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Bald eagle goes a walking

mai - juillet 2023
  • Michael Spies
For 10 years now I have been dreaming of walking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) from Mexico to Canada. And now this moment has come. On 12.May 2023 I start my walk at the Mexican border with 6 months and 4.200km in front of me.
The eagle flies again En savoir plus
  • Michael Spies

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  • États Unis États Unis
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  • 56empreintes
  • 62jours
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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    In the distance, the mountains I will be climbing next "Big Bear" rangeI slowly descend back into desert drynessMount San Jacinto, where I come fromThis snake had probably eaten a lizard in the hole and couldn't get out anymore when I touched him wAbsolutely gigantic wind farms document; this valley always has windLooking back at San JacintoIncredible wind gusts bowl me over again and again

    25km and 1800m decent

    26 mai 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Today we come off the San Jacinto mountain range down into the desert plain of Palm Springs to then go up the other side into the Big Bear mountains.
    But I am exhausted. The last 4 days have been the most strenuous of my whole life and I need a break. But first we have to descend 1800m and walk 25 km. What initially looks like a three hour hike is actually a 10hour hike in extremely rocky terrain and with a gale force wind whith gusts so strong that I am thrown off the trail twice, thank god in the direction of the mountain. I can hardly walk a straight line. Once again a superlative. I have never experienced such a strong wind. I am sick of superlatives, I want a normal trail again!
    Again, totally exhausted and 10 hours later I arrive at the foot of the mountain hoping to pitch my tent. NO CHANCE! The wind is so strong that my tent would not last 5 minutes. I simply have to get to Cabazon where there is a hotel. The highway is 5 km away. I start walking but am thrown over several times. I am on the verge of tears. Furious, exhausted, sick and tired. Then a car suddenly appears. A toothless Mexican with a warm heart drives me the 15km to the hotel that was recommended to me at 90 dollars a night. At the reception I fall over. 470 USD per night! It is long weekend. I am about to scream!
    Many phone calls later, and 40 taxi kms later I arrived at a motel directly next to the highway (20m) .
    The rest of the night I listened to honking trucks!
    When is this going to end?    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Leaving the highway for the San Bernadino mountains
    The shade structure built by a trail angelSimon from GermanyElisabeth from NetherlandsAndrew from KentuckyLouise from ParisComming down into the river valley.Crossing the river1Happy and satisfied

    Over san Bernadino valley on to Big Bear

    28 mai 2023, États Unis ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    After two dubious nights in a motel directly next to the highway, an UBER brought me back to the trail.
    We had come down from the San Jacinto mountain range, had crossed the San Bernadino valley, and are now walking up the San Bernadino mountains on the other side, heading towards Big bear. While this also leads up to 3.000m, the terrain is not as steep and dangerous and is therefore less stressful.
    After the first hours, I arrived at a small roof construction that a trail Angel had constructed in cooperation with a wind farm to supply shade to hikers. How nice! And even nicer was that I meet several hikers there that I haven't seen for days: Elisabeth, Simon, Louise, and Andrew. What a nice reunion.
    The path leads higher and higher over a mountain and into a valley with a fast flowing river. This will be our first river crossing among many.
    Once, on the other side, I set up camp near the river bank listening to the roaring of the river all night. This is the most beautiful tent site I have experienced so far, and my heart is filled with gratefulness. I am in the middle of god's garden.
    I take a bath in the river, lying down in the raging stream. WOW! WHAT A FEELING!    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Andrew, my savior, operating the thorns out.
    Taking a bath with all clothes onStacy from Darwin, Australia

    A prickly night

    29 mai 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Never a quite moment!
    When I got up last night to have a pee I tripped over a rock and onto a catus. My whole leg full of big thorns and a blood bath. Most of the thorns came out easily but four had broken off and were deeply embedded creating endless pain. The problem is, they dont come out but go deeper and deeper with each movement.
    The next morning, surrounded by hikers, Andrew did "hiker surgery" cutting the holes open with a pocket knife and then going deep inside with very pointed tweezers. Endless time later we had four 1/2 cm thorns out. And I was a sweating wreck miles from nowhere. This was a moment where I seriously considered quitting the trail.
    I was through!
    All this hardship, freezing nights and now this! I had had enough.
    These are the moments where it is so beautiful to have buddies around.
    I carried on!
    We spent the whole day hiking up a river valley, criss crossing the stream. At first I took my shoes off and then reaching the third crossing just walked through. 14 crossings followed! Ever seen feet that have been walking all day in soaked shoes and socks??????    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    This is not grass but an insect
    Burnt slopesAndrew with me at Mission creekA stream in paradise, just right to take a bathThese guys love blocking the way!

