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Michael Spies
Michael Spies

Michael Spies

📍 Senegal Leia mais🇩🇪Icking
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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Winding roadsGoats everywheee, also in the trees.Preparing for charcoal production. The last wood available!Charcoal production next to the road.Good food and Maria Callas at 2000m, it can't get better!And then "Joe" the donkey rides up to pay a visit.Joe the donkeyHe doesn't eat carrots only dry thorns!

    2000m, Maria Callas and great cooking❤️

    2 de outubro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We are now in the central Atlas mountains, and constantly varying around 2000 and 2600 meters. Unbelievably steep roads with hairpin bends leading up Mountain passes and down into the next valley, and finally endless high altitude plains.
    And yet there is also a sad side. The slopes and plains are massively over grazed leaving the surfaces bare to wind and rain. The result is massive erosion with huge gullies everywhere. I have never seen such bare surfaces!. On top of this many locals use wood for cooking and heating. I was really shocked when I saw trees cut down to run a charcoal production all along a steep mountain road.
    All this shocks me and makes me sad.

    In the midst of all this, parked off road on a peak near the 2509m pass, we listen to Maria Callas as the sun sets to the smell of delicious cooking.
    Oh my god, how good life can be❤️

    Just as we get up in the morning we get a visitor. "Joe" the donkey has just carried his owner up the pass and so they drop by for a cup of tea and the donkey for a carrot. The crazy thing is he doesn't want the carrot, only the prickly thorns grown out of a tiny bush.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Weed plantations everywhere
    Everywhere the sweet smell of weed! We are becomming addictedOur incredinle night location at 1700m and 30 min from the roadHike to the summit the next day after our imagined encounter with the drug bosses😅

    The sweet smell of Marijuana everywhere!

    29 de setembro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Oh my god, what a pleasure it is to drive through the Riff mountains with open windows! Constantly we are accompanied by the sweet smell of Marijuana. It is harvest time and the endless fields are being cut, the plants tied into bushels and dried on the rooves of the houses. EVERYWHERE the sweet smell of weed. We are becomming addicted and hyper sensitive to this delightful smell, constantly sniffing the air every time we come round a bend 😁

    But we have also dived deep into the topic of Hashisch smuggling, their speed boats, drug bosses and how the spanish police chase the smugglers crossing the straits of Gibraltar.

    This afternoon we turn off the road onto an off-road track leading us high up into the mountains to 1700m where we spend the night on an outcrop. It is totally silent, pitch black and we feel alone in this incredible place.
    Then at 23:00 hrs the unbelievable happens! A huge truck surrounded by strong lights creeps along the road in the darkness. The driver spots our lights and stops 109m away. 4 men in boots, armed with strong torches, get off and start to approach us. All the reading about drug bosses has got to our heads, we are terrified and switch off all our lights, lock the car and prepare ourselves to grab the kitchen knives. Suddenly, not seeing us in the dark anymore, they turn back to their truck and move down the mountain track in the pitch black night.
    We are giggling and shaking all over, aware that we have read too many stories about the drug trade. Non-the-less the night is restless with wild dreams😁    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Lunch time break on the way,Higher and higher into the mountains of the Rif.Incredible sun set from our night spot on tje passRestaurant dinner ind this beautiful cuddly atmosphereOff-road track leading to "La gomera" rockLa Gomera rock belonging to the SpanishVisit from "Joe" the chamaelon. His sharp claws are grabbing my shoulder😁We climb down from our vantage point to the beach below for a gelicious maroccan Tahin dish.Our future house overlooking the spanish rock😁

    The Spanish rock castle

    27 de setembro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We continue along the coast and over a beautiful pass where we spend the night over looking endless mountain ranges.

    We are slowly getting into the rhythm of finding beautiful places for the night, and creating a little paradise in Sprinti for ourselves. Living with Elfi in this tiny space feels better and better. We are cruising nicely with each other.😁

    The following day we arrive back on the coast via a long off road track (red) and end up high above the sea overlooking "Penon de Velez de la Gomera", a big rock belonging to the spanish and guarded vehemently by its soldiers. The location is so beautiful that we spend the next two days here, observing the spanish soldiers guarding their ridiculous but beautiful Rock😁.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Chechaouen, the blue town
    Weed plantatations as far as the eye can seeVisiting three growers high up in the mountainsDried female plant on top of a stocking covering a bucketCovered with plastic layerBeating the plantsAfter 30 minures of beating excellent hashisch pollen, first gradeWeed as far as the eye can see

    Chechaouen, the blue town.

