Hiker hack: Socks

You wouldn't think about it as being an important thing, but today's hiker hack is about socks! I actually have two hiker hacks for you:

First a very personal one. I don't like to single out certain brands, but this is a very good one. The brand is called 'Darn Tough' and they are produced in Vermont, USA. So it's not a thing you find in every store in Germany. But in the Internet you can find them. Why do I like them?

First of all, they really last longer than other socks I had before. And this at a price range, that is OK for hiking socks. They have different colors, materials and shapes. But the other really nice thing, they have a lifetime-guarantee. You wouldn't believe it, but they really give you new socks, if you manage to walk holes in them!!! Of course it's not very economic to replace them, because you will have to send the old socks to the US in order to get new ones, but it already says a lot about their quality. Most people will have those socks for years, with me they usually last some months, which is VERY good! 

My second hiker hack is, to wash your socks regularly, best every day. I take 2 pairs of hiking socks plus a pair of socks to sleep (which I keep dry at all times). So I can always wear one pair and wash the other one. This way my socks don't only last longer, but I also prevent my feet from chaving on build up dirt and dust. Since my feet are important for hiking ;)

If my socks and shoes are already wet, and I want to keep my second pair dry, I stop at a creek, take off my shoes and wash my (already wet) socks. They don't get much wetter but it's nice to wash away all the dirt!

DarnToughs

Paradise

Today I want to tell you about the pleasures of civilization, that you might not even notice anymore: 

a warm shower, a soft and dry bed, warm food, some wine, the use of a washing machine, warm tea within a few minutes by pushing only a button on the kettle, light at night to read a good book, listening to news on the radio, washing your hands with warm water and soap... all these things are even more enjoyable, when you haven't had them for a while!

But now, that the sun is shining again, I'm looking forward to head out again: walk in the sunshine, enjoy the birds singing in the morning, falling asleep tired from the exercise, not having to struggle with technical and organizational things, watching nature blossoming, ...

I'm still waiting for a few things to arrive, but I hope to continue my hike by the end of this week!

Mhhhhmmmm.... living in paradise ;)

Route

It might interest you, to see the route of my hike following the mountains to Nepal. So I added the point 'Route' under the header.

However, it's just a VERY rough idea for the first part of my hike. I have already a gpx track of my route for this summer to Istanbul, following the Carpathians. However, it's not clear if I can follow it as planned, due to corona-restrictions! 

Since I'm not sure what I will do in winter (hiking, working or relaxing), the route through Turkey might be not as direct as I have shown on the picture.

But I want to hike to Georgia and follow the Caucasus mountains the summer of 2022.

Afterwards, it's going to be Iran, but then it really gets tricky and I might not be able to do a continues hike. Since Afghanistan and Pakistan are not a good idea. For a more northern route through the '-stan' countries, I might get visa problems. But I'm not concerned yet. It's still more than 2 years :)

 

Hiker hack: Blisters

Today I want to give you my personal hiker hack about how I deal with blisters.

So far, I haven't had many. Even changing shoes isn't a problem, also because I don't wear heavy boots but flexible trailrunners. And I probably have crocodile skin on my feet from all the walking ;) 

The best way is, to directly put something on (tape or bandade), when you realize, you will get a blister.

At night, take a needle with a thread and push with the needle through the blister. Leave the tread hanging out on both sides. This way, your blister won't close and fill up again. It's like a draining system. Leave the thread in there for a few days. The skin of the blister will dry out, protect the skin underneath and heal. You can pull out the thread a few days later, if it didn't come off anyways. 

You only start getting problems, if you get a new blister under the old one, but that's rather rare.

This was my personal hack, but there are lots of possibilities. Some say, it helps to wear a pair of thin socks under your normal socks, others are a fan of blister-bandades. Some cut them open, although that's really a way of getting them infected... 

I guess you have to try, what works for you!

 

So far blister free :) 

Hiker hack: Solar module

The question is: solar module - yes or no

I decided to buy a solar panel, knowing that it would be hard to charge my phone anywhere in corona times! As much as I like my solar module, I would say, most people won't need a solar panel! 

