Chapter Happenings – Summer 2024
Following are highlights from just a few of the nearly 60 American Pilgrims chapters across the country. Learn more about our chapters and visit the events calendar for the latest on what our chapters are up to.
Hike, Wine Tasting & Rock Painting
by Chuck Johnson | Minnesota Chapter
The Minnesota Chapter on May 19 hosted a hike, wine-tasting, and rock-painting event. The event featured a five-mile loop hike through a nature reserve that took a slight detour at the midpoint to a coordinator’s home where pilgrims sampled Spanish wines while painting Camino stones denoting their name, route walked, and year walked. When the hike continued, pilgrims laid their painted stones at a local Camino waymarker. Fun surprise: yellow arrows denoting distances to Santiago were chalked along the route marking the pilgrim’s way.
Katy Trail Two-Day Mini Camino Experience
by Amy Horton | St. Louis Chapter
The St. Louis Chapter on May 24-25 held its third annual two-day, one-night Katy Trail mini Camino experience. On Friday, pilgrims began their walk at the Treloar, MO, trailhead. Four miles in, they stopped at Peers Store for refreshments and a brief talk by one of the museum volunteers. They continued on another four miles to Marthasville, MO, where they stopped for the day. They enjoyed a communal lunch at a local restaurant, then relaxed and visited throughout the afternoon at Happy Apples Bunkhouse, their albergue-style accommodations for the evening. They held a pizza supper that night under the park pavilion, just beating evening thunderstorms. On Saturday morning, they continued four miles along the trail before making a breakfast stop at the Dutzow Deli, and then continued another eight miles to Augusta, MO, making a brief stop midway in tiny Nona to refill their water bottles. They concluded the event at the August trailhead with a celebratory round at Good News Brewery.
Camino Snapshot – Photo Exhibit, Walk & Winery
by Amy Horton | St. Louis Chapter
The St. Louis Chapter on June 1 gathered at the Morrison-Talbott Library in Waterloo, IL, where local pilgrim Mary Baldree shared a brief talk on her exhibit of photos from her 2023 pilgrimage on the Camino Francés. The exhibit was on display at the library throughout the month of June. Following the exhibit talk and viewing, Mary led the group on a meandering walk through a residential area, past Illinois farmland, and through Lakeview Park. The group continued to Schorr Lake Vineyards where they gathered for a picnic lunch, Camino chatting, and merriment, before making a short walk back to the library.
Wines of the Camino Workshop & Tasting
by Mary Forman & Susie McCalla | Alamo Chapter
The Alamo Chapter on June 23 hosted a wines of the Camino workshop and tasting event in San Antonio, TX. Karin Kiser, guest pilgrim from San Diego, CA, led attendees on an informative journey and tasting of six Spanish wines they might encounter while walking the Camino. Afterward, attendees shared tapas and Camino stories, took photos to share, and Camino veteran Danny Cano entertained them with his music of the Camino.
