June, 2022
Reading time: 12 minutes
It's time to say goodbye
We hit the road again. It is not a departure anymore. For us, it is simply the resumption of our life. Our stay in Switzerland was a parenthesis. We were happy to spend this precious time with the people we love, to enjoy the splendid landscapes of Switzerland, its fabulous mountains and its breathtaking panoramas. We were able to share our passions with Nayla and Fibie, skiing, climbing, ski-touring and hiking. It was an important stage for us, for Nayla and for Fibie. It was necessary, like a big loop that ended, the first time we came back to Switzerland by bike. We were also called to pass on some of the teachings we received along the way through talks, workshops and individual sessions. But again, nomadism calls us.
We look at the map! Not so easy to draw a large-scale project with the global uncertainties of the moment. So we decide to get back on the road and follow the path that unfolds before us. Two days before departure, we still don't know if we turn left or right when we get out of the Val d'Hérens. On our first day, three spokes broke, as if the journey instantly demanded the unexpected, but above all this confidence and letting go while facing the events. Finally, we head right and decide to cross the Swiss Alps. We cross again the Furka pass. The one I hated so much 12 years ago. This wall that we traversed in the snowstorm was then a symbol of all the fears that were present at the beginning. This time, we climb with lightness, even if we had to push one bike after the other in the Binntal Valley on a small steep dirt path at more than 17%. The passes are to be deserved!
The fountains refresh us and according to the tradition Nayla and Fibie bathe in them in the traditional villages and in front of the small chalets!
Sleeping in the heart of the Alps, in the meadows covered with wild flowers, playing in the torrents are delicious moments that we relish before descending the dozens of pin curves that lead us back to the plain. We have ridden up the Rhone River, this time we ride down along the Rhine.
Everyday's gestures
We regain every gesture that allows us to live this life of itinerancy. We set up the tent in the joy of sleeping in contact with the vibrations of the Earth. We take care of our bodies by doing yoga and stretching. We wash ourselves in the icy rivers, lakes or fountains. We have lunch in a down jacket in the dew. We breathe in the smells around us. We listen to the chirping of crickets, the whistling of birds, or the buzzing of bees. We meditate, and get in touch with the spirit of the place, the trees or the animals. We cook on our small fuel stove. We let our creativity elaborate vegetarian dishes, with seaweed and spices. We also germinate seeds on our bikes. We have sprouts and their extraordinary nutritional power. We take the time to be together, to play with what comes our way. We create mandalas or ephemeral art in nature. We dance with the wind or do tai chi in the alpine wildflower meadows. We recharge our electronic devices with our dynamo or with our solar panel. We repair the first holes in the clothes after the girls' explorations or after climbing on the trees.