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

    Hot, hotter, and hotter still

    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
    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
    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
    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
    "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

  • Trip end
    July 9, 2023
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