Why:

Most people want to and will stay in an accommodation once a week, where they can charge electronic devices and a power bank/power banks. A solar panel is not necessary. It is heavier and more expensive. Plus, one power bank is still necessary, even with a solar panel! Because it is a buffer for electronic devices, but it is also necessary, in case there is no sun and thus no energy from the solar panel :) 

Here are 3 reasons, when a solar panel makes sense to me:

(1) Long time off civilization

(2) Not willing to spend time and/or money in civilization

(3) wanting to go 'green'

I really enjoy my solar panel. It gives me a lot of freedom and it feels good to 'produce' my own energy. But it certainly is some additional weight! 

If it comes to the question of: 'which solar panel', I can't really say much. I'm happy with my Anker PowerPort 21W, which I randomly bought and which worked fine so far. But there are tons of possibilities. I even met a guy on the CDT, who bought a lighter and smaller cheap Chinese solar panel. He had two smartphone batteries and added some things to charge them directly. 

Day 23: Unexpected short

It was a frosty morning so I had a late start. But the sun came out and it got very nice!

At first I came to Leuchtenberg, which has a big castle. But it was still closed, so I moved on without visiting it. 

Then I walked through the lovely and protected forest of Lerautal, where I even found a button of the Facebook group 'uplifter', who want to motivate people to move and be healthy. 

After the forest of Elm, there were a lot of agricultural fields, which was nice with the sun, although, still windy. And the markers were really good, even giving instructions although there were markers again in the fields. 

It was before noon, when I came to the 'Vierlingsturm'. I was lucky that a guy with the key was there, so I could walk up the tower. A bit of a disappointment though, cause there was no view due to the tall trees around. 

This was the point, where I could have started to leave the Goldsteig and head towards Weiden, in order to catch the train early on Sunday. But since it was a nice day, I thought I just continue on the Goldsteig and then come back in a little circle. 

However, plans changed, when I decided to have a lunch brake shortly after. As usually, I peed when I stopped. Well, my urine was red. So I made a little excursion to the Clinicum in Weiden, but everything seems to be fine. Of course I bought some ice-cream because I was in town, but then just walked into the closest forest to set up camp, listen to the radio and some podcasts..

By the way, I justdiscovered that there are advantages to light-coloured pants: you can see the ticks much better. Just had two crawling up my pant legs!

Brrrr.... 

Leuchtenberg with castle

Hidden button in the forest

Chapel

Vierlingsturm

Day 22: Little things

It rained quite a bit at night and I was sceptical if my tent would keep me dry, when I saw the water running down at the inside of my rainfly at the light of my flashlight. But I was dry in the morning and only a lot of slugs tried to find shelter under my tent.

It was still slightly foggy when I came out of the forest up on Mt. Wildenstein with its ruine, but got better. 

Shortly before Tännesberg, a man with his dog caught up to me and we walked together to Tännesberg, once getting really rained on. So I didn't stop much, walking along the nicely designed geological information trail. In Tännesberg, the sun was shining again and I had a nice view from the castle hill. 

In the afternoon I followed a lovely path along the river Pfreimd, before I got snowed on really hard, walking through open fields. But it didn't last very long and the sun was shining afterwards. 

Since I discovered, that I had walked a little too much the last days, I decided to camp a bit earlier, still giving me a very relaxed Saturday, before taking the train on Sunday morning. I'm certainly looking forward to the shower at home. But I will stay only a few days, organize some things, plan a new route and then head out again - hopefully in warmer weather ;) 

I named today's blog 'little things', because that was the theme of the day for me. I knew there wouldn't be any spectacular things on my way, nothing strenuous or exciting, mainly strolling along. So I decided to look out for little things today, that made my day! Things, that I might otherwise not have noticed, or would quickly have overlooked. It was fun and took me a bit out of the usual hiking life. 

What little things did you discover today, that made your day? 

Foggy Mt. Wildenstein

View from castle hill in Tännesberg

River Pfreim

Some of today's 'little things' :)