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Michael Spies
Michael Spies

Michael Spies

traveled in 22 countries Read more🇩🇪Icking
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  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Lac TislitThe two lakesCould this be "Isli" thinking to take the waters of "Tislit"ImilchilThe clasical butchers shopThe "Everything store"Just sitting and watching lifeAlso sitting and watching life☺️This is the sugar quantity with one cup of tea😱Lake "Isli"There she goes again into the ice cold waterShould I really go into that water?Yes, here I go!Three beautiful Barbary girlsBarbary xamp

    The tears that filled two lakes

    October 11 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Once upon a time near Imilchil in the high-Atlas mountains!
    There were two barbary tribes, the Ait Brahim and the Ait Yaaza who battled over water for centuries.
    Then the handsome shepherd "Tilsit" and the beautiful "Islit" fell hopelessly in love. But their tribes forbad them to meet, and so the two fled from their homes into the mountains and cried and cried their sorrow, their tears filling two deep craters until both drowned.
    Their respective tribes were so deeply shocked, that they ended their century long feud and started the "Moussem", a wedding market. Once a year the barberies come down from all over the atlas mountains to meet in Imilchil and approx 60 women choose their husbands to marry on the spot. Several notaries who are present, sign the documents and because everyone knows each other and the whole thing is a party anyway, one saves the costs for a wedding party.

    And so, each night the two lovers exit their lakes and reunite!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    1Scattered remnants of old cedar treesStone oaks deal amazingly well with the arid climateWe wer not able to identify this tree/bushStone oaks with skeletons of cedar treesThis shepard popped up in the early morning looking for a missing sheepTaschine for our invitation to lunchIsmael and his father who invited us for lunchThe Good, the Bad and the ugly. You decide!1An incredible sand storm hit the high atlas for days reducing visibility and planting dust everywher

    "High-Atlas" mountains

    October 10 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Besides the incredible roads, the highlight of this leg was an invitation to lunch by Ismael and his father. While tanking water, Ismael a 15 year old boy approached us wanting to understand each and every detail of our car and trip. Then he askes us if we'd like to eat the Friday prayer lunch with them.
    We sat in their cool mud-brick living room, a flat screen TV running in the background operating from solar panels. Outside, in holding with their tradition the mother stayed in the kitchen while the two men entertained us, the older speaking good french.
    When I asked why she doesn't join us, the answer was very clear: "A woman connot be with the guests, she may only be with our family". This was said with total clarity, yes even a coldness!
    Wow, difficult to accept for us europeans.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Oh no! It's happened again. We forgot to empty the urine tank. One day of cleaning!
    Heading toward our offroad challenge, the canyon1The track drops into the canyon, this is where it gets serious1The "Dare the Canyon" dream teamSteep walls and partially only 2,50m space to get throughThey have no problem with this terrainThe rocks start to get biggerWe stack stones to get through rough spotsThe last floods have brought down rocks we cannot circumvent, no getting throughSo its reverse for several hundred meters and then drive out again"Cirque de Jaffar" Off-road track1A small tasteThe "Cirque de Jaffar" offroad track. Unbelievably beautifulDramatic drops and broken away roadsThe only secure mode of transport hereHigh atlas reaching up to over 4000mThat evening Frank from the "Mocca" truck comes by to congratulate us for trying the canyon.Our reward for trying😃Incredible night spot on the "cirque"

    Toilet fiasco and other terrible things

    October 8 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Oh no!
    It has happened again, the unthinkable! We forgot to empty the urine tank of our toilet and............
    I'll spare you the rest.
    The result is one whole day of cleaning the toilet and the floor. This is about my most favorite work!

    Then followed the the canyon drama.
    The big trucks decided to not even try, but we took the bet, we will get through. So we drove a whole day into the canyon and had to turn back, at some stage the rocks got so big that no stacking of stones before and after them could solve the problem. We first had to reverse hundreds of meters and then turned around needing half a day to get out again.

    But then we were richly rewarded by the "Cirque de Jaffar" one of the most incredible off-road tracks I have ever experienced, advancing into the "High Atlas" to 2500m with the most beautiful place for the night.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    "Joe" our new donkey pet
    Early morning in AzrouBarbary tent offering maroccan tea: 90% sugar, 10%teaSources de l'oum Rabia: The "water rat" has finally found her element again!Luxury toilet for 2 DirhamsSitting on a ledge overlooking the Salty river waiting for our Tachine dinner.1This beautiful river is totally salty!A lone Cedar tree reminding of forests of a time gone by.1Elfi doing what she loves best, swimming😅The water used to be 50m higherSmall oven for baking breadBarbary tent to eat our favourite meal, Tachine

