As part of the Pilgrim Pouch Peregrinations blog I’m introducing an ongoing series called JOURNEYS. It will feature interviews with Camino walkers, artists, writers, travelers, & creative seekers I’ve met in my ‘wanderings.’ I’ll be asking guests five questions that reflect adventures & discoveries along their unique life journeys.
My inaugural guest is someone I know very well & have walked with on three Caminos — my father Albert, known as “Dad” to me & my 2 brothers, “Grandpa” to his 8 grandkids, and “Great-Grandpa” to his 2 great-grandchildren. But to most people he’s known as “Coach Al.” This moniker derives from Dad’s career as a Hall of Fame high school boys basketball coach (and math teacher) for 45 years at schools in Michigan & California.
Born & raised in the southwest corner of Michigan, Dad grew up on a farm with four siblings & learned early how to ride horses & drive tractors. During my childhood, he steered our family station wagons on car trips across the country from Michigan to the West Coast. After retiring, Dad enjoyed travels to Europe with my mom Lillian until her passing in 2010.
In recent years, his focus has been on volunteering for San Diego State University’s Aztecs basketball team and visiting family & friends in Michigan, Montana, and the San Francisco area. Our walks in the neighborhood and on nearby hiking trails keep him in Camino shape. His new You Tube series “Driveway Drills with Coach Al” offers basketball tips for all ages.
Above: Sightseeing in Madrid after a Camino
Right: Posing for team photos, Grand Haven, MI
Dad, you grew up near Chicago & all your family were (and remain today) huge Cub baseball fans. What are your earliest memories of visiting Wrigley Field, & how did these excursions to the “Windy City” influence your sense of adventure?
Growing up our little Philco Radio was always tuned to Chicago’s WGN, the ‘Cubs station.’ During the summer when everyone stopped farm work to have lunch, we checked to see if the Cubs were playing and how my heroes Phil Cavarreta & Bill Nicolson were doing. It was a magical day when the family drove 95 miles to Chicago where I first laid eyes on the famed Wrigley Field. The ballpark was a far cry from our “field of dreams” that your Uncle Ron had carved out of a pasture with a bedspring for the backstop.
The Wrigley tower was the tallest building in Chicago, and seeing it left a huge impression on me. I couldn’t believe the size of the city and the number of people! Years later, I took my first train ride for the senior class trip to Washington D.C. and New York City. Seeing all the sights further peeked a curiosity about what life might be like far away from my small home town of New Troy.
You’ve experienced a lot of road trips over the years, from the cross-country drives with our family to the many bus rides with your basketball teams for games in different towns. What are a few stories about those trips on the road?
Our family road trips on Route 66 were certainly memorable — navigating mountains for the first time, driving down the Vegas strip, parking by the ocean to dip our toes in the water. There were challenges though — remember when the station wagon stalled in the desert? A ‘Good Samaritan’ stopped and drove me back fifteen or so miles to a service station. I found out he had just dropped off his daughter at college and also that he turned around to help us after seeing you kids sitting in the backseat. The mechanic at the station made a temporary fix to get the wagon running again and said “this will get you as far as a Pontiac dealer in L.A.” No charge — another Samaritan.
Of course, the hundreds of road trips as a coach included thrills & chills. For instance, the trip from Grand Haven to play Traverse City could be treacherous. One time the Greyhound skidded on an icy downslope through a red traffic light on our way there. It scared everyone, especially the bus driver. And team trips to play games in San Diego included mountainous two-lane roads without guardrails. They were ‘white knuckle’ adventures for me.
I’m grateful you & Mom had the chance to travel abroad, including your visits to Italy, Scandinavia, & Spain. How did international travel surprise you, & what did you enjoy seeing most during those trips?
I was surprised & pleased that after a few days in Europe I felt more comfortable & confident and thought “We can do this.” Also, only speaking English proved to be not as big of a problem as I anticipated. Greeting people with a smile communicated well.
There were a lot of highlights on those trips. I enjoyed seeing the Colosseum in Rome & also visiting Pompeii where we had to be careful not to stumble over chariot tracks. In your Mom’s homeland (Sweden), it was interesting to walk around Stockholm’s ‘old town,’ Gamla stan, & in Norway the boat ride through fjords was spectacular. In Barcelona, highlights included touring the La Sagrada Familia & watching the nightly stroll of multigenerational families in their ‘Sunday best’ along Las Ramblas. You & I saw these strolls on our Caminos too.
Above: Dad & Mom in Europe
For our first Camino, walked in memory of Mom & her sisters, we put together backpacking gear as part of our ‘preparation journey’ to get ready. What did you learn about packing from this walk, & what challenges with your gear helped to inspire creation of the Pilgrim Pouch?
The biggest lesson learned was that I overpacked. My ‘stuffed to the brim’ backpack proved to be too heavy. We both ended up giving away things & sent home a package of extra gear. I realized how few items were necessary. Also, it was inconvenient & awkward getting anything out of the backpack while walking. If I wanted snacks, the guidebook, or my iPad to take photos, I had to remove the pack & dig it out or ask you to stop & find it. After you made Pilgrim Pouches for our second Camino, it was easy to keep stuff handy, even my iPad. So then I no longer missed taking a picture of the storks in a perfect pose!
Dad & I not far from Sahagun, the halfway point of Camino Frances
This past year during the pandemic you’ve missed participating in your usual activities, & it’s been difficult not being able to see family. What are you looking forward to doing when possible again, and where do you want to go when travel is safer?
My first trip will be back to Michigan for ‘celebrations of life’ for Alice (Dad’s sister) and Jerry (Dad’s brother), whose celebration will be held in the Jerry Schaffer Gymnasium in Three Oaks. As you know, COVID precautions prevented us from flying to attend their memorial services. It will be great to gather with family & friends to honor them.
I’m looking forward to resuming my volunteering for the San Diego State basketball team and will especially enjoy seeing the Aztecs play in places such as Spokane, Las Vegas, & Madison Square Garden. I’m also excited about attending again the Michigan Sports Sages Convention and family reunions at Wrigley Field to see the Cubs. Alice and Jerry will be missed.
And going on another Camino? We’ll see…
The Schaffer family reunion in 2019 at Wrigley Field for a Cubs game — Dad & Aunt Alice are in front; behind them are Uncle Jerry & wife Aunt Peggy.
Dad riding Prince on the farm