    24 de setembro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    In Chechaouen most houses are painted blue. But what is really important is that it is at the center of the marrocan Weed production region.
    We did not know that, but as we drove with open windows the smell of haschisch wafted in although there were no people. Later we learned that it was the pollen we were smelling. It is mid-harvest time!!!!
    So we embarked on a endevour to become weed specialists😀
    Did you know that Marocco has a 70% market share in Europe, that it exports 67.000 to. per year, that 2million people live off this production in the Riff mountains, and that they have been growing a local weed called "Beldya"for hundreds of years.
    So, we hiked up the mountain behind Chechaouen to visit three young maroccan growerd with their french friend who explained things to us.
    The female plants are cut and dried on the flat roof tops. Then a kind of stocking is spanned across a bucket, a plastic layer comes on top of the dry plants and is then beaten with a stick. The THC laden Pollen/resin falls through and is then pressed to beads and blocks. Like with the quality of olive oil there is first, second and third beating. The result is best quality "Kif"
    It is really tough work and yeld is low.
    These guys were living on the floor in a tin hut bearly above subsistance level.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Oued Laou plage

    And off we go, to Tetouan

    24 de setembro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today our first mountains, coastal roads, and finally Tetouan with our first Medina (old town and souk) head-first into arabian life where everything happens in the souk: shopping for food, chicken and goat slaughtering, with small eatery directly next door and endless stalls selling second hand clothing, and shoes.
    Wow! What an experience. I am spontaneously beamed back into the world of Iranian markets in 2022 during our Arabia trip.
    We planned to spend the night on a beach nearby called "Oued Laou plage", but were chased away by the royal maroc army shortly before midnight. Once again a parking lot becomes our home 😁    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Sunrise at the beach
    Elfi's Hunger for water could finally be stilledA visitor at our xar

    Arrived at last

    23 de setembro de 2025, Marrocos ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Arrived in Tanger at last!
    Two whole days and nights on a ferry ship is pretty long!
    After hours getting through customs and out of the harbour area it was already dark and we headed for the next parking near a beach where we spent the night.
    And then our first morning,, jog on the beach, swim and meditate. Wow, what a feeling to be here. Now the journey really begins.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Yes! Did it!!!!

    Warming up! Off-road training

    16 de agosto de 2025, Alemanha ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Off road driving training for Elfi and Barbara.
    And oh my god, how they impressed me! growing beyond their fears during the course of a weekend and having real fun while at it.
    I really do have two very cool women accompanying me.
    Markus will be doing a similar course during October.
    Among some of the exercises, how to choose your path through the terrain to keep all wheels on the ground and keep traction, and if they are in the air, how to behave. And the most exciting, when the motor stops on a really steep hill, how to drive backwards without loosing control.
    What an exciting weekend!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    1
    Elfi AschenbrennerBarbara ErberMarkus Härtner

    Eagles need to fly

    16 de agosto de 2025, Alemanha ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    "Sprinti" wants to move again, this time through the high Atlas mountains in Marocco, on to Mauritania, deep in the Sahara desert, along the Senegal river into black Africa.
    There is something in human nature, in MY NATURE, that after a while in comfort, needs to break free and live on the edge again.
    Especially Mauritania is going to be a challenge this time as we will be deep in the desert for many days without access to diesel and water.
    Once again we will be travelling together with "Mantoco" who organised the Iran/Arabia trip in 2022/23 and 3 other trucks, good to know, as Mauritania is really very empty!!!!
    My travel partners will be Elfi Aschenbrenner for the first 2 months, then Barbara Erber joining me for Mauritania and then Markus Härtner for the last leg back along the Algerian border.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    "Sunshine" or Heidi, a day hiker who did the PCT in 2017 tried to encourage me.Deep in thoughtLying in the path considering what I am going to doAround me nature in its most beautiful form.Many new trees growing out of a rotting massive stemAround the magnificence of this ancient forestMushrooms helping recycle the old woodI leave the trail and follow a forest road off the mountainI stop at this wonderful stream for one more night in this incredible natureMy last tent siteAnd the river flows and flows, like my feelings

    Deep thoughts, and heavy decisions

    6 de julho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    For a large part of this trail I have been accompanied by loneliness. On top of this comes the pain at night in my arthritic hip and knee. Sometimes these two are unbearable and all the incredible nature I am walking through is not able to compensate this.

