489 miles in 34 days. For friends Barbara Lloyd, 65, and Jennifer Cusick, 61, the Camino de Santiago was more than a hike. It was the adventure of a lifetime. 

Early this summer, the pair completed the longest route of the Camino de Santiago, a network of ancient pilgrimage trails stretching across Europe to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. For more than a thousand years, people have walked these routes in search of spiritual growth, physical challenge, and cultural connection. Barbara and Jen began in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and arrived in Santiago 34 days and 489 miles later. 

Their story began much closer to home. 

The two met in 2017 at a 5:30 a.m. YMCA workout class. Jen remembers immediately thinking she "really liked Barbara" and wanted to become her friend. Bonding over a shared love of running, the two quickly formed a friendship rooted in pushing each other toward new challenges. 

Ironically, before meeting Jen, Barbara had barely hiked. Today, she's an avid hiker who continually sets ambitious goals for herself. 

Both women credit the YMCA with preparing them for the Camino. Barbara is at the Y nearly every day, taking everything from spin and strength training to Hyrox classes. Those workouts, she says, provide "a fundamental foundation of strength and cardio" and gave them the confidence to tackle a challenge like the Camino. 

They also gave a special shout-out to Y trainer extraordinaire Caroline Earle Ivens, whose workouts "kill us—in a positive way." Jen even set a fitness goal she called her "six-pack for sixty," one of the motivations that kept her consistently attending YMCA classes. 

Barbara and Jen began the Camino with their friend Oma, who, at 80 years old, proved age is no barrier to adventure. Together, the trio averaged about 15 miles each day, stopping each evening at hostels for food, rest, and shelter. 

While the physical challenge was significant, it was the emotional experience that stayed with them. "The people you meet are what make the Camino," they reflected. 

Despite speaking no common language, Jen and Barbara became friends with a couple from South Korea. They crossed paths repeatedly throughout the journey, greeting each other each time with the traditional Camino phrase: "Buen Camino."  

The trail also brought moments that felt almost destined. At a wine fountain along the route, Barbara met a man named Randy—a name that immediately struck her. Just two and a half years earlier, she had lost her brother, also named Randy. 

Jen experienced her own remarkable coincidence while visiting a cathedral. A stranger asked if she would light a candle "for a friend." Moments later, the woman mentioned she had just lit a candle for someone else named Jen. 

One of the Camino's most meaningful traditions is placing a rock at the base of the Cruz de Ferro, a famous cross along the trail. Pilgrims often carry a stone from home to symbolize something they wish to leave behind or honor. Jen painted a small footprint on hers to represent the people in her life and the importance of every individual's path. As she reached the cross, she noticed another pilgrim wearing a shirt that read, "Every Journey Matters." 

"Talk about fate," she said. 

On the 34th day, Barbara, Jen and Oma arrived in Santiago. Arriving at the cathedral brought an overwhelming rush of emotion, made even more meaningful when they reunited with their South Korean friends, whose friendship had transcended language. 

Reflecting on the experience, Barbara and Jen agreed the Camino "changes your perspective of the world." Being surrounded by people "from every imaginable walk of life" who all share the same destination creates a uniquely powerful sense of community. 

One of the important lessons they took from the trip is that it is accessible to anyone. “There were people of every age, body type, and ability on the trail," Jen said. "Anybody could do this hike.” For the duo, success begins with believing it's possible and deciding what truly matters. "Figure out how much you need in life," Jen said. "If you have enough, you can do what you want with your time." 

Barbara often thinks about advice from her financial advisor, who describes retirement in three stages: 1) the go-go years, 2) the slow-go years, and 3) no-go years. 

"You don't get to decide when you move from the go-go years to the slow-go years," Barbara said. “Life often makes that decision for you.” Rather than waiting, Barbara and Jen are making the most of the years they have now. 

Their adventures are far from over. This year they'll continue helping a friend complete the northernmost sections of the Appalachian Trail through New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Next year, they plan to finish Maine's legendary 100-Mile Wilderness, completing the Appalachian Trail. In August, they'll head to the Smoky Mountains—all while dreaming up their next international hiking adventure. Here in Boothbay, the duo are starting a run club, to share their love for running and building confidence through fitness.  

Jen has also recently published a book chronicling her 66-day bicycle journey from Banff, Alberta, to the Mexican border. Her hope, she says, is to "inspire older people to live their dreams and not work themselves to death." 

For Barbara and Jen, the Camino wasn't simply about reaching Santiago. It was about embracing challenge, deepening friendship, and discovering that life's greatest adventures are often still waiting—no matter your age. As Jen wisely says “you regret the things you don’t do, so go out in life and seize your time!”