Saturday, November 9, Latte di Ventimiglia, 6 PM: we turn on the lights as it is already dark. Thus begins our journey. Heading to Nice where a ferry to Corsica awaits us.
might seem strange to most to start a bicycle journey on a late November afternoon, well after sunset. But that's how it is. You have to make the most of every hour, every minute taken away from work, family, and the commitments of daily life.
The reason for that destination I do not know. Perhaps in our minds that island in the month of November represented a small corner of wild land, abandoned by noisy tourists.
Or maybe in the end, all that mattered was setting off, traveling.
We firmly anchor our two bicycles to a large post in the belly of the ship, because, after all, they are all we have and the most important thing for the success of the journey. They are the ones that will carry us on this adventure and they are the ones that will take care of the few and essential luggage we carry with us. Luggage: a key word for those who travel by bicycle. When you travel by bike, you must be light in body and mind. You must leave as much as possible at home, objects and thoughts, focused only on solving the problems of the here and now, concentrated on your immediate survival.
The Corsica for an entire week revealed itself in all its wild beauty, far beyond our best expectations. Nature tempered us, healed us, and enchanted us. But it also tested us and our means with its dirt roads, its impenetrable scrub, the pastures to cross, the deep fords, the insurmountable mud and sand, and the biting cold of its mountains.
I could go on to describe one or another stage, that dizzying mountain pass or that stretch of coast at sunset. But these are things you already know. Instead, I would like to use these few lines to highlight the bicycle itself. What we don't know, or perhaps pretend not to know, is that the speed of the bike is the most synchronous thing there is with the concept of travel. Traveling by bicycle has nothing to do with all the other "forms of pedaling." It certainly has nothing to do with the world of competitions and racing.
is simply the best way to get to know yourself and the environment around you. It is the essence of travel. Its steady pace, its slow gait, set within the rhythm of the day governed by the sun, essential with its light and warmth for good cycling, are the most suitable for human life and well-being. Our body and mind in such a condition had much more vigor to overcome any obstacle, and for this reason, whenever a crossroads appeared, we always enthusiastically chose the more adventurous, more rugged, more gravel road.
The bike, in my case a Bianchi Arcadex dressed in its classic celeste color, a bit like little Momo from Ende's novel, has taught us to reclaim all the time that has been stolen from us by the frenzy of everyday life, so we can dedicate it to ourselves and our experiences.
Two friends, two bicycles, and two tents: ahead of us, the deserted roads of Corsica. Days that will remain etched in my mind forever.
Diego Novara