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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 Read more
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  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 9

    Pain

    May 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    As my PCT came nearer my greatet fear was that my arthritis of the joints, right knee and left hip would prevent me from walking.
    Already 10 years ago Margot encouraged me to not give up on my knees and do regular low impact sport. This worked well and as long as I move regularly, things are more or less OK.
    Well! The only sports of the last 7 months has been sitting in our SPRINTER as we drove through Arabia. This only aggravated my hip which joined the arthritis club just before we left.
    The first days of the PCT were hell! While the joints did well during the day, at night they "came back to roost" keeping me awake all night. But now, as I walk, both hip and knee are getting better and better, despite the heavy pack and long distances.
    At night I sometimes have to move the joints to relieve the pain.
    BUT I AM WALKING!
    Also the pain in my back from carrying the pack has disappeared as my back has become stronger and stronger.
    Arn't our bodies something incredible!
    Thank you dear body, my best buddy.    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 10

    And on to Barrel Spring

    May 18, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today walking led through extremely dry territory in a glaring sun that had no mercy. The worst was that nowhere was shade. The tiny bushes on steep slopes offered no respite from the incredible sun that shone on us from 06 in the morning till 07 at night. This is for me the worst thing about this hike, not being able to escape from the sun. We measure temperature in the shade, how do we measure temperature in non-stop sun for 12 hours????
    At around 1pm I found a small shaded "slot" in a curve and disappeared into it for two hours to then continue at three, walking until sunset which brought me into a valley with trees called "Barrel Spring" named after a half-barel with a spring running into it. One after the next the hikers lept into the bereits to cool off and wash. Lets not talk about the hygiene of this!
    I also met Honey Bee from Edinburgh today, a game ranger in the castle park on "leave of absence" to do the PCT. This small girl astounded me. In her pack she had a french coffee maker among numerous other utensils!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 11

    On to "lost valley spring" km190

    May 19, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    This day was walking paradise with the trail taking me across open prairie fields and then ever higher along a stream lined with ancient trees offering shaded walking. After 3pm we came out of the trees and climbed 700m up to lost spring. But the morning had been so cool that the afternoon in the sun was ok to handle. The spring at 1700m, and source of our water was only a trickle. About 5 hikers set up tent as the sun went down on a totally calm evening.
    And then all hell broke loose!
    I had just gone to be at 07pm when a breeze started this getting stronger and stronger till gale force at around 2am blowing fine sand into my tent. And then it happened, at first "honey bee's tent collapsed, shortly after mine followed with my main tent peg, that had been hammered into rock hard ground, shooting out of the ground like a bullet and hitting the guy behind me who had just started packing his things. Total chaos broke loose with me trying to gather my things, get them into my rucksack and then start walking with headlight at 3am in the morning. I hadn't slept all night, and what followed was a 30km day in searing heat without shade.
    A total nightmare!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    1
    Day 12

    Nightmare night followed by daymare day

    May 20, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    At 2am the wind ripped my tent out of the ground with me simply holding on to everything I possessed and somehow getting it into my rucksack. The only option was to start walking, with a headlight, which I did. As soon as we started walking the wind dropped! BASTARD!
    A beautiful sunrise followed. And then the sun hit us! By 9am the had heat set in without the slightest possibility to hide all day, on top, no water along the route. It was hell.
    At 5pm I arrived at "Tule spring" the only water source of the day, reddish water in a reddish brown trickle with a silvery shine on the surface. We had no choice, the next water was 16km away.
    As I left, Scott, whose trail name is "trip" for good reasons, asked me why I was not using my sun umbrella and showed me how to mount it. The effect was incredible with I lowering the temp underneath significantly. I walked another 3 km's before finding a calm place for my tent after a gruelling day!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 13

    Hikers cafe, civilization at last, km244

    May 21, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    The alarm rang at 04:45, by 05:30 I was walking. As soon as the sun came up my magic umbrella went up and turned the next 20kms and 760m climb into relatively good walking.
    The incredible sun could no longer get at me and I stayed sane.
    And then comming down, I could see the "hikers cafe", and from a distance of 3 km's feel the ice cold beer going down my gullet and the juicy Hamburger between my teeth. My phantasy flourished and reality did not dissappoint!
    Feeling like a king after the second ice cold beer I decided to take my first "ZERO" day to wash my body, wash my clothes, and sleep in a soft bed. A trail Angel drove me up to Idlewild to a cute lodge where I now write these words. Tonight I will sleep, and how!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 13

