This is basically an anger package that I deliver from the trail the morning after the incident. If you’re not in the mood for receiving it—which I perfectly understand—please skip ahead to 12.06. From there, I get some comfort food, tell you about German dialects, and finally, arrive at the magnificent abbey at Chorin (do yourself a favor and look it up!).
As always, if you’re interested in more tourist info, the names, the mileage, the prices, I talk about it all at Ivar’s pilgrim forum in the dedicated thread.
TW: Harassment
A lot of the emotion in these messages is connected with the wider context of walking the trail solo while female.
I remember one day, I’m walking through a deep forest canyon and run into two male hikers. I give them my curt “Hi!” and make to pass them by. As I’m doing that, one of them looks straight at me and asks, “Isn’t it too dangerous for you?”
Really, how do you read this kind of comment? At best, it’s condescending. Like, “Are you going camping? Do you have a tent on you?”
But there’s the darker side, too, one that’s all too palpable when you’re on the trail alone. It’s like, “Aren’t you glad you bumped into us and not some other guys who could do you harm?”
It’s like, “Watch out, you’ve lucked out this time.”
A lot to say here, but ultimately, a lot to feel, too. These messages are my attempt to voice that anger.
Via Imperii Day 6: Parsteiner Lake to Eberswalde