June 28, 2017: Ebenhausen-Schäftlarn to Andechs Monastery (20 Miles/ 30 km):
All Photos From Today - Click Here
Munich Jakobsweg: After a hearty breakfast, which my new friend and Landlord Krystyna, demanded I take, I enter the suburban train in Munich to go to Ebenhausen. I had planned to start from Munich, but realizing it would double the distance, I chose not too. So I begin walking about 10:00 am to cloudy skys and light rain through nice fields and forests, happy to be on THE WAY again. Having been walking regularly this year, I feel in better shape than when I normally walk, but even as I think this another thought comes, "Let's see what you think at end of day."
The markings were few, but seemed ok, and as always when I begin again, there is a joy in seeing the first Camino Santiago/ Jakobsweg shell sign. Early on I pass a small chapel and light a candle and say a few blessings and wishes for family, friends and my journey. A couple hours into my walk I hit my first roadblock of sorts with a sign in the middle of three turns - not indicating which of the three I should take - so in the words of Buddha, I take the middle path and hope for the best...which ended up being a cow pasture...sheise!
My handi (cell phone) is a little helpful as it has GPS most times; so I follow it into Starnberg - a beautiful town on a lake. I sit and have a coffee and an obligatory smoke - something about walking makes me a smoker - I know it makes no sense; but it feels at home here. The amusing thing if I smoke and people find out I am American, they always act shocked...one even asked me if I was the LAST AMERICAN SMOKER!
So still not finding any more signs I use my GPS to navigate a way on foot from here to Andechs and it certainly looks as though I will be adding miles...SHIESI! A couple miles later, the sidewalk ends on my side of the street and I must cross-over. As I do my cell beeps and I see my mom has sent me a message - BE SAFE. I stop to check this out and when I look up, there is a tiny sign pointing left for a footpath to Andechs. Had both of these things not happened exactly like this, I am sure I would have missed this turn. THANKS MOM! There is a saying among pilgrims, THE WAY ALWAYS PROVIDES. It is a wonderful path that takes me by another lake, where I stop and enjoy a RADLER - sort of a beer spritzer - imagine a beer with a little sprite - very refreshing on a nice sunny day.
I continue on and into the afternoon, and am getting tired and sore - so much for that being in great shape. But I know I have most of the day behind me with just another 10km to go when suddenly I remember that Andechs told me that the reception closes at "HALF SIX" for pilgrim rooms and in Germany this means 5:30pm. It is funny to me how I put things out of my head and do not pay attention and then like a lightning bolt - it comes as an ALERT message on my phone. SHEISE.
I call them knowing I still have a way to go but think surely for an earnest pilgrim like myself, they will wait a little longer for me - by the way drinking beer MAKES one an earnest pilgrim in Germany!! I mean hell I am going to
the Andechs Monastery AND Brewery! But the response I get is not we will wait, but "Du mussten scneller gehen," basically - go faster! SHEISE!
I really am spent and am sore all over, my shoulders hurt, my waist hurt - all from my backpack - even though I swear this year I packed lighter and of course my feet hurt. Basically I am a huge whiny baby pilgrim on The Way as all of my self talk becomes negative; ow, Im not going to make it, etc. Then I sort of mentally kick myself in the arse! Finny how whining does NOTHING - it does not make it hurt less it just drags you down and somehow I kick into high step - walking faster than I have all day - how is this possible. I remember one night on my forst walk in Spain when the place we were staying said the restaurant closed in an hour and the three of us Hoerst, Udo and myself - walked and jogged there. But friends can always push us; whereas being alone is a different story. SHEISE!
And as if this weren't enough the signs have mile (km) markings on them and they are not always going down or not down by the length between ...9.9km....8.9km....7,6km....7.9km WTH!!!! At one point I cross a road and try a lil hitchhiking, but pilgrims are not that well known in Germany - so no luck and it is not a busy road so I move on...but the voices in my head keep challenging me...maybe I should go back...no go forward...go back....no I've come to far....SHEISE!
