rendez-vous nature

Canada - magic month !

Tomasz — 2015-02-17T12:25:02+01:00

Despite all the tricks the weather had played on us. The fact that Chinook the snow eater left us literally high and dry and it even rained above 2000m asl. I have had fantastic time with great people. You guys restore my faith in humanity. Thank you all my Canadian friends !

Happy New Year !

Tomasz — 2015-01-01T13:02:56+01:00

2014 has come to the end. Many, many THANKS to all, who have contributed one way or the other to our european adventures. Hope to see you in 2015. To all our acquaintances : Have a great New Year ! Pacé é Saluté ! Cретна нова година ! Bonne Année ! Szczęśliwego nowego roku ! 新年快乐 ! (even if it's not a Chinese new year) Buon anno ! Šťastný Nový Rok ! Feliz año nuevo !

Belgique, Wallonie - plan incliné de Ronquières

Tomasz — 2014-12-11T21:08:15+01:00

“The Ronquières Inclined Plane is a Belgian canal inclined plane on the Brussels-Charleroi Canal in the province of Hainaut in Wallonia that opened in April 1968 after a six-year construction period. It is located in the municipality of Braine-le-Comte, and takes its name from the nearby village of Ronquières.” The above is an excerpt from wiki. I have been living and working nearby for a month. Mostly working. Also going regularly to the overcrowded local swimming pool. Depicted below typical weather :

Millau - paragliding promised paradise

Tomasz — 2014-11-08T10:55:38+01:00

I guess I just wasn’t supposed to fly around Millau in 2014. Earlier this year the area was frequently under heavy rains. I came back in November and guess what ? It rains again ! Yesterday there were wings in the sky till late and tonight it rains again. Disappointed, I went to the swimming pool instead. Being wet for being wet, I prefer to swim a mile or two.

Dome du Gouter

Tomasz — 2014-09-17T17:51:32+02:00

TMB - Tour du Mont Blanc

Tomasz — 2014-09-17T17:49:39+02:00

Our Tour du Mont Blanc 2014 in numbers for those who like them :

Day 1 : 17 km / 1020m+ / 850m- (FR, Les Houches - Les Contamines)
Day 2 : 15 km / 1540m+ / 500m- (Les Contamines - Col des Fours - bivouac)
Day 3 : 24 km / 800m+ / 1540m- (bivouac - la Ville des Glaciers - IT Val Veny)
Day 4 : 20 km / 1530m+ / 1020m- (Val Veny - Courmayeur - rifugio Bonatti )
Day 5 : 37 km / 1510m+ / 2040- (rifugio Bonatti - CH Champex)
Day 6 : 18 km / 2000m+ / 1550- (Champex - Fenetre d’Arpete - FR Col de Balme)
Day 7 : 15 km / 1000m+ / 1100m- (Col de Balme - Aiguilles Rouges)
Day 8 : 14 km / 800m+ / 1600m- (Aiguilles Rouges - Les Houches)

Total : 160 km / 10200m+ / 10200m-

Jumping from AN-2 in PNW, Poland

Tomasz — 2014-08-24T12:51:39+02:00

Rafal’s first jump ever (tandem) and my first jump from the legendary AN-2. Big fun together.

Corsica - Monte Corona

Tomasz — 2014-07-27T10:28:45+02:00

Petite sortie rando avec Hubert. Passage obligé et pause café au refuge de Ortu di u Piobbu chez Marie & Jean-Paul. Merci les amis !

Corsica - Paglia Orba - unfinished business

Tomasz — 2014-07-23T21:51:21+02:00

We (Hubert and I) have started a bit late from “fer a cheval”. Arrived in “Ciotullu di Mori” hut 1H45 later. Waved a quick hello to Patrick and Nicolas (hut custodians) and went up for “breche des chèvres” step in an attempt to rich the summit. As we have found the safety rope was removed from the crux chimney. After two minutes of weighing of “pros” & “cons” we have finally decided against for the sake of safety and went around to admire the Niolu valley from above. As well as incoming thick, black clouds closing fast on us. No summit for us today. But still another great day in splendid Corsican mountains. Next time I will know better and bring the rope. 30m of 8mm should suffice. On the picture below South wall chimneys and cracks. “Breche des chevres is hidden further to the right”.

Corsica - Lac de Nino

Tomasz — 2014-07-20T23:18:00+02:00

I have walked up through vallon de Colga & bocca a Stazzona.
Great view of the lake and “pozzines” (grassy waterholes) with somewhat bizarre light (not long before the storm hit).

Corsica - Monte Cinto

Tomasz — 2014-07-16T19:33:57+02:00

Monte Cinto 2706m.
The highest Corsican peak.
Long, long way up from Niolu valley (almost 2000 vertical meters combined).
The route that we have chosen at this time passes through Erco hut at 1667m and directly through Southern slope to the summit.
On the way down though we have walked through “la Pointe des Eboulis” and “lac de Cinto” valley back to Erco hut and further down to the camp site in Niolu valley.
A pair of running shoes and walking sticks were adequate.
Skies partly clouded up, hid away the magnificent view of Paglia Orba.
Happy birds (chocards a bec jaune) feeding session on the summit.
Small number of people present coming from both : Ascu and Niolu valleys.
Another great day in the mountains for which we are thankful :-)

Corsica - second highest - Monte Rotondo

Tomasz — 2014-07-11T13:46:29+02:00

Monte Rotondo 8602 ft / 2622 m.
One of the best lookouts in Corsican Mountains and second highest summit after Monte Cinto.
(well.. that is a little disregard to Capu Ciuntrone and Pointe des Eboulis - some would say).
Excellent weather conditions during ascension from Restonica valley through bergerie de Timozzu, lac d’Oriente and across a few snowfields remaining right under the summit.
Running shoes and walking sticks were my equipment.
Piolet would have been welcome for the sake of safety though.
Did I mention the VIEW yet ??

Corsica GR-20

Tomasz — 2014-06-30T22:45:54+02:00

Sur le GR-20 depuis le 24 Juin 2014.

Corsica - Bocca Tumasginesca / col Perdu

Tomasz — 2014-06-21T20:55:44+02:00

l’Etat du Cirque de la Solitude le 21 Juin 2014.
Il reste un peu de neige cote Nord du cirque, cela passe avec prudence.
Bonne traversee !

Tre Isole Project - mission accomplished

Tomasz — 2014-06-04T14:45:39+02:00

We have cycled over two thousand km from Northernmost to Southernmost points of three islands (Tre Isole Project) : Corsica, Sardegna, Sicilia. Description, more pictures and video coming soon.

Sicilia cycling tour

Tomasz — 2014-05-17T14:53:19+02:00

Sardegna cycling tour

Tomasz — 2014-05-04T14:50:15+02:00

Corsica cycling tour

Tomasz — 2014-04-07T08:59:19+02:00

Corsica : Calenzana - Ortu di Piobbu

Tomasz — 2014-04-06T15:10:49+02:00

Facing Monte Corona & Ortu di Piobbu hut - a beautiful day on GR20

Twilight zone - truly.

Tomasz — 2014-02-11T06:25:14+01:00

Two days after having had a bath in Baltic see in Lubiatowo, PL my body is covered with angry looking, red itchy patches of rash. Fantastic ! Stupid me thought five minutes in cold, Baltic waters could have curative or therapeutic value. It ultimately resulted in some sort of irritant dermatitis all over my body. Freaking lovely..
ps. Three days later my immune system got rid of the red stuff.