Sunday Morning Thoughts – November 10, 2024

Yikes!

I really don’t know where this one is gonna go. I’m doing total stream of consciousness today. I just took a deep breath. There might be some tears forming. Another deep breath. Didn’t realize this was going to be so difficult.

I went on a hike on Friday. Parts of it were incredibly stunning. Here’s a link to the video. I had been putting off hiking there for a while. It’s really remote and you go up into the hills. You can see the trains, and the freeway is never far but you’re isolated from both those worlds. Even if the freeway is just across a very narrow valley, those people don’t know you’re there. They have no idea.

They would never hear or see you in the forest opposite should anything happen. Same goes for the people on the trains.

I saw many hikers on the train down but none of them on my route. It’s why I like those long distance hikes – the solitude. As you will have seen in the video the route takes you through the most magical narrow gorge with the cleanest water. I was blown away by its beauty. It was absolutely perfect. It was a nice surprise.

Shortly after there was a spot where you could see the train coming down through one of those helical tunnels. I wrote more about those here. It’s that first one south of the Alps heading south. You can barely see the train when it passes up on the hill because the colors blend perfectly with the fall colors surrounding it. Then it passed below me. I just love those tunnels.

I was standing by that green route that’s marked – the bottom one. Right about where it says Ponte di mezzo.

I mostly walked in the shade. This valley doesn’t get that much direct sunlight in winter and I was walking on the “wrong” side of the valley. I could see the sun a bit higher up on the opposite side and this is where I was headed. I knew the route would go up about 80-90 meters – I can read a map. I assumed it was going to be a narrow path; they usually are. I feared it wouldn’t be as clearly marked as I’m used to.

So off I went.

There was some swearing as I was slowly making my way up. There were loose rocks and a lot of leaves. It was perfect fall hiking weather. It was narrow and steep at times. That also meant that there was a pretty considerable drop-off. The closest houses were about 100 meters further up. I could hear the freeway opposite and saw a train heading north. I was hoping to be on the next train in an hour. I didn’t have far to go.

Getting close to the highest point I stood right next to one of those hiking path signs and could not see where the route continued. There were fallen trees on two sides, the drop-off on the third and I definitely didn’t want to go back down the path I’d come up on. I looked at the map. I was on the path but the way to continue was definitely blocked and I wasn’t about to climb across fallen trees so close to the edge.

The only way to go was UP. So I did.

I spotted an electrical fence of sorts up ahead where I knew there was another, wider path. Being able to read a map helps. I made it up through some brambles and with rocks giving way a few times. So far so good. A bit stressful when you’re out there on your own in unfamiliar surroundings but manageable.

I’m sure you took a break right then and there, right? I hear you asking.

Well, that’s what I should have done really. And I can’t tell you why I didn’t. I have no idea. It might have been me worrying about the way down because this wider path didn’t lead anywhere going my direction and there was nothing with a public transport connection up the other side. Or I might have been more stressed by not finding the way and having to climb up the mountain than I thought.

Whatever it was - I continued.

The path went back down pretty much right away. It was narrow. There were loose rocks and if I’d thought the drop-off was hectic on the way up, this was worse. I’m actually better hiking on a path like this further up in the mountains without trees where I can see what’s going on.

I didn’t like this at all.

So, I made a plan. If I slipped, I would throw my entire weight left to keep me from falling off. Nobody was going to find me out there anyway and the night would be too cold to make it through. I have all this going through my head.

And the only way was forward and down.

This steep stretch was not long. Like a quarter of a mile or even less. And it was marked as a regular hiking route, not a mountain one. Still, I was wearing proper hiking boots. I am usually pretty surefooted and careful.

Yet, I slipped.

.

.

.

I’m physically okay. I made it down the mountain and onto my train. Just to highlight how connected yet remote this area is. I was the only person to get on the train to Zurich in Faido. The station was deserted. I got some overpriced iced tea from the vending machine on the train.

When we stopped in Airolo and a large group of engineers got on the train I knew I didn’t want to be on there with them all the way to Zurich.

I had another option. Take a bus from Altdorf UR to Lucerne and catch a train there. Via Zurich I would have arrived home at 18.28; taking that bus at 18.29. Sweet deal. I just needed some peace and quiet. I also knew that the train from Lucerne to Olten would be less crowded than the one from Zurich to Aarau.

So, here’s what a platform at the train station in Lucerne looks like when there are no trains. I didn’t have much time but had to stop to take a quick picture.

When I said I was physically okay, I meant that a lot of things got triggered by this experience. Been taking it easy. Triggers are helpful. They help you heal and move forward. A lot of that happening this weekend. And there will be more curling up on the sofa with some hot tea, a good book and a blanket.

I think I emotionally detached from the election result. I just can’t even go there yet. And I am still super happy with my decision to go to Norway in December for some sanity, real winter with snow and hopefully northern lights. Oh, and to meet the love of my life of course. I guess I should have put that first.

Some art happened on Wednesday night. Here’s my favorite.

Also in town this week was the carrot market. The rule is you can sell whatever you want but you have to decorate your stand with carrots. I did spot some carrot balloons 😊. And the food. So good! I only eat bratwurst once a year and it has to be the carrot kind. It’s just sooooo good. I also bought some carrot bread, carrot cake and my favorite kind of honey (we call it forest honey). That one had nothing to do with carrots. I could have also had carrot syrup, carrot jam, carrot yoghurt or carrot cheese. It’s a fun thing and people are embracing the carrot. The area I live in is called Rüebliland (carrot land). For those of you who speak German and are confused by the word Rüebli. Well, that’s Swiss German for carrot.

Rüeblimärt Aarau, November 6 2024

And right on cue there are the Catholic church bells. Time to go.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone and be gentle with yourselves.