The day went by so fast … so many loose ends to tie up, chores to run, things to pack etc. This year is particularly busy for me with some big projects going on. Could I have trained more? Hell yeah. But … it is what it is. And the only way to train for long-distance bike riding is to do it.
Rosinante and all the gear are loaded onto my camper van. Hopefully, I am not forgetting anything important.
In the evening, we had a wonderful meeting with friends at a celebration of “Walpurgis-Night”. It was a great way to say farewell.
Tomorrow, Carolin and I will be heading to Verona. We will be staying at a camp site north of the city at beautiful Lake Garda. This will be my launch pad for the tour.
About 30 years ago, two zis scholarships helped me to broaden my horizon, expand my understanding of what is possible, and develop more self-confidence. zis is a non-profit organization that has been awarding scholarships for study trips to young people between the ages of 16 and 20 for more than 60 years. Today, the word we use for tenacity and grit is resilience - and I've made it my profession, to help managers around the world to develop more of this inner power.
In retrospect, the experiences I've had on these trips to Scotland and Iceland have been priceless for my development. After having had a childhood with some challenges, I learned that I could cycle 1,700km on my own and get wet every day without despairing. I have learned that I was able to get along with only 300 € for 4 weeks and still had a good time. I have learned what it's like to be threatened with deportation and how to get an interview with the President from such a crisis. I have understood that limitations are primarily constructs in our heads, and I want to make these insights available to as many adolescents as possible.
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