Summer Heat, AC Sanctuaries, & Convenience Store Fueling

Survival Strategy: The AC Break

When the afternoon sun hits its peak, forcing your way through the miles is miserable. Our rule of thumb was simple: whenever the heat became unbearable, we stopped.

Korean coffee shops and ice cream stores blast their air conditioning at icy temperatures.

We would sit in AC sanctuary for an hour or two, rehydrate, eat cold meals, and wait out the worst of the afternoon heat before finishing our daily kilometers.

Konbini (Convenience Store) Fueling

You do not need to haul days' worth of food on the Four Rivers route. The trail passes convenience stores: CU, GS25, and Seven-Eleven, every few kilometers.

The Ice Cup Trick: Buy a plastic cup filled with ice from the freezer chest (around 800 KRW) and pour a pouch of iced black coffee, lemonade, or electrolyte drink directly into it. It is the cheapest, quickest way to cool down.

Trail Meals: Konbinis stock hot steamed pork buns, Kimbap rolls (rice wrapped in seaweed), soft-boiled eggs, and instant ramen stations where you cook your bowl right at the counter.