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Bald eagle goes a walking
  • Michael Spies

Bald eagle goes a walking

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 Leggi altro
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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!!!!!!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 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!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    "Buttrfly" and "Catterpillar" gleaming their joy into the world
    This man with a t week old baby was rocking it gently while humming to itThis water cache was supposed to hold water but all bottles were empty.But the mice had chopped up all lables on the bottles to make a nest for their babiesBeautiful humming bird approaching a flower

    A day of colours and wonders

    7 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    This morning as I returned to the trail I again passed Mc Donalds and decided to pop in for a coffee and there were once again "Butterfly" and "catterpillar" having breakfast. There joy of life and smiles followed me all day. And by god did I need it. Today was 30km and 1800m altitude climb. I hiked from 08:30 till 20:00hrs with only a short break! And the whole time it went only one direction; UP!
    But the weather was cool and the trail full of flowers and other beautiful surprises. Such as the photograph of the humming bird. These tiny 4cm long birds fly so fast from flower to flower that I have never managed to photograph one.
    Opposite us at Mc Donald's, I witnessed a very moving image: a man whose neck was as wide as the upper part of my thigh was holding this maybe 2 week old baby and rocking to-and-fro humming to it. It was so loving and gentle that I nearly cried.
    And then there were the incredible views from 2800m into the valleys as the sun set that once again reminded me how beautiful this world is.
    How privileged I am.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies

    SOS = slower, older, smarter

    7 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌙 5 °C

    Today I found this on Facebook. It fits my trail perfectly. (Unfortunately in German)

    Ein A380 ist auf dem Weg über den Atlantik. Er fliegt gleichbleibend mit 800 km/h in 30.000 Fuß Höhe, als plötzlich ein Eurofighter mit Tempo Mach 2 auftaucht. Der Pilot des Kampfjets bremst ab, fliegt neben dem Airbus her und grüßt den Piloten des Passagierflugzeugs per Funk: „Langweiliger Flug, was? Dann pass mal auf!“
    Er rollt seinen Jet auf den Rücken, beschleunigt, durchbricht die Schallmauer, steigt rasant in eine schwindelerregende Höhe, nur um gleich darauf in einem atemberaubenden Sturzflug fast bis hinunter auf Meereshöhe zu stürzen. Mit einem Looping kehrt er neben den A380 zurück und fragt: „Na, wie war das?“

    Der Pilot des Airbus antwortet: „Sehr beeindruckend. Aber jetzt schau du mal her!“

    Der Jetpilot beobachtet die Passagiermaschine, aber es passiert nichts. Sie fliegt weiter stur geradeaus, mit immer gleichem Tempo. Nach fünf Minuten meldet sich der A380-Pilot per Funk: „Na, was sagst Du jetzt!?“

    Der Jetpilot fragt irritiert: „Was hast du denn gemacht?“ Der andere lacht und sagt: „Ich bin aufgestanden, habe mir die Beine vertreten, bin nach hinten auf die Toilette gegangen, dann habe ich mir einen Kaffee und eine Zimtschnecke geholt und mich für die nächsten drei Nächte mit der Stewardess verabredet – in einem 5-Sterne-Hotel, das von meinem Arbeitgeber bezahlt wird.“

    Die Moral der Geschichte ist:

    Wenn du jung bist, scheinen Geschwindigkeit und Adrenalin etwas tolles zu sein. Aber wenn du älter und klüger wirst, sind Bequemlichkeit und Ruhe auch nicht zu verachten.

    Man nennt das S.O.S.: slower, older, smarter.

    Gewidmet allen meinen Freunden, die sich wie ich dem S.O.S. nähern... 😉    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    The rising sun shines straight into my tent
    1To stop the ice cold mountain wind from entering my tent I blocked the flow with tree stumpsA shrine for Jodie and Jrry who left their lives on this trailSalad at lastWrightwood, a "one road town"Old friends suddenly pop up in the streets. Phillippe and Yu-Husuan

    What an incredible morning!

