VACAVILLE -- Dilenna Harris, a former Vacaville councilwoman, was so determined to finish the 500-mile Camino de Santiago she did not buy a return ticket home until she was nearing the end.

The trail, known as the Way of St. James in English, is a network of pilgrims' ways, or pilgrimages, leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwest Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.

Harris spent 35 days walking and five days resting while tackling the arduous journey. She logged 551 miles, the extra involved a few sightseeing trips she opted for.

The idea of walking the route surfaced about a year ago. A cousin had made the trek.

Harris contemplated taking six or seven weeks off work to do the trek. She opted to retire instead. The extra time was used for longer walking trips in preparation.

She also opted to walk the trail by herself. The goal was to challenge herself and have good spiritual experiences. Harris said she got that and much more.

Her husband, Rob, was invited to accompany her but politely refused, telling her it wasn't his idea of a vacation. Later, he would tell her he "lived vicariously" through the walk.

She had asked some acquaintances if they were interested. None were.

Harris purchased a tablet prior to her departure to keep a travelogue. The days were long and physical, so she opted to post updates on her Facebook page.

The first week was beautiful, and Harris was grateful for having the time to experience the Camino.

"I was energized, but I was exhausted," she said.

She spent many hours researching the trek, communicating with others who have walked the Camino and took in every bit of information shared, such as the difficult terrain in some spots, what clothing and backpack would suit her best, to name a few.

"I had to think through a lot of things," she said. "I don't think anyone can truly prepare until you get there. You don't necessarily understand the depth."

Her second day on the trail was a battle against the elements. It rained the entire day, with no breaks. Harris was wearing a windbreaker.

When she came to the closest village, she pulled out her translator app to request a poncho from the store clerk.

"He probably thought I was another one of those pilgrims (those who walked the trail) that did not prepare," Harris said.

There was a moment of panic. Harris was lost for a few hours and did not see a single soul on the road.

"I was OK for the first hour-and-a-half or so," she said. "Then, I started getting nervous because I had not seen anyone."

Harris contemplated how to get back on the right trail.

"I thought I could backtrack and get to the top of the mountain, look out and see the surrounding area and get my bearings," she said.

On her fourth trial she got off the mountain and on to the trail. That was followed by another 45 minutes to get to the way and call for a ride.

"I couldn't figure out how to get a taxi," she said.

Divine intervention happened at the right time. Harris was out of water.

A woman approached and asked if she needed help. They walked together, chatting in French and English. Harris had water and a real boost in her spirit.

The woman told her "everyone has a moment like this, if not more."

Calls home also played a key role in the long trek. Her family always reminded her she could do it.

Harris stayed in a variety of places, ranging from hostels and guest homes to a monastery. Booking.com held all the answers, she said.

Her goal was to never be more than 2 to 3 miles away from the Camino.

She logged 22 miles in one day. Starting time was as early as 5 a.m., which provided her the opportunity to do 7 or 8 miles by 9 or 9:30 and reach the nearest cafe.

"There were days I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I'm almost doing a marathon,'" she said.

The end of the trail was low-key as Harris arrived there alone. Then, she met a woman from the trail. The two had walked together several days.

Harris was invited to hike to another location with the woman, but opted to take a taxi. There, they celebrated the woman's birthday.

"It was liberating in some way, out there my own," Harris said.

"I loved the nature, I loved the mountains, the small villages, the people. There was so much to learn about the history."

Stopping at small chapels was very reassuring.

"Those were the places where I felt God the strongest and most connected," she said.

Some of the chapels were no longer used for worship, but were open to the pilgrim travelers.

Harris is still processing the personal journey, saying it has impacted her significantly.

People make the journey for many reasons.

"For me, I was looking at it as a transition for my life," she said. "I want that time and space process where I am coming from and where I am going to. I'd never done anything like this."

For the past few days, she's followed the devastating fires in Spain, recalling that a few weeks ago she was in the same area.

"It's heartbreaking," she said. "I met a lot of guards on the trail and they have been localized to fight the fires."

Harris was overwhelmed, and overjoyed, with the reactions her Facebook posts garnered.

"I was so overjoyed to know people cared and prayed for me to finish," she said. "That part is so amazing to me. I felt I had community support behind me. It helped me on days i was tired."

Her advice to someone contemplating something akin.

"People can do more than they think they can," she said. "You won't regret trying things. If you don't finish, the fact you tried is really, really important."