#25: [13-Dec-23]

#24: [16-Jun-23]

#22: [21-Jul-22]

#21: [10-May-18]

#20: [16-Aug-15]

#19: [20-Nov-14]

#18: [05-Apr-14]

#17: [01-Mar-14]

#16: [10-Jul-13]

#15: [02-Mar-09]

#14: [25-Feb-09]

#13: [26-Dec-08]

#12: [01-Aug-08]

#11: [29-Nov-07]

#10: [05-May-05]

#9: [23-Jan-05]

#6: [22-Feb-03]

#5: [21-Apr-02]

#4: [23-Dec-01]

#3: [06-Oct-01]

#2: [02-Sep-01]

#1: [10-Dec-00]

#23: [10-May-14] (incomplete)

#7: [25-Jul-04] (incomplete)

#8: [31-Jul-04] (incomplete)

04-Jun-2025 -- We visited this confluence point on our long hike from Portugal to Singapore on day number 99 after having hiked 3620 km.

After a muesli breakfast at Arnd and Andrea’s, we walked through Offenbach during the morning rush hour and then continued through the flat forests of the Rhine-Main region. It rained all day with only brief breaks, but no one should feel sorry for us—equipped with umbrellas and rain jackets, we enjoyed this rainy day more than the previous muggy, hot ones. The only nuisance was the mosquitoes in the damp woods.

We were pleasantly surprised by the beauty of Seligenstadt, a charming town with a historic center full of half-timbered houses and a Benedictine monastery featuring expansive gardens and a vast courtyard. Exploring it took longer than planned, so we adjusted our destination from Aschaffenburg to the closer town of Stockstadt.

On the last 8 km, I took a different route from Guang to visit the confluence point at 50°N, 9°E—the seventh integer latitude/longitude intersection I’ve visited on this journey. The detour added just 1.5 km. Guang and I had actually been to this spot 20 years ago. Though just meters from the highway, it’s deep in the forest. Now, there’s a small monument: a standing stone with a plaque marking the coordinates and cardinal directions.

Stockstadt, our stop for the night, lies along the Main River. Officially part of Bavaria, it borders Hesse, but the vibe here isn’t stereotypically Bavarian—locals identify as Franconians, not Bavarians. We stayed at a cozy inn with a restaurant, where we met our friends Nicole and Matthias for dinner. They drove all the way from Hofheim to see us one last time before our long journey east makes visits harder. The evening was delightful, filled with hearty Franconian dishes and great company.

CP visit details:

• Time at the CP: 4:02 PM
• Distance to a road: 50 m (the motorway)
• Distance to a track: 200 m
• Topography: flat
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 2 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 5 m
• GPS height: 131 m
• Vegetation: Beech- and pine trees, dense vegetation.
• Weather: rain, 14° C (felt temperature)
• Specialities: A sign at the confluence. Due to the dense vegetation the nearby ‘Autobahn’ does not disturb the beautiful scene.
• Description of the CP: In the flat lands of the industrial area of the Rhein-Main-Gebiet. But the location itself is in a deep forest less then 1 km south of the village Zellhausen.
• Given Name: The Autobahn Confluence

You are very welcome to visit my blog of the long hike. If you want to see where I am currently hiking, you can find my daily update on Polarsteps.