Wednesday, June 29, 2011

what, when, where, why, how

What? good question, what am I doing blogging,  what am I doing travailing for two months, what kind of all consuming goal is 11 countries in 2011. "What the What" to quote TJ Toia.
I have been setting fun new years resolutions that have to do with the year seance 2009. 9 peaks in 09' 10 endurance races in 10' and now the 11 countries in 11'. I think that ill try to eat 12 donuts in 12'
So 11 country's in 2011. Europe may be the only place where this is really possible without buying a whole lot of airline tickets. So what to do in Europe? Cultural experiences, festivals, traditions, people and their cultures are so much more interesting to me than museum, churches, grave yards and other tourist attractions. The first Festival that came to mind was the San Fermies or the running of the bulls!  That's July 6-14 what else happens in July? The Tour DE France is from the 2-25 of July. Well these two where enough for me to buy a ticket before I found out that I will also be in Europe for the best time to climb in the alps (the Matterhorn), Bastille day in France, Swiss national day in Switzerland and for the start of the European soccer season.
Where: I fly in and out of Germany (first country) I am going to camp on beach 4 in Majorca where I will be doing some deep water free Soloing (rock climbing over the ocean so if you fall you just fall into the water) before flying to Barcelona to catch a train to Pamplona for the running of the bulls and to stay in a parador (a government run castle) Spain (country 2).  Then I take a train to Paris to stay with a friend of my moms and celebrate  Bastille Day with one of my cousins friends, before heading south to Lyon and watching four stages of the tour DE France The stages will all be in the mountains and  ride even into Italy.  France and Italy  (countries 3 and 4) Then I have a train  ticket to Switzerland to climb the Matterhorn and calibrate Swiss National Day.  Switzerland (country 5) this is where I could use some help. I need six more European countries.  I'm looking for suggestions for ideas for help to find not just interesting countries, but to find cultures festivals sporting events and interesting people to visit. If anyone has friends family suggestions ideas etc please share. Follow along to be up dated on my next two months, and all of my adventures.

what do you take for two months





I am  planing on being in 11 different country's over  two months,   camping, climbing, mountaineering and cycling while I'm their. The 50 pound weight limit and only bringing what I can carry make packing a problem. this is my solution. Just bare necessity's stuffed inside other things stuffed into stuff sacks.