A personal challenge, to start again after difficult moments. From studying a route, through the precious contribution of “Street View”, to making it real, whether on foot or on a bike, it’s a huge step, anything but obvious.
Simone Marchesanifrom Vasto who moved to Pescara for work a few years ago, he doesn’t define himself as a cycle tourist but as an adventurer and highlights it with great pride. Always a lover of nature, after spending years uphill during Covid a flame was rekindled in him which pushed him again towards those adventures that he himself defines as special.
In the 2021 90km trekking on the peaks of the Trentino and above all in 2022, always trekking, two “unforgettable” experiences in Norway. Trolltunga with 1300 meters of latitude and over 900 meters of void and the other passage in the Lofoten Islands.
A year ago the decision to face the first adventure riding a bike choosing Icelandbut after intense preparation the voyage It lasted just three stages. The gusts of wind pushed hard, the speed of the cars also forced Simone to return to Italy ahead of schedule. So much disappointment turned over in the following months into an infinite desire to return to face a new and stimulating adventure.
In front of the PC a detailed study choosing the Scotland as a destination with a well-defined focus from the start: travel 1000 km in 10 daysthe Vasto adventurer has no doubts about the reason for choosing to head towards Scotland: «A nation that has always intrigued me, I studied it, discovering the possibility of being able to follow pedestrian and cycle paths that could pique my interests».
You don’t choose to set off on a bike to travel 1000 km in a few days without one adequate and four-month long preparation: «In the hours when I wasn’t working I trained in the Pescarese area, first I studied mine well luggage arrived to weigh 35kg. To take with me on the bike naturally and on training days I simulated that weight in the saddle with many bottles of water arriving at the weight that interested me.”
Not a bike rented in Scotland, but his travel companion: «A 2016 Torpado Nearco 27.5 bike modified by me to place the bags and all the necessary equipment. I also opted to mount trail tires to have smoothness and grip on off-road routes at the same time.”
All solo trips, by choice: «There are those who say that traveling alone is madness, for me it’s the opposite, not only because you can choose your path and any changes without having to account to others but not only that. During your travels you meet people who encourage you to move forward, everyone has left something inside me and in my small way I hope I have left something to them.”
The arrival ad Edinburgh The June 4th starting the adventure every day with departure around 7:30: «The average of 100 km daily being on the bike for between six and eight hours, the day I cycled the least I stopped at 60 km but there was also a day I went further, reaching 140 km”. The choice to face the trip in June is easy to decide: «Best month to experience and get to know all the natural beauty of Scotland, everything shines more, just thinking about the richest waterfalls, it is a month that enhances everything related to nature. A month in which there is little darkness, at 3 in the morning it is already daylight and there is light until late in the evening.” The possibility of also knowing the Scottish cuisine, but in his 35 kg luggage, there was really everything, including a saucepan: «Of course, I prepared some lunches and dinners myself, buying some pasta».
A journey accompanied by videos and over 500 photos taken with the reflex, of the places touched and admired is a swollen riverwith almost emotional eyes thinking back to the ten days in Scotland: «One miscellany of incredible places, the beauty of the Scottish countryside, the free fauna, being able to admire both the most touristy cities but above all the less touristy areas such as the fishing villages, just to give one of the many examples”.
Among the many locations touched upon, the voice in the story clears when he remembers the passage to Crovie: «A splendid and characteristic village close to the Atlantic, the photos are evocative but do not fully convey the beauty and uniqueness of the place». Not only that: «I singletrakthe woods to explore by mountain bike will leave you speechless” without forgetting the “Falkirk Wheel”: «An incredible, truly spectacular rotating hydraulic lift». From Glasgow to Edinburgh via Inverary, Fort William, Fort Augustus, Inverness, Forres, Fraserburgh, Aberdeen, Montrose, Glamis, Dundee and Pert, thirteen defined steps to train staff Scottish circle of the adventurer from Vasto. The rain did not fail and especially when the latitude increased, at Fraserburgh, the cold made itself felt: «The difficulties must be taken into account, in my detailed study I had taken rain and cold into account». On known people remember with pleasure «Patrick and Ursulaa 66-year-old couple I met during the walk and who accompanied me for the whole day.”
At the end of one 10 day and 1000 km long adventure the emotions that accompany Simone Marchesani are still many: «A very rich experience, nature has given me so much this time too, riding my bike I feel free, it was a fantastic journey and I hold onto a slogan that years ago accompanied an advertisement , Start Your Impossiblethat is to say Start your impossible, we must always try to push our way of thinking further.” There is no lack ofinvitation to readers who could take Simone’s Scottish adventure as an example for similar experiences: «My advice is to dare, adventures like this open the mind leaving indelible memories. They are continuous emotions, it’s like being on a rock, there’s the fear of throwing yourself but once you get the courage you start to fly and it’s all really beautiful.”
In the ten days in Scotland he showed his small banner with the writing “Viva i Nucciaroni”: «Our amateur group of friends from Vasto with whom I have shared bike rides for years, even though they are many kilometers away, have given me great strength in this adventure». At 47, Simone Marchesani is looking with great emphasis towards his next personal challengewe don’t know if still on the bike or trekking: «I have a crazy idea that has been buzzing around in my head for a while, after the efforts of the 1000 km in Scotland I will recharge my batteries as best I can and then I will get to work on the next solo adventure».