    These last days I have been listening to an audio book "the untethered spirit" by Alan Singer about that voice in our heads that is incessantly commenting our environment, our actions and our thoughts while giving advice on everything!
    It's our ego!
    This incessant stream of comments blocks our real feelings and intuition.
    The book suggests first of all becoming aware of this voice, and then trying to silence it, to hear our real inner voice.

    For weeks I have been very lonely on this trail. My real inner voice has been wanting a holiday. Not just a break, but a return to Europe, a deep longing to touch and be touched, to see my loved ones, my bed, healthy food.

    Today, I lay down on the path for hours to feel inside me.
    And I made a decision.
    I am going to end my hike, here and now, descend to the next town, see if I can visit my friend Lorna in Connecticut and then return to Germany.
    I will return another time to hike this incredible trail that has given me so much.

    It is that non-stop chattering voice that has been preventing me from hearing this inner feeling for days now.
    Comments like:
    - "You announced this huge undertaking with fanfares and drums, you can't stop now, what will they think!",
    - "You will never be able to look yourself in the mirror again if you stop!"
    - "Get yourself together and stop letting your feelings interfere with this experience of a lifetime"
    Etc, etc, etc!
    Its that tough, demanding, performance oriented Michael talking.
    Its time for the gentle Michael.

    This trail has been the hike of my life and beats anything I have ever done.
    I have learned sooo much about hiking and about myself.
    I hiked 1.200 km through mountainous terrain under incredible heat and water conditions, living in my tent and carrying my food. At the same time I climbed a total of 30.526 m altitude in 50 days.
    This "old Toppie" (afrikaans for old man) is tired.

    But far more important I learnt to take myself as I am, no longer with the energy and recovery of a 30year old, listening to my body when to stop, being kind to myself, and in particular learning that I do not need to continue just because my inner commentator says I must.
    Not being the hero who "completed the whole PCT" has let me understand that I do not need to compare myself to others and the expectations of others, also not with the expectation in myself!
    "HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE" they say,

    Thank you Pacific Crest Trail, we will see each other again.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Once again my whole life in a bag
    Last water for the next 15kms"Camel tanking" (drinking a lot at the water source before leaving)Trying my best to take a coffee break in a dream location. Impossible! Flies, flies, mosquitos

    Big flies, small flies, very small flies

    6 de julho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Well! There are big flies, small flies, very small flies and mosquitos and they fly around their forest all day drinking and eating (I dont know what).
    And then along comes Michael!
    The fly siren goes off and they all fly to the place where he is to jointly suck him dry.
    Now, I simply don't understand how word can get around so quickly in "fly land", and why they all need my blood when they have been happy drinking and eating other things for ages!
    I try to put myself in their bodies and minds.
    Yes I also eat and drink my normal food everyday, until I spot a bag of "Gummi Bears", then I cannot help eating them in one session!
    But at least I eat them quickly so they don't suffer.
    I don't suck them dry slowly, causing great suffering like the flies with my blood!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Don from Portland
    Last photographThe imense Columbia riverBridge of the GodsA short encounter with "Boon" from KansasLuscious green forestsTent site next to a guy from germanyMy neighbour

    Breakfast with Don

    5 de julho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Don , whom I met last in Idlewild at breakfast, lives in Portland. This morning he drive out for us to have breakfast together. He is cook for a caterer and will enter retirement next year. We talked about trails and dreams and then he drove me to the trail, a last photograph and I crossed the Bridge of the Gods into Washington an up the first mountain.
    The same age old high trees, only this time they were not burnt! A forest jungle with streams and lakes awaited me.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Saying farewell to my South African friends Graham (podcast) from Durban on right
    A long frustrating wait for the first lift this morning04.July fireworks at cascade locksThere comes my wonderful "cho-cho train" 30m from my tent who kept me awake all nightMy home in a bagMorning coffee

