European Vs. US Thru Hiking, what’s the same, what’s different? “They are actually paid in cheese.” Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast! Don’t let the first line fool you, we talk much more in depth about the intricacies of hiking in Europe and the US… but of course we do spend the obligatory time touching on cheese. Welcome back Christine Thuermer! After our first chat with her, she had a wonderful idea as she has hiked so many miles both overseas and in the US, that it could be a wonderful informational source to unpack the concept of hiking. We begin by setting a baseline of the difference between US and European hiking. It comes down to “wilderness vs culture.” Of course while in the US you can experience many cultures while hiking, but the vast majority of your day is spent in the wild, hiking. In Europe the conduit of course is still hiking but the experience becomes drastically different. You walk through history, walk through towns, walk through almost daily food, lodging, and “front country” exposure. We chat the E1-E11 trail systems of Europe, we chat the Camino, we chat standards of US hiking such as the AT or PCT and how there is no “standard” of European hiking. We then dive into logistics. Crossing borders, language barriers, and the amazing power of Google translate. We discuss SIM cards, governmental management, politeness, and avoiding stepping on “cultural toes.” We then compare and contrast resupply strategies. How to carry food, when to carry food, and most importantly why you should not carry *alot* of food in Europe. We discuss cemeteries, water sources, and churches. Of course we ask about ramen, and get a wonderful answer. Next up, camping. We discuss the concept of most “free camping” in Europe being forbidden, but how this is more of a general guideline then iron rule. We chat hunters, dog walkers, and forestry personal. We chat easements, public roads, and trails. We chat asking for help, knocking on doors, and no trail angels. We chat budget, $1 wine bottles, sugar taxes, and the vast difference from country to country. We chat how there is a place and trail for every budget it is just about picking it. We chat 1 brewery for every 5,000 people, self service wine coolers, and food, food, and more food. We chat Waymarktrails.org a wealth of information for European hikers and what OSM maps or Open Street Maps are utilized for. We chat the concept of “hiking” is part of day to day life vs an exclusive trip. We chat credit card hiking (hint: not what you think it means) and how running out a trail in Europe is possible… but not the point. Experience the culture, experience the food, experience a trail and a hike European style! Thank you Christine for sharing the information with us! Favorite Quotes: “If caught more likely to be invited for breakfast than chased away.” “Don’t think a lot of what goes into the ground water in cemeteries.” “The louder we speak the more Google will understand it.” “What makes it so special is the culture, take time to immerse yourself in that.” To learn about Christine go to: Instagram: @Christine_Thuermer To learn more about who we are click below: Website: www.ElevenSkys.com