Equipment - more than 1 day
Modest clothing & sturdy footwear for walking
(mostly) on macadam & gravel or stones: also through some wooded
paths and in
a few short spots over unpaved back-roads. Trousers/skirts
(no
shorts) and well broken-in walking shoes
or sturdy sneakers are
a must -- water-proofed footwear is optimal.
Other essentials include:
a small backpack to carry throughout,
containing:
» your lunch for the day & revitalizing beverage
(e.g., gatorade) - bottled spring water is supplied
» revitalizing snacks - dried fruit, chocolate bars, nuts, cheese
etc.
» a light coat, warm jacket, or pullover
» a poncho to protect from rain
» a hat to protect from sun/rain
» band-aids, simple medication for blisters, headaches &
muscle pain, medicated foot powder, moleskin
» pilgrim's booklet - supplied, containing hymns & prayers
» a Rosary
one-only larger bag (weight limit 30 lbs.) transported by
the Company of
St. René, and retrievable at bivouacs, containing:
» food reserves (your additional meals & drinks)
» a sturdy cup & spoon for tea/coffee/soup/instant hot
breakfast cereal
» a reliable flashlight
» changes of clothes - kept
throughout in water-proof
packing. Socks such as Thorlos®, CoolMax®,
Smart-Wool® strongly
recommended; cotton socks not
advised
» light shoes - for the evening
» toilet paper & toiletries
» night clothes (in water-proof
packing) & bug repellent
» sleeping bag - kept in water-proof sack throughout, and thick ground sheet
personal tent - If you do not have one, or
cannot afford to buy or rent one, please ask a friend or relative to
loan one to you. If you still cannot aquire one, don't worry: no one
has ever been left out in the cold -- or 'turned away from the inn'.
Each pilgrim is reponsible
to keep dry all his own gear, but especially sleeping bag &
personal clothing - even inside his larger bag - by wrapping
such gear etc. in water-proof packing throughout the pilgrimage.
When
it rains, it has been known to pour.
Pilgrims bringing more than essentials must arrange to
transport their extra baggage themselves, or leave it in their
vehicles. There is a 30 lbs. max. one-only bag limit (not
including separate sacks for tent or sleeping bag).
Pilgrims dressing immodestly may be asked by the
Priest-Chaplains, the Director or his/their delegates to dress
modestly. See the FAQs for
norms.