Biking the Camino de Santiago // Pamplona to Castrojeriz // World Bicycle Touring Episode 20

The Camino de Santiago is a network of pilgrimage trails that was established in the 10th century. All routes end at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, where the apostle St. James is said to be buried. We cycled the Camino Frances from Pamplona to Santiago in late March over about two weeks. It was fascinating to cycle a route with so much history, and we encountered many surprises as well as some challenging terrain along the way.
Blog post with GPX and more route details:
www.rollingexistence.com/rout...
Instagram: / rollingexistence
Bicycle gear list below. We're running a mix of traditional panniers and bikepacking bags.
- 2020 Surly Ogres
- 36h Rohloff Speedhubs
- 36h Son 28 Dynamo hubs
- Ryde Andra 40 rims
- Marathon Mondial 29x2.0 DD tires
- Avid BB7 brakes, 200mm front, 160mm rear
- Sinewave Cycles Beacon headlight/USB charger
- Brooks B17 (Andrew) Terry Butterfly Century (Jenny) saddles
- Rogue Panda custom frame bags
- Ortlieb Back Rollers Plus rear panniers
- Bedrock Bags Hermosa front panniers
- Tubus racks
- Planet Bike AL fenders
Camera Gear:
- Fuji X-T4
- Fujinon 16-80 mm f/4
- Fujinon 23 mm f/2 prime
- GoPro Hero 8 Black
- Rode VideoMic Pro
- Mavic Mini 1 drone
Music Credits:
Dontcry x Nokiaa - Bunnies
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Dontcry x Nokiaa - Bun...
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/OdysseyEp
Dontcry x Nokiaa - Tides
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Dontcry x Nokiaa - Tides
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/OdysseyEp
Dontcry x Nokiaa - Since
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Dontcry x Nokiaa - Since
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/OdysseyEp
Dontcry x Nokiaa - Decay
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Dontcry x Nokiaa - Decay
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/OdysseyEp
Dontcry x nokiaa - Cosmos
- Provided by Lofi Records
- Watch: • Dontcry x Nokiaa - Cosmos
- Download/Stream: fanlink.to/OdysseyEp

[@RollingExistence]

Does anyone know what animal is making the strange sounds at 4:55? We thought we saw some deer in the distance, but we didn't think deer made such chupacabra like sounds.

[@alafenetre81]

It makes me think of a fox. Have a listen: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4etc4qKrtWJhLc

[@cascadorys]

I think it's a jackal, I've heard them a few times.

[@cascadorys]

Or it might be a fox? 🤔

[@Leonarm13]

To me it sounds a lot like a deer, but i could be mistaken :)

[@dermotpurcell8861]

That's a deer

[@itchyfeet41]

I like your style of presentation, calm telling the story of your journey without any of the fake drama and "how funky am I" of some cyclist's blogs, keep it up.

[@RollingExistence]

Thanks so much, glad you are enjoying the videos 😊

[@kvbcycles]

hehehe...sticky mud season! Nice video guys.

[@ericforestlove]

absolutely where is cranky bucket beautiful trip, I’m sure you leave out ugly hardships, things, people .. but still wistful, pretty, not lying ../the terrain, the older buildings, structures, the land, stretching out, not crowded .. older "not in rush for high buildings" these spots .. and even super-high things .. so look .. older .. not torn down, replaced, replaced .. thank you

[@Daltesq]

what is cranky bucket?

[@ericforestlove]

@@Daltesq oh just talking trying to enjoy ourselves in life "beautiful world" isn't always .. genuine enjoyment, past the headaches "just being out there" .. gently on top of the situation .. not much there .. mystery enjoyment

[@TheAstralthief]

Wow brilliant. I did it from Amsterdam Holland 9n a one geared town bike. 88 days to Santiago de compostela. 117 to Portugaland the mountains where I currently am. Stay blessed ✌️💚

[@unclecalifornia2576]

Thank you both so much for sharing your adventure (both the good and the bad) I walked the trail 20 years ago…We always hated the bikers as they were faster and always happy at the end of the day (smile)! If I go back it will be on bike. You all look great!

[@RollingExistence]

Haha, we may have been faster but not always smiling! 😅 Definitely pros and cons to both methods of travel, we'd like to try walking it in the future! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@trysomeme21-laurkawchmurka94]

Great adventure! We did Camino few years back (French route) but we did not go as much off road as you did but I remember going through some red-ish thick mud.... We tried to stick to tarmac/gravel roads. It was tough, but also, I think it was one of the best 'holidays' I have had. We also stayed at Albergues. I'd love to do it again at some point, but now with a bike trailer as we have a 4 y.o. daughter. All the best. Chris

[@WheelstoWander]

Haha, that look on your face when washing the bike, priceless! 👌 And very relatable... Cool video guys, great to see a part of the Camino!!

