Wolf Zink, to the very end,
closest to the stars

A man always faithful to a certain idea of ​​duty.

Lieutenant Colonel (ret.) Wolf Zink passed away on June 18, 2024, in his 85th year in Montpellier.

Who remembers LCL Zink?

By our late comrade Wolf Zink
I want to tell you about my pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela—COMPOSTELA meaning "field of stars"—but also about my treks in the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Cévennes, close to the stars.

June 1991: Retirement
I retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, while remaining in my current assignment for an additional year to complete a project. With my wife Heidi and daughter Nathalie, we settled into our house in the Montpellier hinterland, built when I was a young lieutenant as a place to stay in France between postings.

Heidi quickly found an interesting job. I embarked on numerous renovation and expansion projects, which I insisted on doing myself, despite never having done any manual labor. Having become quite the expert, I volunteered my time helping my brother and neighbors. I taught languages ​​at the EAI (École d'Application de l'Infanterie), joined the Nîmes branch of the Legionnaires' Association, participated in the Camerone commemorations, led the village hiking club, audited the accounts for our condominium in the Alps, and went hiking and skiing.

We didn't travel much. For the first time in our lives, we were truly at home, surrounded by our own walls and furniture. And we were happy there. In short, I was living the quiet life of an ordinary retiree.

2002: Everything changed
At 63, debilitating sciatica required emergency surgery. After seventeen months of convalescence, I could no longer practice my favorite sports. A broken foot, phlebitis, and kidney stones further eroded my confidence in my physical abilities. To regain my strength, a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela became essential.

2003-2004: The first pilgrimage
In October 2003, Heidi and I tested our endurance on the "Heart of Gascony": 165 km in six days in the Gers region, part of which followed the old route to Le Puy-en-Velay.

In August 2004, we set off from Roncesvalles to reach Santiago de Compostela via the Camino Francés. We covered 760 km in 28 days, each carrying a 15 kg pack, staying in pilgrim hostels, guesthouses, or bed and breakfasts. Heidi's blisters and my tendonitis didn't spare us.

Cut off from our roots and outside of time, we rediscovered life's essential values. We respected pilgrim traditions, but the spiritual dimension didn't yet resonate with us. However, for several months we experienced a profound serenity and a detachment from material things.

2005-2006: The Call of the Mountains
In October 2005, we spent twelve days in Nepal. From Pokhara, we climbed the seemingly endless steps of Ulleri, admired the Annapurna range at sunrise from Poon Hill, and then ascended the Kali Gandaki Valley to Muktinath, a Hindu pilgrimage site at 3,800 meters. We were almost completely cut off from civilization, surrounded by peaks exceeding 7,000 meters.

In September 2006, we discovered Peru. After an acclimatization trek in the Cordillera Blanca, we crossed the Punta Unión pass at 4,750 meters, then hiked along the shores of Lake Titicaca. Finally, we traversed the Vilcabamba mountain range, from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, crossing four passes between 4,000 and 4,700 meters. Lack of sleep, altitude, extreme temperatures, and the diverse climates put our bodies to the test.

2007-2008: The Camino Takes a New Direction
In October 2007, we resumed our Camino de Santiago journey along the Camino del Norte, starting from Hendaye. After 300 km in fourteen days, we stopped in Ribadesella: Heidi was suffering from neck pain and could no longer carry her pack. We promised to resume in 2008 and arrive in Santiago for her birthday on September 17th.

In February 2008, we set off for Patagonia. In Torres del Paine National Park, after a challenging hike, I discovered, at the foot of the three towers, a glacier plunging into an emerald lake dotted with icebergs. In all my years of globetrotting, I had never seen such a beautiful sight. We continued on to the Perito Moreno Glacier and the area around Fitz Roy, a hiker's paradise.

In May, Heidi died suddenly. My world collapsed. Like Job, I was heartbroken. Completing our shared project on the Camino del Norte seemed the only natural thing to do.

In September, I set off alone from Ribadesella. I covered 380 km in fourteen days and arrived in Santiago on September 13th. While waiting for Heidi's birthday, I settled in Noia, a peaceful fishing port. In the Church of San Martín, I befriended Santa Dolores, who helped me accept the unacceptable. Finally, I had become a pilgrim in the truest spiritual sense.

2009-2011: Persevering Despite the Trials
In August 2009, I attempted to walk to Santiago again for Heidi's birthday. But, unable to find accommodation in an overcrowded area, I had to give up. In October, I resumed my journey in Oviedo and reached Santiago after 270 km in twelve days. In the clouds of the Cantabrian Mountains, I composed my first poem in French: The Pilgrim's Lament.

In 2010, a Holy Year of St. James, I walked from Le Puy-en-Velay to Cahors: 340 km in fourteen days, under the sun, rain, and snow of the Aubrac plateau. In September, I returned to Santiago by car, but I didn't feel at home among the tourists.

In November, I had a hip replacement. In April 2011, I resumed my journey from Cahors to Lectoure, but my left knee gave out. In September, equipped with a new hip, "lubricated" knees, and orthotic insoles, I set off again. Twelve days and 250 km later, I reached Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. This journey inspired my poem "On the Way to Santiago de Compostela." I returned by train and set off again the very next day by car for Santiago to celebrate Heidi's birthday. In October, I had surgery for a cancer common in men my age.

2012-2014: Willpower Against the Limits of the Body
In April 2012, I followed in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson, from Le Puy-en-Velay to Alès, on a notoriously difficult route. After 100 km in five days, the snow forced me to abandon the trek in Luc. This solitary walk inspired "The Stevenson Trail."

In September, I set off again for Santiago with Martine, whom I met on the Camino in 2011 and who is now my life partner. We covered 320 km in thirteen days on the Camino Francés. I was in the cathedral for Heidi's birthday.

In April 2013, Martine and I left her house in Lot-et-Garonne to join the coastal route. But, wanting to attend the ceremony in Camerone, we only had seven days: we walked 170 km to Ychoux. In September, we resumed our walk in the Landes region. After 180 km in eight days, my left knee seized up. I took a taxi to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. That was it. My poem about the Camino de Santiago in the Landes is rather bittersweet.

In April 2014, I returned to the Stevenson Trail. I covered 90 km in three days and reached Florac on Easter Sunday, after ten hours of grueling walking in a snowstorm at the Signal de Bouès, at 1,421 m. I had to resign myself to a second withdrawal. In November, I had surgery on my left knee.

2015: Setting off again
In the meantime, I was 76 years old. Throughout my life, I had never given up. God willing, I will therefore resume the paths of Saint James and Stevenson this year.