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| This is a German "Open" Prison |
I keep marching trying to keep my speed up and knowing I have about 30 minutes to closing. As I exit the forest to the right across a field is a large farm, maybe even a church and I decide to leave the path and head to the farm and try and pay someone to give me a ride the last 3km. I think its my best shot. I cross the field and realize I am probably now going 1-2 km out of the way (SHEISE)! And have to walk a long a long fence surrounding the farm, I think it might also be a waterwork station, but there are animals and I see two men sitting in the garden at apicnic table, so I blow my last fuse of energie and walk into the garden and exhausted ask if I can sit.
They are friendly and though my German is bad they understand my story and predicament, and one speaks good English and tells me this might be a problem (getting a ride). "Warum? Ich konne sie bezahlen" (Why I will pay you.) And his reply, because this is a German prison and the guard shift has already changed, the night shift is here. I just walked into an "Open" prison - that is run as a farm. A commader comes out and I explain my story again - hoping for a ride. By this time I am hoping for the ride as much because I am exhausted and sore as the fact that Andechs is closing soon - to the point where, I alsmost asked if I could stay the night there. Probably not but maybe I am the first person who wanted to STAY IN PRISON - it was actually quite lovely!!! SHEISE.
He explains that it is not possible, but that I can certainly get to ANdechs in 30 minutes and I am about to whine, but feel if I do I will be living up to the lazy whiney American stereotype that I hate...so I go on. Did I mention, SHEISE!
So now I have added more km and now must go back and I am walking as fast as I can but my spirit is dwindling. I can see a km or 2 ahead is a busier street and I think and hope that maybe I will get lucky and picked up. So this battle between hope and frustration and despair continue...much like life - eh. I get to the road and try and get a ride - but no go, so continue on the footpath next to the road, but it moves away and behind bushes and I am crushed, but them another 100m it comes close to the road and I continue walking with my thumb in the air and a car stops! (Play a chorus of HALLELUHA here)
A young German army dude, name Flo (maybe Florian) picks me up and drives me the mile and a half to Andechs Kloster. We joke about not getting a room if I show up in a car. And a few seconds later we are there - 15 minutes before closing. And then as I get out and look UP, I remember that Andechs is on top of a huge fricking hill....WHY DO I DO THIS??? SHEISE.
It a big complex with church, restaurant, beer garten, wetc, etc and as I climb I realize I am spent and sore but I also have no clue where to go and don't have a lot of time. Half-way up is a snack/ gift hut and out of breath I wheeze, "Wo ist reception?" and am pointed up the hill to the main church. There are many people here and as I walk thru crowded areas, I really want to push those tourists out of my frickin way, I mean come on folks, IM A PILGRIM...HAVE SOME RESPECT.
I make it to reception, Knock on the window and with my head on the ledge, barely get out, Ich bin hier. She smiles and tells me I did gute - du gehts schnell! She then gives me a key and shows me to my room...FOUR STORIES UP. ...SHEISE!!!
When she exits the room, I near literally fall on my bed - just taking off my shoes and fall asleep for two hours straight. I wake up after an hour freezing - though the room is warm. It is amazing how the body works - I feel confident this was my body sending all energy to repair the damage done today andnot using energy to heat myself.
So many lessons here starting with things I know - but chose to ignore. Like only walking about 10 miles first couple of days; giving myself ample extra time to make it to a place with a closing time, etc.etc, but bottom line I made it and now laughing think what an adventure.
Finally some of the perks of being a pilgrim....instead of a coke machine, there was a BEER MACHINE - check out the great prices! And the room and breakfast for 15 Euro (about $18).
What comes tomorrow...immer weiter!
I awake in the morning, a little sore, but amazingly better. One thing that has always come to me from the walks is how amazing the body is at restoring strength and energy when pushed. I also do know completely the meaning of the word EXHAUSTED.
At breakfast, I met two German women pilgrims, And I shared with them some information on the route and accomodations in each town just for pilgrims - the average cost 20 Euros ($24) for room and breakfast. They were kind and we had a few laughs. Later after I was turned down by the inn, and a bit frustrated and anxious about having a good size walk ahead, they came back to me with their guide book which listed multiple hotels and places to stay in Diessen. 
