If you’re a Southern Appalachian hiker, you know what it means to hike six, eight, even twelve miles with its ups and down, switchbacks, roots and rocks. But if you’re contemplating going on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, you know that you’ll be walking much more per day but it will be easier. What does that mean?

Two thoughtful Asheville pilgrims laid out an Asheville Camino. They walked about 18 miles, recording their route. Mark Cobb, one of the leaders in the WNC chapter of the Americans Pilgrims on the Camino, led eight pilgrims through Asheville. We generally followed the route on the web.

The Asheville Visitor Center was our trailhead – nice place to park, if you park at the bottom of the lot, leaving the upper level for visitors. We then walked past The Grey Eagle and headed toward the River Arts District.

But then we followed a future Greenway and found ourselves at Edna’s at the  River, just in time for morning coffee. Our barista was glad for the business, but he couldn’t believe that we had walked from downtown – and not in a direct route either.

We found several small streets and now were in West Asheville. On Haywood Rd., we admired the store windows. Several walkers had never taken the time to see all the action in West Asheville.

But it didn’t take long to get back to the River Arts District and find White Duck Taco. Are you still with me?

At this point, some hikers left to head directly back to the Visitor Center. A new person showed up.

Where was the promised 1,300 feet of elevation gain?

Sure, we had a little climb here and there. But in ten miles (yes, ten miles before lunch), we didn’t have much ascent. We went through Roberts St. and onto Depot Street. With the magic of connecting streets, we were heading toward Mission Hospital on Biltmore Ave.

By one o’clock, the sun was beating down on the pavement. Since this is urban walking, we didn’t have the protection of two rows of trees.

We weaved through the hospital parking lot and started climbing Granby St. This was our first real ascent. Between the heat, the steep street and too much, way too much lunch, I wasn’t feeling too good. I sat down on the sidewalk and told the rest that I was on my own. By then, I must have walked probably 14 miles.

I went back to Biltmore Ave. and headed toward downtown. On the way to the Visitor Center, I stopped in at the Basilica of St. Lawrence. It seemed like the right way to finish this pilgrimage.

So what did I learn about urban walking? You can’t eat as much as on a trail. And it’s a lot hotter.

Can one have too many choices in life? Can I be overworking and overplanning next year’s Camino pilgrimage?

Yes and yes.

Last evening, I attended the monthly meeting of the American Pilgrims on the Camino – Western North Carolina Chapter at REI-Asheville. We meet on the first Monday of each month. The subject of the meeting was on other Northern Camino routes, beyond the Camino Norte. Mark Cobb, who is one of the lynch pins of the group, showed beautiful slides.

Mark did an amazing zigzag of several routes to get to Santiago, once again. First he walked the conventional Norte.

Since when has the Norte become conventional? It’s still much less popular – read crowded – than the Camino Frances.

But at San Vincente, he dropped down on the Camino Liebaniego, a mountaineous area, where the path might go up as high as 8,000 feet.  The highlight is the Monasterio de Santo Toribio de Liebana, where a piece of the original cross is said to reside.

Soon Mark, with nine other pilgrims, went to Potes, the gateway to Picos de Europa, a national park and the Alps of Spain. Some of his companions never got any further, choosing to hike in the park. But with one other person, Mark walked the Camino Vadiniense, a very isolated route, down to the Frances.

At Leon, he went back north on the Camino San Salvador. Are you confused? Are you still with me? See the map above.

This Camino is also deserted. One enthusiastic local is keeping it blazed and on the map. There are no guidebooks for this trail, but it’s well marked. And it has its own saying:

He who travels to Santiago and not to  El Salvador honors the servant and ignores the master.

At Oviedo, Mark took the Camino Primitivo, down to the Camino Frances. The name refers not to the primitive conditions but to the belief that it was (yet) another original route. Lots of mud, since you are in the hills, but you don’t have to fight for a bed until … Arzua on the main route.

Once he arrived on the Camino Frances, Mark said that the trickle of pilgrims turned into a raging river. But by then, it’s only two days to Santiago.

I’m not interested in the very isolated Camino routes at this stage in my pilgrim status, but the Primitivo is worth a look.

Too many choices!