My Camino
Fred Dawkins
On this page, it doesn’t matter who I am or what I’ve done. On this page I am just a proud Grampa who had the unique experience of walking the Camino with his grandson. A guy called Gramps who at the end of the day was sometimes lovingly called Grumps, bringing a smile to my face.
This book is a legacy I leave for my grandson and my family. But it has much more to offer. In writing it, I found myself telling a heart-warming story because My Camino impacted my outlook as I built a strong relationship with my grandson. My feelings were just below the surface when we finished walking after spending a thousand + plus hours together and walking over a million steps side-by-side. As I wrote our story a few years later the Camino worked its magic again as I relived our journey bringing back the feeling of accomplishment. That enhanced sense of what is important in life that one feels on the trail came flooding back.
My Camino gives many tips and even more encouragement to those who plan to walk the Camino as well as to those who are intrigued with the idea but might never do it. Those who have already walked The Way will find the joy of revisiting the magic of the Camino, a very real phenomenon.
While the Camino plays a critical part in the story, this is also a tale of intergenerational bonding. That’s a challenge not easily achieved. Growing up in different times under different conditions can make it difficult to relate. Our journey showed me that the younger generation has strengths and abilities that we old guys often underestimate.
I hope this book inspires you to find your own Camino moment – to reach outside the limits of your day-to-day life and do something special together with your family.
My Camino – Things I Learned Walking with Our Grandson – over a thousand hours spent together walking over a million steps side-by-side
A life-changing journey of connection, memory, and generational wisdom.
Walking the Camino is a life-changing experience. Everyone’s Camino is unique to them, yet there is a common bond that unites almost all those who make the effort.
Two pleasing comments have been made repeatedly about My Camino by those who have read it.
For those who have made the trek themselves, the book reawakens feelings that never truly disappear. The most frequent remark is: “It made me feel like I was there again. All those vivid memories flooded back.”
For those who haven’t walked the Camino—or may never do so—the recurring response is just as meaningful: “I felt like I was making the journey alongside you and Jacob.”
The Bond Between Generations
There is no doubt: Jacob is the star of this book—the rightful focus, just as he was for the adventure itself.
I never knew my grandfathers. Both died prematurely from causes that would likely be treatable today. I didn’t really know my father either—not in the way Jacob has come to know me. That is my gift to him.
In return, Jacob gave me the chance to understand a very different generation from my own. This trip wasn’t about generational divides. We didn’t separate into age groups. We shared over a thousand hours, a million steps, every meal, every bunkbed.
We shared our frustrations. We laughed together—and sometimes at each other.
An Invitation to Connect
As a reader, I hope you find some joy in the stories I share. These are just a few meaningful moments from a deeper adventure. What I truly hope is that this personal record inspires you to build your own connection across generations.
That possibility—that hope—motivated every one of the million steps we took together.
I have five other amazing grandchildren. What I learned walking the Camino with Jacob will help me grow closer with each of them as well.
—Fred Dawkins
