00A - 18.07.23: What....Why....How....When ?

Tuesday, July 18, 2023: It's getting tight for me! In less than 2 weeks, my adventure is supposed to begin, and I still don't have a proper plan! I'll just go with the flow - more out of helplessness......

What ?: It's not the midlife crisis, but the enthusiasm for '7vsWild' on YouTube that got me the idea to start my own nature adventure. And the good thing is often not far away! So I quickly came up with the idea to hike through my homeland. Walking has something meditative for me - enough time to let my thoughts wander and a speed that allows for reflection on what I see.

Why ?: What do I already know about Austria? So many blank spots and the hope to color them with memories. And it's also a bit of a last-minute panic: My body won't be able to handle such strenuous tours forever - if not now, when!

How ?: This is the weak point of my planning! An exploration tour in Austria - from east to west - across the longest axis! With this requirement profile, I quickly came across the long-distance hiking trail No. 01 'Nordalpenweg' - a 49-day tour with a total distance of over 1000km! But to give it more survival spice, I wanted to use the mountain huts only as a source of food and power supply! That means I would prefer to spend the nights in Mother Nature!

I wanted to sleep in a hammock with a mosquito net and tarpaulin - all together weighing only 2 kg. With a tent, it would add more weight. I would be flexible with regards to food - sometimes eating at the huts, sometimes having a snack. However, a stove, dishes, gas, water, and food would have to be part of the equipment as a fallback solution! A lot of weight on my back - the equipment has gone overboard in terms of size and weight! However, another circumstance has forced me to reconsider: I simply can't sleep in this type of hammock - hardly any possibility to turn or sleep on my side - and a cramped feeling like the proverbial sardine! I've tried it several times with serious intentions..... ........Disaster!!!

So now it's a hut tour after all! That really trims down the equipment when you only have snacks and drinks for a day, and you're not carrying a camping vacation on your back. And then there's this hammock crisis :-(

When ?: I've granted myself 5 weeks of vacation - from July 29th to September 3rd. In these 5 weeks, I won't have completed the 50 stages - I'll see how far I can get. I quickly gave up my initial hope of stretching the daily stages a bit and needing fewer days. After all, the day trips with their 8 to 10 hours of walking time are already challenging. On top of that, I didn't manage to get my physical condition in shape. I went up the Schöckl with its 600 meters in altitude two or three times - and afterwards I had either knee or hip pain........uiuiui

The signs are bad!

There is no hope - so let's seize it