    Decision to hike Washington in July

    4 de julho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Usually one ends the PCT at the Canadian border after having hiked through Washington state in late september when it is raining and starts to snow again. I was told that Washington is most beautiful in July.
    The ever rising temperatures of the last days let me spontaneously decide to Jump ahead to Portland to hike from there.
    Yesterday I said goodbye to my two buddies from South Africa whom I met at Burney, and this morning I stuck out my thumb. Rather problematic on 04.July when all cars are full with families!
    My third lift, however, was an adventure I will never forget! A 22 year old guy recently released from the US-Navy because he had received a 600 volt shock while repairing equipment on a ship and was "never the same again", stopped and offered me a lift. But I didn't notice all this when he stopped. When I got into his ancient toyota pick-up, I noticed that on my side there was no seat belt. Then he explained that the rear tyres of the car were bigger then the front causing strange behaviour of the car in certain situations. Then I noticed that the shock absorbers were totally destroyed resulting in the car constantly swinging to-and-fro-fro. This was especially exciting each time he entered a curve at 130 kph giving the feeling that there was absolutely no control of the car.
    I considered asking him to stop and let me out but then decided to put my life in the hands of my angel, and by god did he do a good job!
    But far more moving, was the state of this poor young man. When I asked him where he was going, he answered "I dont know, I'm just driving". He had driven from the north to the south through the desert and was now driving north again on the N5. He had no home and was receiving a pension/damages from the Navy of
    USD 1.200,- per month. In USA that is a joke of a sum. This Navy had used him and then dropped him without a home, without a perspective, and without psychological help after having destroyed his mind.
    I was deeply moved and angry!

    But, I am now actually still alive in "Cascade Locks" and will cross the "Bridge of the Gods" tomorrow into Washington state to walk the last 813 km to the border.
    My tent is camped on the Oregon side of the river 30m from a rail line and every ten minutes one of those 3km long freight trains comes past at 50kph.
    To improve things further, Washington, on the other side of the river, also has a train! And the two have perfectly synchronized themselves with Oregon so that hikers don't have to suffer because of too much silence.

     Now thats a good start to this next section!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Up and away at sunrise to get the cool hours
    Water tank filled regularly by a trail angel., then no water for 20km'sMy shirt, a salt mine!Sleeping together with 60 other hikers in a Gymnasium of the church.

    Hot, hotter, and hotter still

    1 de julho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The days are getting hotter and hotter, today 38deg C and no wind! With the afternoon path leading over a black lava field. I drank more than 5 liters and didn't pee all day. All the water is exiting through my lungs or skin. I can't carry more nor can I drink more. It's a real problem.

    In Burney, a one street town, I found lodging in a church with 60 other hikers. It is 04.July weekend and motel prices are "through the roof"    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    A Ground squiril wondering what smells so bad here!
    1Just getting ready to suck my bloodIn the end I gathered my last energy and set tentSo dirty and sticky that I don't want to touch anything. But only one liter of water left.The sun disappears, maybe tomorrow is a better day!

    Today is one of those days!

    30 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS!
    - Where it is incredibly hot and moist,
    - Where every horse fly in the country has come to the "suck Mike dry" festival and liters of my valuable life blood are being "stolen".
    - Where the next water source is 30km away,
    - Where I sweat so much that you could take scraper to get the salt off.
    - Where I am so dirty and stink so much that I dont want to touch anything and simply want to run away.
    - Where I am so tired that I dont even have the energy to set up my tent and prepare the night.
    - Where I walk 30km and am so exhausted that I dont make it to the next water source, not only for drinking, but to wash off the disgusting salt.
    - Where I am so sticky that I am horrified to get into my liner and sleeping bag, but Where I know that the temperature at night will drop to 4 degrees.

    TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS!
    And I am so thirsty!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    My world packed in a bad. Ready to leave
    Sunshine on the water of my beloved lmountain lakeA totem to prevent such a terrible fire again3 meter wide stump. Nothing left of the.monstrous tree of the past1Mount lassen volcanoA couple come riding pastNote the guns! She on the left, he on the rightClothes rinced, body clean, now time for a coffee on a log in the riverFiltering.my waterThankyou beautiful river for the resting placeMy camp tonightDinner the roman style (lying down)View from my tent, the night is here!

