Day 4: Einsiedeln to Brunnen

I heard it say: "the worst day on Trail is still better than the best day in the office". Which is complete Bullshit written by People who never had to walk 20+km with wet underpants!

I started my day with a teeny tiny Breakfast at the Monestary where Pilgrims have their own seperate table. I wasn't all alone as I shared the room with a young Lady who walks a couple of days with two Ponies - not per se a Pilgrim but lets not get technical... and than: Rain! If you never had to motivate yourself walking a day trough pouring rain when you are sore and tired you have no idea how hard it can be leaving a warm house and make the first cold and wet step outside. But alas, there's nothing to be done, we Pilgrims pride ourselves for our misery and pain ande in endurance so out in the cold it is! Today I plan 24,3km with 720m up and 1'170m(!) down. Over the Hagenegg pass which is with 1'414m the highest point of the Camino until the Pyrenees.

Chapter 2: the day of Ice and Fire

So I thought being wet and miserable was alll the day had to Offer but MAN was I wrong! No sooner was I in Alptal than I saw a house on Fire! Crazy me run towards it and a Guy driving a Postauto held next to me. We then called the Police first and told them the adress. They asked me to stay and maybe help some (The driver had to move the Bus) but not go too close as not to risk any danger.

It was a weird thing, everywhere was random stuff on the ground and the Fire only came from one Window.

I called inside to see if anybody answers but nobody did. Than came a Lady from behind screaming "there are Rabbits inside! We have to rescue the Rabbits". Than she run around the hill. I was very lost and confused about the whole thing. Than a weird Guy walked by, talking strangely to himself. I walked towards him, asking if he knows if there are People inside and if he knew whose house it was.

He started babbling about he didn't make the fire and something about fights and Neighbours but I didn't get anything. Than he walked away towards the Trail and I wanted to tell him to stay as maybe the Police needs us as witness but he just walked away. Than the Lady came back warning me not to talk to him.

I don't need to be Police to make the connections and I knew better than to confront a potential Pyromaniac! My Brother who is a Cop always told me to stay away and let the professionals handle it.

And all of a sudden there was the Fire brigade and the Police around! Everyone was screaming and they gave me the hose to connect to the fountain.

I then talked to a Policeman telling him about the Guy (the woman was gone again looking for the Rabbits presumably). I saw the Guy from before down by the Trees and told them about him. They sent one of their own down:

What follows was pretty intense (at least for me - it's probably boring for People like my Brother). I made some more Pictures but the Police said I shouldn't post them because it's evidence.

He was attacking the Policeman almost immediatly and acted very hostile. Luckily another Policeman came to help his colleague and they arrested him professionally and extremely fast! I didn't intervene or come close because of what my Brother taught me about crazy People.

It took about two hours until I made my statement and everything. It was a bit funny - in hinsight - how another Policeman thought of me as a potential accomplice first but after seeing my attire he relaxed and probably thought I was maybe crazy but NOT a Pyromaniac. So, thank you again Robe ♥️

By this point I lost a lot if time and was wet to the bone... it rained all the while and I had nowhere to stand under... by this time I thought about stopping for today but Mama Jacot didn't raise no Quitter! She may raised a craycray Idiot in a Robe but that one's on me 😬.

So I pressed on towards Hagenegg!

At the little Maria Shrine (remember Adi? Last time it was so pretty!) I got a call from the Police because they couldn't make sence with some details regarding my report. I told them I was doing WHAT? Walking to Spain? Was that a mistake by the Guy? Ah no, okay! That one was pretty funny. He asked me more about the Trail than the case in hinsight.

By this time I was frozen and miserable and just wanted to reach the top. But at least he told me I did good and I should be proud. I'm sure that's just protocol and they say this to everyone but I decided to still feel a bit good about myself because why not?

I also had my first river-crossing which on the PCT was always a biiiiiig thing. In California that can be tough and dangerous and in 2017 two(!) Hiker actually died attempting it. Luckily I had my Moses-staff and can just jump over stuff like that. But not gonna lie: it had a LOT of current and if I slipped I could've been hurt quite a lot!

Later I met a Guy walking his Dog and in typical Camino fashion he of course is a former Pilgrim whose wife did the same thing as me a couple of years ago. I tried impressing him with the fire story but he just shrugged - he knows the drill. You are on the Camino and you get into crazy shit.

I wished I could say it was worth the climb but guess what?

First the little chapel was closed where I really, really wanted to get my Stamp! What is this?!? I thought this stuff HAD to be open?!

And then something even worse happened: I couldn't get my Beer 😭😭😭😭

So you might think now that at LEAST I get the world famous view from the Top. Well...

Because that was my view:

So that was it: I quit for today! So now I present to you your fodder to make fun of me: I cheated! Frozen to the bone, wet, tired and just done with that shit I thought that all I want now is reach Brunnen and be done with it. So I prayed to the lord and he sent me three Seraphims and seven Cherubs and they flew me to the Monestary I'll stay tonight while singing Halleluia.

... or maybe I called an Uber. You decide.

BUT it was interesting because my driver Alberto (a wonderful man from the Canary Islands) said that he was surprised to get the call because usually places like Hagenegg aren't on the route and also he was the only driver around at all and if he wasn't in Schwyz (which he didn't plan to be at all) I wouldn't had any chance to get a ride. So maybe that counts as a Camino Miracle? Think about that before you call me a cheat! Also I made this exact route four times in the past so I think that counts!

Now I'm in the Nunnery (is that the right word?) where a sweet Sister welcomed me and helped me settle in. Next I'll get something to eat and maybe even a Beer or two. Nothing fancy tough because I'm getting dangerously close to reach my absolute maximum of planned finances! If I keep up that pace and buy luxuries like food and beds I'll be broke in Geneva already!

Afterthought: Today I felt a bit like the Archetype of the globally recognized restless wanderer. A mysterious man without home walking the earth and getting into adventures. Like a character played by Mifune in a Kurosawa Picture.

I knew I should've packed my Katana! Damn my rational idea of a lightweight gear!!!!