    8 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    I woke up this morning in paradise in 2800m as the sun came up and shone straight into my tent. I was filled with this incredible awe when you meet god! There he was just lighting me and my life up, in the valley below the fog, up here yellow light among the ancient fir trees.
    I packed together and started walking 1800m steep down to Wrightwood and came across a little shrine. Two hikers had hiked down the wrong path in a snowy environment like we had on Fuller ridge in the Jacintos. They slipped and stopped 150m further, dead! Yes, death is allways very close on this trail, a split second and you are gone. It is very easy. I am very aware of this. The shrine made me relish my life even more, every second.
    As I approached Wrightwood I came past acorn cabins belonging to Mandy a wonderful trail angel from Australia. The cabins were full so I slept on the deck together with 10 other hikers. Again I astounded at how these trail angels are helping us.
    The first thing I did in Wrightwood was go to restaurant that serves salad. I am starved of salad and vegetables!
    Then I discovered that the sleeping bag and New rucksack I had ordered to the post office had either not arrived or were the wrong size. Pure frustration! And the companies delivering had no understanding for my situation. I sent everything back and xanxelled the remaining order.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Mandy and Elisabeth
    Mandy's Australian monster who schmoozes with her like a catAndie Mc-Donald from VancouverMandy with daughterOnly 2200 miles still1Boy scouts from Los AngelesThe desert down below

    And off we go to Mount Baden Powell

    10 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I spent two days at trail angel Mandy sleeping last night with 15 persons on her deck outside. It felt like sardines in a tin!
    Had lunch yesterday with Andie Mc-Donald, a lady from Vancouver who works for a luxury lodge called "Nimmo Bay wilderness resort" (see google maps) in the fjords north of vancouver where visitors pay USD 2000,- per night! It is for the richest of the rich. She leads them on Orca and Grizzly observation trips by sea kayak. She will not be returning there but plans to do the same work with handicapped children. We spoke for hours on all topics imaginable. Such conversations are like tanking up my batteries!
    Today we are heading back to trail and will tent half way up mount Baden Powell, a 2000m climb followed by 4 days of walking along a ridge. Snow will once again be my companion.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Waking up at 1800m
    And then the snow line. Now walking became difficultOn top at last!CurtCrossing the path again and again, a 4m snow driftAnd then the fog came over the ridge.Once burnt forests everywhere

    Mt. Baden Powell,

    11 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    We camped at 1800m, getting up early to catch the snow while it was still har.
    In Wrightwood everyone had been discussing the snow, the lack of a path and the extreme steepness of the climb. Somehow we did it, and felt "that's it for the day"!
    The anti climax followed, another 25km, numerous ridges, climbs and drops which just went on for ever!
    To make matters worse, the whole region had burnt recently and fog appeared, creating a weird atmosphere.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    The first plant after a fire is the Poisonous "Poodle dog bush""Narwalter" a 30kg rucksack full of Apnoea equipmentHiking on the road, old Camuno feelingsNew hope!Bark healing around the edgesThese two lizards seemed mesmerized by the cello music of Chopin that I was playing1Nothing like a hot chocolate before going to bed

    A day walking through burnt forest

    12 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Yesterdays fog became thicker and thicker until we could no longer see the trail. I pitched tent next to a closed road. The air was so moist that water was running down the tent inside as outside. Everything was wet!
    The next morning it cleared up and i put everything out to dry in the first sun. Hardly had the sun come out, when the fog rose from the valley engulfing us again. I gave up, packed and started walking. That's when I met "Narwal" with a special story. I saw his huge rucksack weighing 30kg and more than wondered. He told me he had Apnoea (stops breathing at night) and carries a machine + batteries to keep hin breathing. He had been in Irak in 2003 after the oil wells burnt. The poisonous gasses reduced his lung capacity by half. Since then he has apnoea. How corrageous to be doing the PCT!
    A huge region of indigenous forest had burnt and I decided to walk a part on the road. This accelerated my speed from 2kph to around 5kph, such is the difference between trail and road. I felt as if on the Camino again and quickly walked 30kms in total FLOW along and through burnt forest. As I walked I imagined how the flames engulfed the trees, each burning like a torch and lighting the next one. As I walked I listened to the music of Hania Rani a young polish pianist, the violin, cello and piano, fitted perfectly to my inner pictures of this fire.
    (see Hania Rani, "There will be hope" on the recording "Inner symphonies" )
    But I also saw traces of hope. Flowers had started to flower, the bark of some trees had healed on the edges to burnt areas and some trees had new needles in the crest. Nature is a miracle, even after a catastrophe. AGAIN Hania's music accompanied these feelings. (See "Malasana" on the same recording)
    I arrived at my daily target really early, set up tent and enjoyed an early dinner and hot chocolate! Mmmmm!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies

