Tag trekking

Dolomites Hike Is ‘A Risk Not Worth Taking’

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

His first words had me hooked.

“Somewhere in Switzerland, there is a hike known as one of the most dangerous in the world,” with “some of the most insane features I’ve ever seen on a hike.”

That is how Bernardo Bacalhau introduced his YouTube post. (Link coming below.)

Like his video that kicked off his current bike ride from Singapore back to his home in Portugal, the young video celebrity exuded confidence and charm with his usual unassuming personality. As he looked up at the via ferrata (“way of iron”) in the Dolomites, he said his research had led him to conclude that “the only reasonable thing to do is climb it alone.”

A few hours later, after he had clipped two leashes linking his harness to steel cables, which were attached to posts in walls of rock, he donned his helmet. “Should be safe with this.”

However, near the end, after 12 hours on the mountain, he gave up filming as he finished, guided only by his headlamp, and concluded the climb was “a risk not worth taking.” But it was too late to turn back.

Accompanied by music that builds tension, the video shows Bacalhau as he became exasperated, overcome with emotion. He vowed, “I was not going to allow myself to fail.” All the while, there were background sounds of his metal clips sliding along the steel cables. He described the many narrow ladders as the easy parts.

“It’s insane. It’s insane,” he pleaded to the camera attached to his helmet as it captured the incredible views of the valley floor that loomed behind him. “What am I doing?” Then, “This is the craziest day of my life.” And, “My heart!” He vowed to not look down. He squinted. “My muscles are screaming.” He gasped. “This is just dangerous. Nobody’s going to come to save me.”

”My grandma is going to freak out when she watches this.”

Racing sunset, he came to a section I could barely stand to watch: a steel cable bridging a long gap that he must walk like a tightrope. He clipped into a higher cable and gingerly inched across, suspended thousands of feet in the air.

This is an astounding film that may disturb some. I found myself hanging onto his every step; I cringed each time he reclipped his leashes that would keep him from plunging to his death. And that was the second time I watched it.

Bacalhau is a master storyteller who has attracted 397,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel; nearly half a million have watched this post.

I eagerly await his next adventure.

Try This: What Really Matters?

Reg Spittle 2 Comments
If all goes well, Sue and I will soon repeat this finish at Vatican City.

In the end, what really matters most?

What’s your answer? I’ll share mine—at the end. No fair skipping ahead.

As Sue and I prepare for two more distance treks in Europe, we’re nervous. As with each of our previous eight adventures, we wonder what we will discover on the Via Francigena in Italy. It will be our second walking pilgrimage to Rome. Of course, we have done some homework, but all trails hold surprises–weather, the terrain, and a host of other factors beyond our control.

Every walk has been challenging, but we have conquered. Actually, “conquered” may be a stretch, but we celebrated at the end anyway.

This time, after walking through the Tuscan countryside and (hopefully) arriving at Vatican City, we will rest up in York, England before beginning a second distance trail, the Cotswold Way. We have never attempted two trails, back-to-back. But, we figure, if we’re going to all that expense and effort to get to Europe, why not make the most of it? Besides, who can resist British fish and chips? Not me, even after a month of pizza and pasta. After another break in Bath, we will hop a train to Scotland to visit friends from our time living there.

I have written that I find comfort in being uncomfortable. Risk is one of my favorite words. I may not always like them in the moment, but I am passionate about tackling hard tasks, like writing books–and walking hundreds of miles. I thrive on change, which is a given on every distance path.

Since Sue and I arrived in Santiago after traipsing across Spain, I have walked the Camino de Santiago (in spirit) every day. Adventure is my drug. I cannot get enough of it.

That brings me to Hunter S. Thompson.

Who? The American journalist, author, and philosopher. Beneath his controversial lifestyle there was brilliance. This Hunter quote has captivated me for decades and it expresses what really matters most to me.

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!’ ”