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Hello Everyone. It’s the week of August 20, 2019, and I will be flying to Portugal on August 22 to start my trek on the Camino Portugues, which will start in Lisbon, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain. The Camino Portugues, or Portugués Way, is approximately 380 to 400 miles (616-644 kms), depending on which route I will be taking as once I reach the city of Porto, where it splits into two main ways, one along the coast and one that’s inland.

I am dedicating this trek to my mother, Henriette Stekkinger, who developed dementia and passed away thirteen years ago from some of the complications of the disease. I also want to show my support for the Alzheimer’s Association, and the over five million people, and their loved ones and caregivers, who are currently affected by the disease of dementia. Alzheimer’s, the most know of the diseases, falls under the dementia umbrella.

While caring for my mother, I thankfully found information and help from the many wonderfully people with the Alzheimer’s Association. Their support and caring helped me get through one of the toughest times in my life. After my mother passed away I wanted to give back for all the kindness and caring I received, so I became a volunteer support group facilitator with the Alzheimer’s Association for about four years. It was a very rewarding position for me and over those years I met so many people that were going through similar situations that I had gone through, and I made some lifetime friends.

As you may know, I have a passion for adventure and made the sad decision to step down from the support group so I could pursue my passion for hiking and trekking. Some of the friends I had made through our group participated in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s as fundraisers, and on several occasions I mentioned I should do one of my treks as a fund raiser. On my treks, especially on the last one in New Zealand, many of the people that stopped to talk with me ask if I was trekking for a fund raiser. When I got back home I contacted my friends from our old support group, Beverly Chavez and Shenandoah Marr, and asked them to organize a fund raise for my next trek. They in turn contacted McCall James, Project Manager, with the Alzheimer’s Association, who has helped us organize this trek as a fundraiser.

For me this is a dream in both that I get to go after my passion for trekking, and living life to its fullest, and also giving back and supporting the Alzheimer’s Association. My treks and blogs will still be the same, but you will see me wearing purple, the recognized color for the Alzheimer’s Association, whenever I can to show that I am also Walking to End Alzheimer’s.

If you would like to see the Alzheimer’s Association website and see our team page please go to:

act.alz.org/goto/tedstrek

Best wishes to all, and please look for my beginning Camino Portugués blog this week,

Ted

The Camino Portugues or Portugues Way that I will be trekking starts in Lisbon, Portugal, and will finish in Santiago, Spain.

Laying out all the items with the purple color of the Alzheimer’s Association.

My favorite go to hiking boots of choice, Hoka Tor Ultra Hi, being fitted with purple shoe laces under the watchful eyes of Neko, my son Alex’s cat.