Cycling the Camino del Norte – The Nomad Files with The Rainbow Route

After a fairly sizeable hiatus, the Nomad Files is back! And visiting today we have Jennifer Riley from The Rainbow Route. Jennifer travels the world in search of unicorns and magic and if there is an adventure to be had, she will have it. Though she also enjoys long naps on the beach (who doesn’t!?).

When did you discover that you were a travel fiend and what brought this on?

I had always been interested in travel and did what I could while I was in university (which wasn’t a lot), but I didn’t realise how passionate I was about it until I saw all of my friends travelling. I couldn’t afford to travel a lot at that time, but I saved every dollar, sometimes sacrificing groceries, to save for travel.

Wow, that’s commitment! Is there a particular song/video/poem/quote that particularly inspires you to travel?

I love listening to music when I travel and I find a song on my playlist, or something on the local radio, will become my theme song for that trip. On my last trip to Cuba, I listened to Willow Beats. In New Zealand, it was Human by Of Monsters and Men and in India, I was digging Chopin.

I do this too. So many songs have very specific memories attached to them. What advice do you have for someone who may be less well-travelled than you?

Don’t be afraid to get lost! It happens a lot to me because my sense of direction is so bad and I don’t always read signs thoroughly. Because I got lost in Amsterdam – it took me 2 hours to get to a museum 15 minutes away – I got to cycle all over the city and see neighbourhoods I would never have otherwise. I found some cool little shops, parks, and cafes.

That being said, my wife and I also took a wrong trail when hiking in Japan. Fortunately, in this instance, we turned around because otherwise we would have headed 20km in the wrong direction and would have had to sleep in the woods.

What is one discovery you have made through your travels that really felt like ‘the road less travelled’?

Cycling the Camino del Norte really made me feel like I was off the beaten path. I rarely encountered another person and travelled through towns that had been deserted and were being reclaimed by nature.

That’s really cool! Is the Camino del Norte known for anything in particular?

The Camino de Santiago is a famous pilgrimage known for its difficulty physically and mentally, but most people do the Camino Frances route. The Camino del Norte travels along the northern coast of Spain and offers some incredible scenery.

What did you do there and why should I visit? 

Cycled, cycled, and cycled. I thought I would only be cycling about 4 hours a day, but the route had a lot more hills than expected, so I ended up cycling 6-8 hours each day. I thought doing the Camino would be an affordable way to visit Europe, which it was. It also challenged me to get back into shape after recovering from an injury.

What took you there and how did you find out about it? 

I found out about it from watching The Way, not a movie I would normally watch and I don’t know how I stumbled onto it. Shortly after, there was a great flight deal to Spain, so I took it as a sign and booked right away.

Tell me about the food. Was it different to anything you’d experienced before?

I was burning a lot of calories and ate almost constantly. The food was so delicious in general, I couldn’t believe the flavours. I cried when I came home and ate an orange that tasted like nothing.

Did you have much interaction with the locals? Any funny stories?

I was mostly on the road and didn’t have a ton of interaction with locals. For the most part, I found people friendly when I would ask for directions – a couple of unfriendly people as well. I remember meeting this one old lady in San Sebastian who talked to my friend and I for hours. She kept going on about how handsome Spanish men were. At the time, I didn’t know how to explain I was a lesbian in Spanish, so I just kept smiling.

Beyond the things to visit, what is your best tip for visiting the Camino del Norte?

Make sure you have GPS/Google Maps on your phone. I thought I could do without it and found out quickly I was not going to be able to find my way. Fortunately, my friend had her phone. That being said, always listen when someone gives you alternative directions. We ignored the directions from someone working at one of the albergues (hostels) and ended up taking a four-hour detour up a mountain.

Editor’s note: For those unaware, you can also download sections of Google Maps to your phone and use the GPS on airplane mode. It’s a lifesaver!

Make sure you head over and say hi to Jennifer at The Rainbow Route and you can also catch her on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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