    A day of self reflection

    29 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    As I walked today, I listened to the book " Krankheit als weg" by Thorwald Detlefsen or " The healing power of illness: understanding what your symptoms are telling you."
    I read this book when I was 28 and thought I had understood it. Hearing it now is like an epiphany! The first part of the book is about universal laws, and as I listen, I go from one amazement to the next as things I feel suddenly make sense. In the second half, about sickness and what it wants to tell us, I dont stop being amazed when I look at the health topics that accompany me. I
    n the second book, "Poly Secure" by Jessica Fern, about relationship patterns and how they affect our adulthood, I recognise myself again and again , and when I then see certain topics appearing in both books, it knocks me out.
    This is a day of deep reflection of who I am and how I am.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Breakfast with mosquito accompanyment
    Dead silence in a dead forestVery quickly fungi start to work on the deadline woodThis tree was 3 meters wide, burnt down to the roofsHanging on a treeNofretete shaking her head in sadnessAnother huge tree"Trail magic" on another level. Nature had kindly built a natural bridge across this riverAnother wonderful bridgeSnow fields still covering the pathAgain a deer.!My house on the lake!Snow on the opposite shoreAfternoon paradise

    Burnt forests and pristine lakes

    28 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    While everyone left camp already at 6am to be able to cross the 35km of park in one day, I took a different pace and listened to my soul ending up setting camp at 5:00 already next to the most pristine mountain lake at 1900m !
    That is the earliest I have ever done!
    It was a dream. I was all by myself. The afternoon sun shone while I swam and rinced three days of salt from my clothes, Then I sat in the sun on the shore reading my Kindle till I could no more and fell asleep! All I could hear were birds and a pair of ducks.
    Paradise on earth!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Left: Uffe from Denemark, right "Money bag" USA
    Gigantic trees burntDead quiet, in a dead forest"Money Bag"UffeLook who popped up for a chat with me. We talked for about 2 minutesAnd shortly afterwards, a ground squrrilThe youth comes roaring by. I often wonder if they see the beauty?Tent site amidst millions of mosquitos

    Joy and sadness on the same page

    27 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    For the first time today, I met someone older than 45 !
    Two hikers "Uffe" from Danemark and David, "Money bags" USA, both 55 years old.
    We walked together for most of the day, stopping for breaks and conversation. What a nice change.
    But today was a difficult day, I haven't walked for 8 days now and noticed that my fitness had dropped massively. At some stage, I stopped trying to keep up with them and reverted back to my speed, which I know is good for my joints.
    We walked most of the day through burnt forests. In 2020 an electrical cable of the electricity company PG&E had short circuited starting a fire that destroyed
    1 million acres of virgin forest and burnt for three months advancing 10kms each day.. A local with whom I talked said that the tall 50m high and 2 meter wide trees had burnt like torches for weeks.
    This makes my heart cry!
    As I walked through the dead silence, deep sadness took hold of me.
    But I also realised that there is a certain beauty to a burnt forest.
    20 hikers spent the night on the edge of the mount lassen national national park trying to evade the rule of having to carry a rather heavy bear canister in the park to protect tje bears from our food. They intended crossing the whole park the next day.
    The location was great, a breeding site for millions of mosquitos (I am not exaggerating here). I fled into my tent.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Kannedy meadows, "Trip" as the hunchback of Notre Dame, drying his sleeping bag
    How on earth are we going to close thos boot with 5 big rucksacks inside?Barren desertThe Sierra chain becomes visibleMountains between 3000m and 4400mTrail angel Mike in chesterBear totem

    Arrived in Chester, a new chapter begins

    25 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We drove 8 hours yesterday.
    Ellen "Wayfinder" (driver) is an experienced hiker and has done the PCT , or parts of it several times.
    As we drove through a landscape changing from desert to verdant green forests it became clear that a totally different trail is waiting for us in northern California, Oregon and Washington.
    Lakes forests and rivers await us, but also mosquitos, bears and mountain lions. Throughout the drive talk was about how to protect yourself from mosquitos, and how to behave when you meet a bear. Food now has to be packed in a bear canister or "ursack" made of bulletproof kevlar, that a bear cannot open.
    As the stories of encounters with bears and Cougars (mountain lions) weave between the hikers in the car, a feeling of unease grows. How am I going to handle these new challenges and fears?
    I suppose, the same way I met my fear of rattle snakes, "just do it!"

    We are staying at a trail angel called Michael in the "pfauhaus". 7 hikers in a tiny room .
    This morning at dawn I am woken by a concert of birds. Yes, the birds that eat the mosquitos that are going to eat me
    Yea, a totally new trail is bout to begin!!!!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    The Kennedy meadows General store
    The Old folks enjoying the evening sunWhile hikers arrive welcomed by clapping and cheering1

    And then the next miracle fluttered by!