[@RollingExistence]

That was definitely a challenging day! 😅 Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@canadianlady777]

I have this bike trip on my bucket list, so thank you for the excellent video you produced...

[@VeloObscura]

I've wanted to ride the Camino for quite a few years now. My partner hiked it about 5 years ago and I've been jealous ever since.... Nice to see what the conditions are like!

[@alanroncoroni7121]

do it! just did it myself 1 month ago: hands down best experience of my life.

[@anxomillaraveiga9404]

Good option for the camino great adventura

[@sammycda]

Love it and love your choice of gear. I'm a huge fan of Surly, Rohloffs, Schwalbe and Ortlieb. You guys did it right. The Camino de Santiago is on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing.

[@RollingExistence]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! The gear has been holding up great and we're really happy with the build 👍

[@canica99]

I am really enjoying your trip and you are both dead on with been flexible with your time. Couple years back I was riding across the US from the Pacific to Atlantic and I met this couple riding from Oregon to Nova Scotia and they said they had to do 80 plus miles per day and they boyfriend was really nice but was miserable because he wanted to stop and explore. I remember thinking that if I was in his situation, I would either said, no way to so many miles or I would had gone on my own way. Great stuff guys, loving those surlys.

[@RollingExistence]

Thank you! We feel very fortunate that we have the time to go slow and take lots of detours. 80 mile days are pretty rare 😅 But sometimes the seasons or visa limits do push us to go a bit faster.

[@andresruis9030]

Greetings from Cali Colombia South America

[@bonbonsews9327]

Amazing My sister and I hiked the Norte before the pandemic and am itching for another adventure!!!

[@RollingExistence]

Awesome! We've heard the Norte is really beautiful, we'd like to check it out someday!

[@sander3425]

I watch all the episodes. Really usefull for my upcoming trip true Europa. And really relax and fun to watch. Keep on riding...🚲🚲

[@psocretes8183]

At the beginning the lady talks about the lovely old medieval and older buildings and bridges. I was posting my photos of medieval Norwich in England on a photography forum. The guys from the USA were criticising my editing because all the walls and roofes were wobbly. They didn't believe that that's how very old building are. Hahahaha. I don't think I could enjoy riding on those Roman roads though. Thanks for doing it for me.😄

[@RollingExistence]

Haha, that's hilarious! As Americans it really is hard to comprehend at first. Pretty much every town in Europe has buildings that are hundreds of years older than any building in the US!

[@BikepackingMyanmar]

You guys make really good videos.

[@RollingExistence]

Thank you very much!

[@goprocommando5016]

Great work guys, thank you for all your time and effort in sharing your journey with us. What an adventure one that I hope to replicate next year. What a team and not a cross word between you. x

[@NomadLifeKiwi]

Great video guys. This brings back memories from when we walked it in 2019. We rented bikes in Burgos and cycled the meseta in 40 degrees Celsius!

[@RollingExistence]

Whoa, can't imagine cycling there in such heat!

[@NomadLifeKiwi]

@@RollingExistence it was better than walking it in that heat! We slightly cheated too with electric assisted bikes.

[@petesig93]

Wonderful cycling! I have the Camino Santiago de Compostela on my list as my next major overseas tour, together with a whole lot more of the Iberian Peninsula. That funky noise - dunno what it was but come to Australia and you'll hear all sorts of wild night noises. The woof of the Barking Owl (and if really lucky the shrieking scream that causes many to call it the 'Murdering Woman Owl'), the metallic rattle of our possums, the hooting of the Tawny Frogmouth, and the wild grunting and roaring of the Koalas when in season. Oh, and the Kookaburra chortling sometimes at 4am. Loved the wine dispenser tap, but I would be sure to fill a spare bottle. That mud was sticky but I find that with the Rohloff and excellent non-sticky chain lube I can usually just ride on with few chain issues; blocked mudguards are a whole other issue. You really need a hose to wash off the mud quickly and effectively. That Via Verde started out looking more like a Via Marron, good to see that it improved. The last scenes of the riding after Burgos and Castrojeriz began to look VERY much like the scenes on our Mawson Trail in the Mid-North and outback South Australia. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6e1lIiYqaalgLs

[@RollingExistence]

Truth be told, we did take a small amount of wine in our Nalgene for camp that evening 🙃 It just hadn't occurred to us while we were filming, we were a bit overexcited. We've since backed our fenders off the tires a bit so they don't get clogged so easily, that was definitely the main issue. We're hoping to make it to Australia at some point so that is good to know about!