    When the world passes you by

    May 21, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Its great passing by others, you have things under your control, how fast you go by and who you talk with.
    But my reality is different, the world passes me by, constantly!
    These young kids, and the occasional older one, who make up 90% of the hikers all seem to be walking twice as fast as me. It feels like standing on the roadside watching the cars go by.
    THAT IS DEPRESSING!
    Constantly I am reminded of my age, but worse still it is impossible to take up contact with any one, because you never get beyond saying "hi, where do you come from?" And then they are gone!
    That is sad and makes me lonely!
    But yesterday I noticed that some young kids have the same problem. I met "purple". Purple had just walked 50km in one day and when he arrived at "Tule spring" in the afternoon, and was still bouncing like a young springbok. His speed fascinated me and simultaneously angered me because it showed me once again how slow I am. In the discussion that followed he confided that he is lonely because his speed prevents him from ever getting beyond the" hi how are you? where do you come from?"
    Now! That's a new view on the problem!!!!!
    Another lady I spoke with, mentioned: "the trail teaches you to stop comparing yourself to others".
    When will I stop comparing myself to those racing by, and just do my thing? And simply trust that at some stage someone will appear who walks just as fast as me?    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    1
    Day 14

    Idlewild and up, up, up we go

    May 22, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    In Idlewild, I found lodging in the cutest of small lodges, with a bathtub into which I sank immediately, not before taking a shower however, because I was black with grime. Even after showering the following bath ended up leaving black rims of dirt. I dont think I have ever been so dirty!
    In exhaustion I fell into bed and slept like an angel.
    The next morning I met Elisabeth from Holland and Don from Portland and had a wonderful Hiker breakfast together. They were both staying on for a second night, I decided to get a ride back to the trail despite the thunderstorm that was brewing. And so it was, one hour in, all hell broke loose. I opened my umbrella and just stood still watching the rain and streams becoming rivers within minutes.
    An hour later the air cleared and I continued climbing up the 700m in a good flow of energy.
    The night was different, a gale force wind developed and temperatures dropped real low. I froze and listened to the tent rattling all night while I mused on how stupid I was not to have stayed another night in Idlewild!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    1
    Day 15

    Higher and higher, San Jacinto mountains

    May 23, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Throughout the day I climbed up, then down and then up again. This is a typical PCT Trail which is connecting together various existing trails in various naure reserves and state parks. The result is that you weave around mountains, through valleys and over peaks walking many kms and altitude meters.
    The whole region I walked through must have been victim to a huge fire several years ago, because whole slopes were covered with the burnt stubs of trees and bushes. A sad sight, but also how nature functions with many pine trees only sowing their seeds when fire comes. But when I stop and count the rings of a fallen tree, I notice that the first 50 years the rings were wide indicating good growth and water, then they became narrower and narrower, indicating less water. It seems this region is getting dryer and dryer which might also be the region why the fire could do such vast damage.
    In the afternoon the ice cold wind picked up again, but this time I knew what was needed and luckily found a site embedded among low bushes that prevented the wind from getting at the tent. None the less temps dropped below zero, and despite me wearing all the clothes I possessed I froze bitterly.
    A short video at night records the howling wind over my head.
    To bring light into my life, I opened the "emergency ration" which Andy and Elke Hoyler had given me in Saudi Arabia, before I left for the PCT. What a delight in the howling cold.
    Thank you you two!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 16

    2900m, just under the San Jacinto peak

    May 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    As I get closer to 3000m, the slopes get steeper and wilder, and snow fields start covering the already stony and difficult trail and making navigation really hard.
    It starts getting dark and really cold and I am desperate. I take the only free space on a slope for my tent and make a row of large rocks to prevent me from sliding down the slope.
    Another really cold night at -5degrees without sleep!    Read more

  • Michael SpiesBald eagle goes a walking
    Day 17

    Snow fields and lost orientation

    May 25, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    In the mean time I am walking in snow the whole time, on extremely steep, slippery slopes, wet cold feet, and constantly loosing the trail. I am exhausted and a state of panic is rising up in me. I am alone and if I slip here there is no stopping and no one to help me. Again and again I loose the trail and suddenly find myself 50m above or below it and have to battle over fallen trees, huge boulders or wet slippery snow to regain the right location.
    Suddenly I realise that I am seeing the same boulders and trees I saw 10 minutes ago. Oh my god! I am walking in circles! I try to sort myself and notice that the gps is doing the opposite to what it should. I reboot my phone and notice that it is doing an update. But the problem doesn't change. Then suddenly I realise, I have mistakenly crossed over a ridge, this explains why everything is the opposite.
    I am on the verge of panic.
    Then Phillippe and Yu-huan, call to me from 50m away. They are also lost. Together we orientate ourselves and walk together for the rest of the afternoon.
    Yu-huan slips and shoots down the slope to be caught by a tree. We are all exhausted and decide that we must stop.
    At the next free piece of ground we pitch camp. Me again with rocks to not slide down the slope.
    Another Ice cold night follows. This has been the most strenuous day of my life.    Read more

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