021 Winter Thruhikes on Warm Islands with Christine Thuermer: Crete and the Canary Islands

In Episode 19, Greg Stamer advised me to gain more experience and skills in small boats before joining the Everglades Challenge with my own boat. As I have said to many people: my skills as a hiker are advanced, but my skills in small boats-- especially when it came to cruising or voyaging-- were better characterized as intermediate. Having moved back to the U.S. in 2023, I set out to take Greg’s advice. This episode is about my efforts to acquire more skills and experience, and I hope it can provide good food for thought for those who are interested in long distance trails-- whether on water or on the land-- and are setting out to increase their own skills and experience. #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #evergladeschallenge #watertribe #dinghy #cruising #sailing #dinghycruising

The GR5 (Grand Randonnee Cinq) is a 1400 mile/2300km trail in Europe from the North Sea to the Mediterranean, crossing The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and France. It is a part of the longer E2 European E-Route, and its most famous section is the Grandes Traversee des Alpes, which runs 400-500 miles/ 650-800km along French-Italian border on the spine of the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Med. It is one of the world’s greatest trails, combining dramatic scenery, wilderness, and history and culture, yet you can complete it without camping a single night and using reasonable accommodation. Thank you to the Zero To Travel podcast and Kathy Elkind for permitting this rebroadcast. The Trails Around the World podcast is available on most podcast platforms or at www.trailsaroundtheworld.com. #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #gr5 #e2 #grandetraversee #kathyelkind #zerototravel #towalkitistoseeit #europe #france #hiking #thruhiking

The Michinoku Coastal Trail (MCT) is a newly-created long distance trail on Honshu’s northeast coast in Japan. It has immediately become one of Christine’s favorites among all of the trails she has ever hiked, and gave her many new experiences. The MCT’s 1000+ KM can be thru-hiked, but frequent access to train lines and towns also make logistics extremely easy, it is ideal for section-hiking. The coastline is spectacularly beautiful, but this trail’s cultural value is also very deep. Traveling through the region that was devastated by Japan’s 2011 tsunami, the MCT is simultaneously a memorial and an economic revival project. The lack of international tourism in the region amplifies the opportunities for true personal and cultural connections and experiences. At the beginning of this episode, Christine and I spend a good deal of time discussing the realities of hiking in Japan before we focus on the MCT. #michinokucoastaltrail #christinethuermer #christinethurmer #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #japan #michinokutrail #michinoku #tohoku #hiking #thruhiking #tsunami #fukushima

In March 2023, Vladimir Eremeev accomplished a great feat: he was the first person to ever complete the Everglades Challenge in a Pacific Proa, which he designed and built himself. A Pacific Proa has no bow, and uses different concepts to sail than any other boat. Vlad has a history of accomplishing great things in unorthodox boats. Join us as he explains what led him to these boats and how he has done it. #evergladeschallenge #raid #adventurerace #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #pacificproa #proa #catamaran #multihull

Japan’s Kumano Kodo is a 1300-year-old network of sacred pilgrimage routes through remote mountains and along a beautiful coastline. The Kumano Kodo’s sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range are registered with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Kohechi is the second most remote and most difficult of the Kumano Kodo’s routes. Although it passes through remote, sacred mountains, the Kohechi is still accessible by public transportation and one can stay in pleasant lodges every night. The Kohechi takes 4 days or less to complete. All of the Kumano Kodo’s routes are extraordinary ways to travel deep into Japan’s traditions and history while experiencing it’s mysterious mountains and exotic geography. Sky King is joined by Matt Malcomson, with whom he hiked the route. Check it out on the latest podcast episode of Trails Around the World, available on most podcast platforms or at www.trailsaroundtheworld.com. #kumanokodo #kohechi #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #thruhike #hiking #hikingjapan #thruhiking #hikejapan #japan #pilgrimage

The Trails Around the World podcast will be on hiatus this summer. I am already working on new episodes, and I will return in the Fall.

The Haute Route Pyrenees (HRP) runs along the spine of the less-crowded of Western Europe’s two major mountain ranges, between France and Spain. Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, the HRP is one of three long distance trails traversing this range, with the GR10 and GR11 providing less challenging alternatives with their own charms. With spectacular vistas, deep history, and ancient villages along the whole route, this is a trail that speaks to my soul. #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #thruhiking #enigma #pyrenees #hauteroutepyrenees #GR10 #GR11 #dill.on.dice

Southern islands have long distance trails that can be hiked during the winter.  Christine Thuermer describes hiking on Crete and the Canary Islands during the winter season.  Both have stunning scenery as well as beautiful beaches. #christinethuermer #christinethurmer  #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #crete #hiking #canaryislands #winterhiking #thruhiking #wintervacation

The Northwest Territories’ Canol Heritage Trail has spectacular scenery and wildlife, as well as interesting historical significance.  220 miles/350 kilometers long, it takes about 3 weeks to hike, and is the most remote and challenging long distance hiking trail that this podcast has ever discussed.  It is normally accessed by bush plane.  J. Robert Harris hiked this trail in 1997, and wrote about it in his book “Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker”.  Check it out on the latest podcast episode of Trails Around the World, available on most podcast platforms or at www.trailsaroundtheworld.com. #jrinthewilderness #jrharris #brokenboexpeditions #wayoutthere #trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #canolheritagetrail #hiking #northwestterritories #thruhiking

Greg Stamer circumnavigated Iceland and Newfoundland by Kayak, and has succeeded expeditions and adventures in his life.  We discuss his expeditions, how he fits adventure into his life, and how one prepares for such expeditions and adventures. #GregStamer #Kayaking#trailsaroundtheworld #skyking #Iceland #Newfoundland #paddling #circumnavigation