Today is supposed to become a good day for me. As I have no travel time to waste, and as I am familiar with the first few kilometers of this E8-stage I plan to make it a long day.

I start at 4.30am at the White Stoan(it is still dark outside). The first kilometers of the stage are along the Pieterpath, and after that the E8 goes left, into Germany again. After passing some lovely spots (misty lakes in the twilight, and all) I cross woods and forrests for a long time. I am not amused when I find out while walking the stage that in Gert Trego’s directions this stage there are some miscalculations in the distances that I am covering. I have to use more time than I hoped I would be. Only in the final 20 kilometers of the stage (between the cities of Heinsberg and Geilenkirchen, having already covered 41 kilometers!) the trail leads through fields and open landscapes and I can enjoy a bit more of the surroundings. At 5.00pm I arrive in Geilenkirchen. My upper legs hurt a lot and I have a blister under my foot. It is pretty busy in the town on a lovely summersday like today.

I take the bus to Sittard (Netherlands) and go by train back home, to Reuver.The first really-big-E8-stage is done.