    Donkey visit for breakfast

    October 8 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    The "Source de l'oum Rabia" is a huge irony in this water starved country because the massive waterstream coming out of the mountain is intensly salty!
    But the Tachine we had for dinner in a beautiful barbary tent overhanging the stream was delicious, and Aziz, whose wife did the cooking, attentively refilled our maroccan tea every time it threatened to empty. ❤️

    We then drove on to "lac Aguelmame Zigza" the only natural lake that still has water. That is a shocking fact!
    MANTOCO had last seen the lake in 2014 with a water level 50meters higher than today!
    But also here we had a plesant surprize when a little donkey (let's call him Joe) came by for breakfast.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    The cedre GiraudThe huge Alpha male arrives and the whole troop goes crazyThis little guy is deeply relaxedThis guy watched us a long while, in a moment of distraction he grabbed Elfi's fruit bag.Look at that incredible kiss😍De-fleaing sessionThis de-fleaing lasted about one hour. That is friendship❤️Daddy, mama and babyDaddy looking after babyOh sjit, I ate too much😁Full moon

    Monkey business😍

    October 4 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    These Atlas mountains are home to huge endemic Cedar trees and used to be covered by them. They are also home to troops of Barbary apes. Now only a small zone of trees remains, protected by a national park with at the center, the Cedre Gouraud (a huge dead cedar tree which is revered as a reminder of how things used to be). As we drive through the country, huge 100 year old dead stems sprinkle the landscape, reminding us of how it used to be.
    The dying of these ancient trees has also drasticly reduced the living space of the monkeys putting them on the endangeeed spieces list.
    Near "Azrou" we spent two days with a troop of barbary apes and were deeply moved by how incredibly intelligent , emotional and cute they were.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Harvest time. Sweet potatoes
    Interesting hay transport1Troughs used for stacking and drying red onionsOnions being stacked for dryingOnions everywhereGetting ready for our stroll through Ifrane with subsequent visit of an "Art nouveau" restaurantTjis total luxury amidst the poorest dryest regions, crazyLuscious green parks and ally ways through constant irrigation.

    Luxury Ifrane, and a country in drought

    October 4 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Today was wierd!
    The plan was to pass by a series of large alpine lakes. But not a single one had water, only dust! No water! Not a drop!.
    It was here that we heard that since the 1980 there has been a dramitic decline in rainfall, and that in the last 7 years, virtually no rain has dallen in a region that is normally gifted with water.
    All the more absurd when we arived in "Ifrane", the favourite holiday destination for wealthy maroccan families, home to an elite university and a huge holiday home of the king, guarded by a whole division of the royal maroc army. The whole town a luschious green park with lawns and ally ways of trees. Sprinkler systems irrigating the town all day long.
    And this in a country suffering from dramatic drought!
    And yet, Elfi an I decided to suck up this exclusive atmosphere as a change of scenery to our 4 m² and enjoy a real cappucino, a crispy salad, and a real beer, (all be it alchohol free).
    What a crazy world!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Entrance into the Medina, the old town with hundreds of tiny stores selling everything.
    Local beauty parlorDaughter all done up in red dress strolling proud in heel shoes with her mother.The almost "everything" shopUnfortunately, as in Iran and arabia, rubbish everywhere!What beautiful company🌹

    Sefrou

    October 3 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Spontaneously we deviate from our route to visit "Sefrou" a trading town from the days of of the camel caravans. This town was known for its many different religions and maximum tolerance for strangers. Sinagogues stand next to Moshées, modern stidents next to ladies in Chador hoods and face mask. This tolerance for others would do our world good in these times.Read more

  • 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❤️

    October 2 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Read more

  • 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!

    September 29 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 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😁    Read more

  • 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

    September 27 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 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😁.    Read more

  • 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.

    September 24 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

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

    And off we go, to Tetouan

    September 24 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 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 😁    Read more

  • 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

    September 23 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesEagles fly, deserts call!Michael Spies
    Packed and ready to leave
    Here we go!Short stop over in Velleggio sul Mincio below lago di Garda. With a wonderful dinner next to a riverThe Trebbia riverBeeakfast near PiacenzaPit-stop on the motor cycle route in the Appenin mountains.Waiting to board the ferrySprinti is parked, now two days on board.And off we goWhat a georgeous cabin for two days

    Departure to Genoa

    September 19 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Oh my god, Wie actually managed to leave,
    Unbelievable!
    Until tje last moment technical issues popped up keping us busy up to the last minute.
    But now we are gone and no one is going to stop us!!!

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

    Warming up! Off-road training

    August 16 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 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!    Read more

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

    Eagles need to fly

    August 16 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • 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

    July 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Read more

  • 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

    July 6, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Read more

  • 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

    July 5, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Read more

  • 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

    July 4, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Read more

  • 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

    July 1, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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"    Read more

  • 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!

    June 30, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Read more

  • 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

    June 29, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Read more

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