Galicia, ending at Cape Finisterre, Spain's westernmost point. In October of 1987, the route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe; it was also named one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Since the 1980s, the route has attracted a growing number of modern-day international pilgrims. There are several routes, but the French Way is the most popular. Most Spanish consider the French border in the Pyrenees the natural starting point, with the most common starting point at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, on the French side of the Pyrenees. After researching for a year and a half, this is where our neighbors, Linda and Laurie, planned their start. The first part in the Pyrenees mountains at 4,500 foot elevation will be the most challenging. The first stop when they arrive in France will be the pilgrim office where they pick up their credentials. Pilgrims get this passport stamped each day to show proof of their journey and to receive the Compostela certificate when they reach Santiago de Compostela. The walk will take a minimum of 35 days. They plan to walk 15 to 20 miles per day and take a day off to rest each week. For Linda and Laurie, the journey is the destination. They will pass through small towns and stay in small hotels full of history and culture. They will get to know the people and learn the history. At the Cruz de Ferro or Iron Cross, located along the French Way, there is a tradition to leave a rock, as the early pilgrims would bring a stone with them from their place of origin to contribute to the building of the cathedral in Santiago. Linda and Laurie have been training for this adventure for over a year. They are documenting the trip on Instagram Relive. Will they complete the pilgrimage and earn the Compostela certificate? Stay tuned as we will do a follow-up with them when they return in October to hear about their amazing adventures! If you have a "Living the Dream" story to share, let us know... Living The Dream… One Step At A Time Linda Ruoff and Laurie Wolfenden training for the Camino de Santiago

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