    Up, up, up to mission creek

    30 mai 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    And up up up we climb back to 2700m and Mission creek. A beautiful site with a spring coming out of a cave.
    A one moment 14 hikers were there, but then decided to hike on. Among them, one called "Trip" a crazy young guy hiking with his girl friend. He took his flute to the spring and played to the water. Hearing this sound drifting through the trees and mountains touched me deeply.
    Such magical moments.
    My body was still battling with my cactus wounds and I decided to call an early stop.    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    A group of czechs taking down their tents
    Magic morning light1Freezing but happy

    Ice cold and beautiful

    31 mai 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    Last night, as the sun wend down an ice cold fog came down the slopes dropping temps to just above zero. These temperatures followed us the next day. Once again I froze all night and decided that the time has come to get another sleeping bag which I shall order when we get to big bear.
    The other side of ice cold air is that it is totally clear making for beautiful landscapes.    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Walking at sun rise to make it to breakfast by 9 in Big Bear
    Happy breakfast in a tiny hiker joint packed to the rimBlue berry pancake, as much as you can eat3"North pole fudge and Ice cream company", a death trap of sugar. Like Roald Dahl's Grubber store o1Death by sugar!

    Big Bear Lake at last, and a warm bed

    1 juin 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Most hikers went all the way to Big Bear, I decided to spend the night on a hill overlooking the lake 10km before town. The late afternoon sun shone down on me as I cooked my "Pad Thai" camping meal and I felt at peace with myself and the world in the middle of this incredible nature.
    The next morning I started walking at 05:30 to make it to Big Bear by 09:30 when several hikers planned to meet for breakfast. I made it!
    A joyous round followed with bacon and eggs and blue berry pan cakes interspaced with as much coffee as we could drink while everyone chatted about their lives and trail.
    Life is great!
    The post office followed to pick up my new, slightly larger shoes. Maybe my blisters will now stop.
    Then something terrible happened, I discovered the "North pole fudge and ice cream company". I entered and was hardly able to exit again, but I made it, with a monstrous ice cream and about 2 kg of jelly bears.    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Back into the dry prickly country!The brother of the cactus I fell into a few days agoTrees blocking the trail everywhereTime for a lunchtime breakThe view from where I am lyingThousands of purple flowers along the pathTwo trees in love, intertwined and connectedHiking along a ridge with view on Bigbear lakeTent site tonight

    Everyone is gone, and I am at Kenney's

    3 juin 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Everyone left again yesterday, I decided to stay another night and moved to the house of a trail angel Kenny, to have time to write this blog and order a new sleeping bag.
    Kenny Anderson is a crazy guy. He seems to be a well known country singer (Duke Anderson band) , has this large house stuffed to the rim with "things" and which seems to not have been cleaned since his divorce 4 years ago. Every day approx 10 hikers stay here. It is chaos and mess, but with a HUGE HEART!
    Went and had dinner with him alone last night (He is my age) and I got a wonderful insight into a typical American country life.
    This morning, a huge breakfast and then back to trail. 5-7 days of walking waiting for me!
    Back into the prickly country!    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    This rattle snake meant serious business with me. Ready to strike!Mary Joe from Sacremento, finally someone to talk toThe second rattle snake of the dayIncredible views as we follow the mountain stream, lower and lower

    Wow, what a day of extremes

    4 juin 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Today was a day of extremes!
    I woke up in the morning feeling depressed and extremely lonely. The evening before with three hikers had depressed me. Converstion was hollow and meaningless, and I noticed this is not my world nor generation, and makes me feel even more alone than I already am. The age group on trail is between 20-30 years old. They are at the beginning of their lives with little life experience. I am yearning to meet people closer to my age and life experience, and I am yearning to meet someone who walks my pace with whom I can share the beauty of this trail.
    Beauty is twice as beautiful when you can share it with someone.
    I gathered together my energy, buried my sorrow, and set off walking to be met by the most unbelievable flowers on trail to remind me that beauty is all around.
    Then suddenly there was loud rustling in a bush next to me as I passed. I jumped forward instinctively and turned around. There was a huge black rattle snake, wound up like a spring, 1/3 of his body in the air ready to strike. I showed the photographs to a local who confirmed that this snake meant business and that I was extremely lucky.
    Later on in the day, I stepped past a large boulder and again saw a rattle snake in the corner of my eye, curled up. I agai lept 3 meters, but this one was fast asleep and didn't react at all. As I walk, I am constantly on alert for their rattle and checking the path ahead. And yet, one does not see them till the last moment. And if they don't rattle? What to do then?
    And then in the afternoon, as if organized by my angel, a 49 year old lady from sacraments called Mary Joe. A homeopath, according to Hanamann, two grown-up daughters, and just came out of breast cancer. And miracle, she walks more or less at my pace! We had incredible discussions all afternoon and evening about life, children, sickness, and a million other topics.
    The evening, we set camp next to a mountain stream with the roaring of water and the sound of frogs while we each cooked our meals.
    What a beautiful day!    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Bear tracks of a black bear next to my tentAnd suddenly this naked hiker with ring through his penis comes by, I didn't believe my eyes!The bear on the wall at Joshua innThe Joshua Inn stories teamJoshua Inn

