While on vacation, I searched (Googled) for local trails in northern Germany and came across the E9 Trail. Unfortunately, no one I asked seemed to know what I was talking about. So, I traveled up to Travemunde and tried to find it myself. What I found was a nude beach and a few old guys wandering around willing to bare it all in 40 degree Baltic weather. No, I didn't get shots of them, but I did stumble on a few worthwhile trails.
Taking a stroll in PriwallThe Germans love their dogs and their bikes. It was great to see dogs everywhere, and nobody left their dog poop bags on the trail! This was not a hike as much as it was a stroll. The day was cool, but the bright sun had lots of sun deprived northern Germans outside. I wandered around the little Priwall peninsula for a while. Priwall is in what used to be East Germany. 30 years ago, when I last visited Eastern Europe, I was retained briefly as a suspected US spy. (No, I was just a naive college kid.) It was nice to travel here and not be concerned about saying, writing or photographing the wrong things.
Nice views of the countryside from the trail.So, I wandered around carrying my camera and tripod to the bemused looks of the locals. The trails were wide, friendly and peaceful. The trees were just starting to bud with spring's blooms, and the sun's warmth made the walk very enjoyable. Anytime you are travelling, take some time to find local trails.
Bikes are more common than hikers on the trails.
I'm looking forward to the Calfornia Trails conference this week. My session will be Thursday morning at 9:45, if you can attend. See you there!