[@nathanburden4373]

We do have bears here in north Spain, but you´d be incredibly lucky to see one!

[@RollingExistence]

We figured they were probably pretty rare, but cool to know that they're out there!

[@bourdon845]

Joli !!!

[@josipcvitkovic8361]

I like your style so to say, it is very enjoyable to watch the stuff you make, keep it up 👌

[@1camibravo]

you passed through the Via Verde (La Demanda ), near my town called Urrez, beautiful landscapes,

[@RollingExistence]

It was a lovely area, and we really enjoyed the cycle path!

[@reed0199]

Nice Vid- Thank You !!!

[@alexmorgan3435]

I recognise that sigh of resignation at 6:12. The weather looked bloody freezing. Rather you than me.

[@thierryherve3991]

C'est formidable j'ai beaucoup apprécié vous êtres courageux les images sont magnifiques merci beaucoup et bon courage

[@Myskania74]

Wine fountain was neat

[@elpedalmtbalbacete6909]

Olé....🚴🇪🇦🤘🏻

[@williamoshaughnessy9995]

I know i would be filling up a load of bottles with free wine 😂

[@Gettinglostonthetrail]

Wow!!! Beautiful!!! Stunning video. Well put together. Very relaxing to watch. You both are awesome people. Our family is attempting the 500 miles on foot this June, let’s see how far we will get. Well done you both. Buen Camino!!! 👍🚲

[@RollingExistence]

Thank you!! We're very glad you enjoyed the video 😊 Hope you and your family have a great walk this summer. Buen Camino!

[@Bikepacking]

Looks nice

[@sipapito]

That sound it like deer of fox.

[@VeraLucia-iz4uh]

Que Deus abençoe vocês!

[@jennyzhang784]

Thank you for making this video. We will be riding the Camino this year，it is very helpful to see the road conditions. What equipment did you use to tape this video? Do you need to mount the unit on the bike?

[@clickbaitnumberone1403]

Great one again. Against mud, You might use chaingliders, possible with internal hub, because your chain/belt isnt moving. Check out link: Kettenschutz Heckteil Hebie Chainglider 18-22 Zähne, schwarz, für diverse Ritz

[@Ricardo-xg6gx]

It seems that the sound comes from a fox because there are no wolves in that location.

[@j.k.6148]

Love the video quality and aerial shot. How was the food in beautiful Spain? Always enjoy and look forward to your posts.

[@RollingExistence]

The food was fantastic! We ate a ton of empanadas and other baked goods from the wonderful bakeries. Also had some really delicious tapas, and one evening we tried the three course pilgrim menu from a restaurant in a small Camino town - affordable and filling after a day of riding!

[@j.k.6148]

Eagerly awaiting some “Limerick” on your future path and waking up to some Irish coffee!

[@tomsitzman3952]

Great Vlogs. Nice if you would show a meal set up with cook gear. I see you carry a red fuel bottle.

[@RollingExistence]

We go through phases where we cook for awhile and then do no-cook meals when we need a break from it, so only a handful of our videos have our cooking setup. We carry an MSR Dragonfly and a wood burning stove, and we have a blog post about our cooking gear below: www.rollingexistence.com/gear/camp-kitchen-bicycle-touring-cooking-gear/

[@jimbojet8728]

Did you a gun with you. Shoot a few animals whilst you were there? That would have been cool to watch. The Spaniards like to hunt too, bulls mostly! They corral them first, it’s a very interesting Spanish tradition. What time of year did you go? What, you didn’t do your oil change on the Rollhoff before you went. Never mind, something to take your mind off the riding later? Was the camping easy to do? Is ‘wild camping’ frowned upon? Are there ‘organised’ camps on the rowt? What was the good like? Thank you for an enjoyable vid.

[@tonymaguire9498]

Really enjoyable recording, what crop were you passing at thirteen minutes of this video and how's it like cycling while downing wine 🍷🍷

[@RollingExistence]

Not 100% sure what crop that is, we passed a ton of fields that just looked like grass so maybe alfalfa or something to make hay? And we tried to keep the wine consumption to a reasonable amount, but definitely enjoyed how affordable and good it was throughout Spain 😅

[@jnrickards]

I got my wife a Jones H Bar for her bike, the longer one (is that what you're running?). She loves it.