    Gone as quickly as she apeared!

    5 juin 2023, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    I woke up at 5 in the morning to hear Mary-Joe packing her tent and came out just as she was leaving!. Oh shit I thought.
    It was a strange farewell, a short "see you" and she was gone.
    Once again, I was alone!
    I just don't understand the hurry that people are in. Just because of this target to reach Canada this year people are in an incredible stress, setting mileage targets for each day and having no time to taste the beauty of the landscape we are walking through. I keep on hearing the most horrific stories of young people taking sleeping pills to be able to sleep and taking several Iboprofene each day over long periods to calm the pain they are experiencing in their bones and joints. Isn't that totally insane! All just for the sake of getting to Canada before the snow falls!
    I have.long given up this vision.. When I calculated the trail, I took my 35 km daily average from the camino, a grave mistake!. This trail has nothing to do with the camino. These are rocky, mountain tracks with a lot of climbing, carrying food, and a tent and lots of water. My average is closer to 25km per day. I have given up Canada and will walk as far as I can while enjoying this incredible nature!

    And this morning, after Mary-Jo had left, I went down to the river and just sat there listening to the water. And then I saw the footprints! A black bear had been walking around our tents and down to the water where he had been digging in the sand.
    Now, how nice is that!

    All day, I hiked along the canyon in which the river flowed, criss crossing over bridges to finally arrive at Joshua Inn, a typical pub/sandwich bar at the end of the world, in front, huge pick-up's, inside the weirdest characters I have ever seen drinking, playing billiard and talking tall stories. With my pictures of snakes ready to strike and bear paws next to my tent I dominated the conversation all evening because each had their own snake and bear story to tell!
    By the way, Joshua Inn was KM 505!!!!!!    En savoir plus

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  • Michael SpiesMichael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Radley Troy from Britain, we camped together last night
    And up we go to cross the next mountainsAnd then suddenly Elisabeth from Amsterdam walked by!Poison oak, if you brush past an oil causes serious blisters on the skinNatuee showing off its amazing ability to camoflageThe last km to Mc Donalds, everyone accelerating!Elisabeth virtually jogging the last metersHighway 66 cuts through cajon passAll over Mc Donalds, hikers sleeping on the tables or here two french girls schmoozing each other.Lucky girl!And Elisabeth dives into her second burger!

    Great joy and deep disappointment

    6 juin 2023, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today I had a great day hiking to Cajon pass separating two mountain ranges, hiking partly together with Elisabeth from Amsterdam, who suddenly apeared while I took a rest with two hikers "butterfly" and "caterpillar". What joy to see her again!
    Today the whole trail had one common goal; Mc Donalds at Cajon pass. All energy and talk was focused on this one goal with hikers getting faster and faster in the last kms. Mc Donalds was loaded full of hikers, many whom I had not seen for days. Elisabeth and I entered
    singing the song "Allways look on the brighter side of life" accompanied by the music on Spotify. As we danced in the middle of the restaurant, the people around us joined in the singing. What fun! What joy!
    Among other I was thrilled to see Mary-Jo there, but then totally shocked when she hardly reacted to my greeting, as if I were an unknown person. Two days previously we had been talking for a whole day about her cancer, about death of parents,, children and divorce, the most personal of subjects from the heart, and here was this person now behaving as if she hardly knew me. I was totally confused and hurt and noticed how the topic worked in me all evening. It was nice to have a friend like Elisabeth there to talk to, who like me, had decided not to continue this afternoon up the next mountain (1.200m) amidst an extremely strong, ice cold wind. We walked to the local motel on the highway and split the costs of a room.
    I was amazed that the majority of hikers continued this afternoon under ice cold conditions. again under time stress to make a 30mile (45 km) day!
    Crazy!    En savoir plus

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