3 very different days

Mexico (0) - Lordsburg (84mi/135km)

The first section is done! I´m back in Lordsburg - the small city where the adventure began a little bit more than 4 days ago.

The start has been smooth. The trip from Lordsburg to the famous "Crazy Cook Monument" took us about 2.5 hours. We´ve been 11 hikers in total on this day.

The south of New Mexico is - simply speaking - dry, sandy, windy and very flat. And there is the brutal sun!!! I´ve never experienced such a aridity before. We are drinking about 2 gallons of water a day - not sweating at all! You can actually feel the water being sucked out of you...

But no worries, there are enough water caches (thanks CDT-C) !

And - a big difference to the PCT - there is now "real" trail. You just have to hike through the desert, watching out for the next post mark...

At the momente we are a nice little group of 7 hikers, spreaded out during the day, but camping together in the evening. I enjoy being on my own and the freedom of going whereever I want to, but also the company of others at lunch or dinner.

Weather has been perfect ´till now, but also pretty windy. This means "cowboy-camping"

In conclusion, this desert is definitely too much of one-of-a-kind to be really described - but a good therapy for the soul.

Happy Trails :-)

Desert - a challenge

New Mexico is a gorgeous solitude - I´m just starting my forth day in this steppe-desert!

The picture shows Pyramide-Peak in the background, being my lead for the next hoursa... 20 miles away! Tomorrow morning I should be in Lordsburg again :-)

A new adventure has just begun...

Today, on Friday 25th of April at exactly 9:50 a.m. Robert became "Banana Pants" again ! Let´s take the first steps of the CDT...

I'm still in Graz!

Since yesterday the interactive map "Where is BP?" (www.trackleaders.com) is online. Now you can follow me day by day. 
I already have a first marker... you just need to zoom out a bit and look towards Graz/Austria, I'm still home :) 

The map is still pretty empty, but I hope this will change soon. From now on crazy hikers will leave civilization - always looking north!

Happy Trails :-)

Updated gear-list

Only two weeks left!!!

As one of the final preparations I've checked all my gear.

It has been weighed, it has been measured, and it has been found perfection.

In the category "Gear" you can see everything in detail!

Although I could have easily saved two more pounds with my backpack and tent, I decided against it.

• Regarding my backpack I can only say that with all my back problems I have to take a model with a dense internal frame. The smaller ULA Circuit has replaced its bigger brother Catalyst because the volume is just perfect.

• Regarding my tent I let the comfort win! I have tested the much lighter ZPack solo but decided to go another time with my Tarptent. For me it's easier to set up and gives me just more space. It feels just right!

Unfortunately I've not managed to get under 18 pounds and compared to others this is way too much but getting lighter is a steady process and so I'll have to keep hiking until I reach the 12 pound barrier :-)

Happy Trails :-)

Always know where I am!

As it should now be known by now, I love GPS data and the opportunities it gives me! 

As an extra gadget on my upcoming thru-hike along the CDT, I will cary a SPOT GPS Messenger.

This little device has two basic functions:

1. SOS emergency transmitter

2. Show my location -> on this new site

During my hike I will send a "OK" message every night which will be shown in the map on the new site "Where is BP?" I'll be easy to recognize by a yellow "BP" icon and if you select me on the side bar you get the entire history of my hike. You can even select various weather information!

Normally a SPOT stores only the last 7 days but with the help of www.treakleaders.com thru-hikers get the possibility to present their month-long hikes. Thank you!!!

The guys who created this site are currently out there somewhere enjoying mother nature on their bikes, so the new season won't be updated until mid-April.

As an example I'll show you Wired's CDT thru-hike from 2013...

However, the main task of my SPOT its the SOS function!

The CDT is more lonely and isolated than the PCT, so it doesn't hurt to be able to call for help if you need it.

I made a service contract with the global GEOS rescue service. In a case of emergency they will alert the nearest rescue team. So I can relax and wait for my helicopter :)

Should I come in a situation where I can help another person I will not hesitate to use my personal SPOT. In this case I will push the OK-button at the same time to clear the situation.

I hope I will never need this service!

Happy Trails :-)

There you go!

A lot of time has passed since I've written about how the everyday life of a thru-hiker isn't always a picnic.

Still I can't wait to feel all the pain again,  fight with mosquitos for my blood and eat chocolate like crazy!

During the last weeks I set the final rout if this is possible at all. A plan is a plan and I will have enough time for improvisation  later on.

The following map shows my approach to the topic "How to find the right way along the Continental Divide Trail?"

For me it is a balanced mix of the official route and some of the most popular alternatives.

For a long time I had no clue how I can ever get to my starting point. There are 3 different ways to start to CDT in the south but for me there has always been just one… Crazy Cook Monument! Why? Because there IS a monument :)

The downside… it IS in the middle of nowhere :(

Until last year Sam Hughes - maybe the greatest Trail Angel ever - took the hikers in his car on an adventurous 2,5 hour ride thru the pure wilderness of New Mexico until they reached the lonely stone monument of the CDT… the view into Mexico merely blocked by a rusty barbed wire.

Sam passed away last summer… rest in peace!

He left a big gap in the hiking community and unfortunately nobody was found to fill it.
But then the Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC --> Link) kicked in and in no time a shuttle service was installed. Now the hikers have the possibility to get to the border 2 times a day!
This is just awesome :) Thank you so much!!!

But Sam was not only a driver, he also was the "Water Angel" for the southernmost part of the CDT how checked his water caches daily! During the first days on the trail, hikers will not find any natural water sources and have to rely on caches.

This service is now also provided by the CDTC!
Hikers will need to bring their own water which will be automatically labeled and placed in the caches chased on the individual expected itinerary. … I'm speechless!


So everything is set for a successful start in this new 2014 hiking season!

On April 18th I'll fly to Portland to Egbert Kunrath and his wonderful family who will support me during my CDT attempt. Many many thanks for that!!!

On April 23rd I'll continue to Albuquerque. The parents of PCT'12 friend "Sniper" will drive "Smiles" and me to Hachita where we then will take the shuttle and start the CDT'14 on April 25th :)))
Smiles and I already share the same PCT starting date and now we do the same on the CDT... without planning it! Somehow the world is freaking small and crazy :)

So much for the current situation, now I have to torture my feet again and keep training :)

Happy Trails :-)