sanctus Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 As tormod asked me to write a bit about my bike trip. At six o'clock in the morning I started from my place in the italian part of switzerland to go to the closest city (Locarno) where I met some friends which came just for the ride across the alpes. At one o'clock we got to airolo about 60KM from Locarno and there the gothard pass starts: 1.1KM height difference and 5°C at the top, it was really freezing and as it wouldn't be enough it started raining... eventually we got to Flüelen at 11 PM where we slept in a tent having done 171 KM that day (almost like the ironman triathlon). Day2: my friends left and I did only 40 KM, after the saying:"who wants to much at once...." and went drying my things at my mother's place in Lucerne. Day3-9 (or 10 don't remember): Iwas on my own going into the Black forrest and crossing half of Germany, often following the rhin (a big river). I enjoyed it a lot travelling on my own eventually I'd some time for myself (only my girlfriend and my parents had the number of the mobile phone I took for that occasion), because during the year I always do something and can never say no to someone. I encountered also lots of people some took me in for a drink, others invited me to sleep at their house instead of sleeping somewhere out in the nature with my tent (something that would be forbidden!?!! There are just some laws and don't understand). Day10-13: I got into netherlands and that evening I eventually caught up with some friends (actually I tried to catch them up throughout Germany) somwhere south of Rotterdam. They had done a bit another route and were therefore quicker. We were actually going to France to the european juggling convention (EJC) and so we had to cross netherlands and Belgium to get into France to Lille where the Festival was. As the convention startetd on the 26th of july we were to quick and so we made some holidays at the belgique beach (I would never have thought I would one day go to the sea in the north whilst I live almost in italy). Once we did even a street performance of juggling. Day 14: WE arrived to Lille were a week of juggling and amazing shows started. When I eventually got back to Switzerland I went to Zurich to work to earn some money for my studies, I worked on demolition.It was quite funny, we had to break out all the wood which was left in the building with any means, that means in the first two days it was fun because you could just crash doors windows etc. after it became monotonic and very strenous. One last thing: all the people from the Black Block (I believe this mouvement exists also in the U/S) should go to work on the demolition if they find it so funny to break things.... (if you want to discuss about the black block mouvement let's go back to philosophies and humanities :-)). One last thing: as I live in Geneva in zurich I did not have internet at my place and after work I just went to sleep, this explains my long basence on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tormod Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Sanctus, it sounds like an unforgettable trip. I spent a month in Spain once, travelling by Interrail all over the country. I especially like spending a few days with a bunch of strangers in Granada and then Sevilla. Wish I could do that again...I have a week of vacation coming up starting next Saturday and will spend a week by Lusterfjord here in Norway. No luxury, only a large house to myself with a satellite tv, mobile phone, electricity, my car, an xbox, a stack of books and magazines...(did I say no luxury). Can't bring my bike, though. Thanks for sharing your trip! I didn't even know there was such a thing as a European Juggling Convention (although I'd forgive you if you said it was a meeting in the EU parliament ). Can you juggle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctus Posted October 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I can juggle what people usally means saying the word juggling, i.e.with 3 balls; I also do a bit 4 balls and it is about 4 years I'm trying to hold the 5 balls (eventually I manage to throw all five and get them again but not to keep the shuffle). My speciality is the Diabolos (if you don't know what it is just google it), if you look at the tricks I make with the Diabolo I'm amonngst the best of Switzerland, but when to make a good presentation, you know to bring it to the people, to move your body in an elegant and nice way I still have lots of work to do! By the way if juggling interests you I'm sure there are also convention in Norway or in the second half of august 2005 ther willl be the next European juggling convention which will be held at Maribor in Slovenia (and in 2006 it will be most likely in scotland). So, you will do for a week what I just did today just relaxing playing computer and writing on the forum. I also did once Interrail I went to the EJC in Rotterdam and afterwards I went to do a voluntary working camp in the Czech republique with the SCI (Service Civil International). And I agree doing interrail is just a great experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindagarrette Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Enjoyed the story of your trip. There are nice trails along the Missouri River near where I live and they are FLAT! I don't understand the restriction on your packing a tent. Years ago I made a number of trips through Europe with a Eurail pass. I traveled alone and stopped whenever I got the urge, inquired about accomodations at the rail station, and poked around wherever I was, for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freethinker Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 It must have been an unforgetable trip Sanctus. Thanks for sharing it with us. I'd like to take it just by car for the views! The best I have ever done was 84 miles in one day. My butt was always so sore when done! And since it was just a loop around the city, did not need to haul anything like clothes., tent... And since I bought my motorcycle, my peddles don't get pushed much anymore! :-( I thought biking hostels were common in Europe. We have them here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tormod Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Originally posted by: FreethinkerI thought biking hostels were common in Europe. We have them here. So that's were they went! I never saw them when I lived in Illinois... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tormod Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Diabolos...that's the one with the string and the spinning thingy, right? It looks impossible to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctus Posted October 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Originally posted by: FreethinkerIt must have been an unforgetable trip Sanctus. Thanks for sharing it with us. I'd like to take it just by car for the views! That wouldn't be very ecologique, but.... Originally posted by: FreethinkerThe best I have ever done was 84 miles in one day. My butt was always so sore when done! You know, you get used to that, it hurts only the first 5 days... It is also my best, one of the reasons why I made this bike trip was to do once such a big distance by bike; it was a total of around 1600KM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanctus Posted October 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 I never heard about biking hostels, but there are heaps of youth hostels which are at quite reasonable prices... Diabolos...that's the one with the string and the spinning thingy, right? It looks impossible to me. Yes, that's it and imagine you can play with two (it took a half year of training half an hour a day to keep them) and even three Diabolos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freethinker Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Originally posted by: sanctusI never heard about biking hostels, but there are heaps of youth hostels which are at quite reasonable prices...I think of it that way because of a Hostel in my area. It is right on the mail bike trail in my area. It does not have any signage to say what it is. Yet I kept seeing lots of bikes around it. Curiousity got me researching what it was and it is a Hostel that used almost exclusively by bikers. Just a place to sleep and clean up and keep your bike safe. So yes my terminology may not be correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishEyes Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Sounds like an awesome trip, sanctus, but I'm glad you're back!! I've seen some of Europe, but not as up close as that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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