[@RollingExistence]

Yep, that's what we both have. We're big fans!

[@cecillenadela3752]

What month did you do this .looks like you did this own your own I wonder if there is an organized tour ride I enjoy this thank you for sharing just subs scribe

[@1camibravo]

hahahaha es un corzo ,(Roe Deer)

[@mattjordan9521]

What time of year were you cycling there? I’ll be riding through in July. Hoping it isn’t too hot nor too wet.

[@RollingExistence]

We were there in late March. Summers are much drier and we've heard it does get pretty hot and dusty, but I don't think northern Spain gets as crazy hot as the south.

[@schwarzzelter7161]

This sound is a roebuck :)

[@joanoconnor8552]

Did you encounter any push back from the trekkers on the trail because you were riding a bike instead of walking?

[@dermotpurcell8861]

Did the camino by bicycle and you will come across the odd

[@NomadLifeKiwi]

We walked this a few years ago and had no problems with the cyclists.

[@RollingExistence]

All of the trekkers we met were very friendly and didn't seem bothered by the bicycles. We were there in the slower season so it might be a slightly different story when the trail is more crowded. We would slow down quite a bit before passing people and use our bells to let them know we were coming.

[@VeraLucia-iz4uh]

Nossa que difícil esse caminho. Parabéns. A bike eh aro 29? E o guidao notei q eh um pouco curvado eh diferente?

[@RollingExistence]

Obrigada! Sim, as motos têm pneus de 29". E temos guidão Jones H-bar com punhos Ergon, gostamos muito deles.

[@VeraLucia-iz4uh]

Adoro vocês 🤩

[@mendyviola]

Is it possible to ride the Camino with a bike trailer (like the Burley Nomad - 2 wheeled trailer)?

[@Penny.Lewnidou]

How many days with bike??❤️

[@rayvogensen2983]

Great photography but disappointing in the lack of information about any place you pass. When you showed the Cathedral of Burgos, one of the most famous in Spain, in a five second shot, without comment, I kind of felt what was the point of the entire trip? Is it just to do the Camino in as short a time as possible, set on getting to the next destination? Or is it to have an experience of learning about a different culture, a land steeped in history, with a different architecture from anything Americans have ever seen? To sum up, I loved the photography but didn't love the hastiness of the journey.

[@RollingExistence]

We would love to do videos with more information, but we just don't really have the time at the moment. We have been living on the bikes for over a year now and we wild camp 9 out of 10 nights. We work on these videos from coffee shops and editing videos is extremely time consuming, so for the moment we are sticking to a VLOG style format that hopefully will inspire people to go out and see these places for themselves. Making videos is a secondary goal for us, we try to enjoy the trip we're on without feeling like we're only focused on making content. We also only get 90 days in the schengen zone, and our Camino trip was a bit constrained by our visa running short. Once we're ready to take a break from riding, we plan to work on some longer form, informative videos that are more scripted. We definitely appreciate your feedback though, and we'll try to do what we can to give more background information about the places we visit!

[@rayvogensen2983]

@@RollingExistence Thanks for the kind and informative reply. I meant no malice in the comments. I wish you all the best in your journey.

[@privatename8228]

All viewers have different interests. This video fit perfectly with my love of nature and beautiful landscapes. If it was a video about history and architecture, I would not have watched. We are all very different.

[@thedubdude7720]

What time of year did you guys ride this?

[@RollingExistence]

This was in late March.

[@democratssuxmaga7965]

I thought free camping is illegal in Spain

[@DerekObrien-tk7we]

That sound is a fox

[@asifmuniruniverse7732]

Hi

[@RollingExistence]

Hello there!

[@nivid01]

The cyclist in the pink shirt would have been better off and quicker if he had walked the bike up the hill. His legs were going at a crazy speed expending a ton of energy and effort peddling that bike in the wrong gear!! No wonder I sold my bike!

[@Daltesq]

Creepy animal sound

[@RollingExistence]

Yeah we were pretty freaked out at first 😳

[@almeggs3247]

Can u still get the passport stamped. Or would it be cheating or a bike?

[@RollingExistence]

You can still get your passport stamped. But to get the certificate of completion you have to do at least 200km by bike, whereas walking you have to do 100km.

[@frankiez7414]

its a fox