    24 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    The Sierras are under a fast melting thick snow cover causing dangerous walking and raging rivers that are tearing down bridges. Only very few mountaineers are daring the next 700kms.
    The big question has been, "where does one jump forward to, and how?
    Routes are complicated and expensive.
    We sat down as a team and worked out a plan with non-stop travelling by bus for 50 hours with 5 changeovers. And then Elisabeth had the idea to look in Facebook. And there was the next miracle, a hiker lady, Ellen, had rented a car to drive the 1200km from Tehachapie to Chester via Kennedy meadows and was looking for hikers to share.
    Once again, "Trail magic"
    Incredible!
    5 hikers plus rucksacks piled into the cr and off we went, first to the legendary "Kennedy meadows" the portal to the Sierras, where we spent the night.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    1Barbara, 80years and a volcano of energy and positive energy
    Tents everywhereGroup cooking and Mike's saladBreakfastHeiko the comedian going crazy after many beers (and magic mushrooms)1

    And then Barbara came to the rescue

    23 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    When I woke up in the morning after a windy, painful night, I was incapable of moving. Frozen in a deep depression, not able to do anything anymore!
    After lying there for 2 hours, I decided to hitch a ride to the next town, Tehachapie, take some days off and decide whether I am going to give up the trail.
    I was at the end, physically and morally!

    5min. After I put my thumb out, a driver stopped and drove me straight to the center of Tehachapie (50kms out of his way). I got out of the car, and a lady stopped next to me and asked if I needed a place to stay for the night. She knew a trail angel who could take me.
    So we ended up at BARBARA'S HIKER HUT.
    Barbara is 80 years old and has converted the barn of her cider factory into a camp for hikers. A kitchen, bathroom, refrigerator full of food, drinks, and ice cream and her energetic smile and voice brought me back into this world. "The Trail provides" is a mantra of the PCT.
    I stayed for four days and one after the other my friends arrived. We cooked and laughed together, talking and sharing, and I felt carried by the community. The clouds disappeared, and my heart opened again.
    These 4 days were the greatest of the whole trail so far.
    A particular person was Heiko, a born comedian and unfortunately a bit lost in his life. His stories and performance while telling them had us howling with laughter all day!
    Such a wonderful person!    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    1

    Hikertown, my sprit and bones are dead

    19 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Camped on a beautiful tent site overlooking the desert valley. But as always, when you are close to the desert, incredible winds begin at sunset. The result is rattling tent and sand everywhere. At sunrise, I gave up, packed my things while they blew away, and began the 800m drop and 20-mile hike to hikertown with aching knees and hips. By the time I got down, I could hardly walk, so I decided to take the longer road route to hiker Town and catch a lift.
    But the few cars that came passed me by and in agony, I walked the 10 kms on tarmac, which increased pain even more.
    I was finished, demoralised, and in agony.
    In my worst moment I heard the beloved screech of an Eagle, my spiritual animal. He flew low over my head, reminding me that I am not alone.
    WOW!
    I arrived at hiker Town, a crazy place in the middle of the desert.
    There many known faces about to leave and hike through the desert in the night to not have to carry so much water. I waved them goodbye, shocked that several hikers had taken magic mushrooms, some LSD and all others smoking grass.
    This is not my world and I felt very lonely again and went to bed depressed.    Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    The only water source in 20 miles
    Once again, fire scars!Lunch time resting place without flies for the first time in days

    The only spring in 20 miles

    18 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Again a day with only one water source which means carrying large quantities.
    I haven't had enough water to wash for days, so I got undressed on the trail, grabbed my cloth and a one hour washing session began in a 1 l/min. flow rate. Not the best, but by god, did I feel clean! Of course, accompanied by a myriad of horse flies doing their thing.Leia mais

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies

    30km days are eating my bones!

    17 de junho de 2023, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Since yesterday, I have been walking through the land of a million flies, and they all seem to be following me. Tiny ones that specialise on my ears and nostrils, while the bigger ones go for my blood and seem to appear instantaneously as soon as I stop for a break. Killing them by the hundreds is useless, there seem to be hundreds waiting to replace them.
    For days now, I have had to do 30 km days to make it to the next water source, and it is not doing me good. My arthritis night pains are back. No sleep at night combined with 30 km days is even worse!    Leia mais

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