    How can energy vary so dramatically?

    13 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    While yesterday was pure FLOW, today was the contrast program, I had zero energy!
    Every step was an effort!
    I dragged myself up the mountains, incapable of seeing the beauty, my thoughts focused on all the difficulty. What is worse?
    The bushes growing into the path forcing me to step off the trail and slide down the steep slopes, or the hundreds of bugs that jump on me every time I brush past a bush, preferably they then climb down my back and start biting, or are the trees lying across the path worse? Too high to climb over, too low to climb under and too wide to go round, or is it the 100 flies accompanying me around my head as I walk, of which some manage to land on my skin and immediately sink their proboscis into my skin to suck my blood..
    And then there are those tiny flies that have one objective in life, to fly up my nose or even better into my ears to then not find their way out and buzz around for minutes and there is nothing you can do.
    Today was one of those days where everything is terrible and no beauty gets through.
    But tomorrow will be another day!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    1Time for breakfastThis guy looks tiredOne of the holes left by horse flies

    33kms, 800m up, 1500m down

    14 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    What an extreme day!
    I wanted to get to ACTON at all cost to pick up parcels I had sent to the post office there. The trail just did not want to end, another loop, another climb, and every now and then I could see the camp site in the distance.
    But the day was definitely too much, and pain racked me all night.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    How much ammunition would you like to have? Just take it from the counter
    Deco from the last western

    ACTON, 730km, 22.000m

    15 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    A good feeling got me this morning:
    I am now walking a little more than one month (36 days) and have walked 730km. In that time , I climbed and descended 22.000 meters!!!!!!
    Now, how's that for a 65 Year old "Toppie"?

    Acton, like the whole area, is in the backlands of los angeles and completely dominated by the film industry. The trail angel who took us to Acton is a sound engineer and stopped every few meters to show us the set of virtually every famous film in the last 10 years. An old barn for the final shoot-out of a drug film, the guy making the cars for "fast and furious" or an animal sanctuary for tigers mountain lions and Grizzlies used in films.
    Or the old saloon in a Western. Everything was illusion in film.
    In the supermarket, I watched a customer buy ammunition for his shot gun. How many boxes would you like? No problem, just choose what you need from the counter.    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    Airstream caravans for the filmstars
    Cars for destruction in car chasesHow about a portable church?I've seen similar clay figures all along the trailThis little snake was guarding the only water spring.

    HELP! Im being eaten by a millions flies

    16 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Like Acton and Agua Dulce, this area is where Hollywood makes their films. As I climbed up I passed an area where film requisites are stored, hundreds of hotrods and cars ready for destruction in a car chase, fifty Airstream caravans for the Filmstars on set, and even a small portable church.
    As I walked, suddenly "Max" (from Australia with whom I hiked on my first day) appeared. I hadn't seen him since the then and spent a wonderful break together. Even though he is 29years, we have a special relationship.
    Food for my soul.
    That evening I set up camp along the trail, only to be attacked by millions of small flies. A horror with only one solution, get inside the tent quickly and stay there!    Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies

    30km days are eating my bones!

    17 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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.Leggi altro

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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walkingMichael Spies
    1

    Hikertown, my sprit and bones are dead

    19 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!!!!    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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.    Leggi altro

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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 giugno 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 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!    Leggi altro

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