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Category Archives: Commuter Tales

Commuter Tales: The moon is shining bright over the Firth of Forth

October 30, 2012by markusstitz Leave a comment

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Commuter Tales

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The healing power of wilderness and the mountains. Most times I love my job, but it’s difficult not to get sucked into work too much. While the last weeks have been successful, with loads of attention for my talks, my new film and other projects, I have also been reminded of times when I wasn’t the happy, jumpy person in picture 1. So jumping on the train at 4.50am in Edinburgh and waking up in Rannoch was the much needed therapy to get my head straight and breathe. Two days in the mountains, experiencing nature in its sheer beauty and brutality (it was bitterly cold at times) was the right thing to do. And given that I saw very very few people, I wondered why there’s not more people taking advantage of this. Scotland on a frosty winter weekend. Ace! #adventure #scotland #outsideisfree

The last few weeks have been super busy, but this spot near the David Livingstone Birthplace in Blantyre inspired me to stop and think. Time to dream about new adventures, sometimes even five minutes can make a massive difference. Back to the desk now to finish off an article for @yellowjerseyuk about my new film ‘No Stone Unturned’ - a bikepacking journey through Kyrgyzstan. It’ll be online from tomorrow morning 7.30am GMT, a great opportunity to get up early for a run and to speak to @nashy_prc about adventures. Far and near. Big and small. #adventure #inspiration #scotland

It’s nice to spend a weekend working, if work is creative. My film about Kyrgyzstan is finally finished and will be part of my talks at @summerhallery in Edinburgh on Tuesday. And then available on Youtube soo afterwards. Thanks to @aussiegritapparel for the support. #bikepacking #kyrgyzstan

Today marks the 30th anniversary of a day in history that changed many people’s lives. I have gathered my thoughts and wrote them down, link in 🔝bio. This picture was taken when crossing the former German border on my round the world trip, the most significant event of the trip. Here’s an excerpt from the blog: ‘It’s July, almost 27 years later. I stop at the big brown tourist sign that marks the place where the former border used to run. If it wouldn’t be here, nothing would remind people that they just crossed the line of an iron fence that not only divided Germany, but also Europe, for many years. I have just crossed the Iron Curtain. Not the arrival on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh about a month later, but this was the most significant moment on the journey, which has taken me more than 34,000km around the world on a singlespeed bike. I lean my bike on the sign. Not sure what to think, as a few times before on this trip, I stare blankly across the rolling hills. I remember the emptiness. It’s the same as when I stood next to the interstate in New Mexico. It was the 10th November 2015 when I last spoke to my dad on the phone. Only days later he got airlifted into hospital and died. Looking at the rolling hills I understand the significance of that day in November. It connects me to my dad. It opened a world of opportunities. I wish he could have still witnessed that moment. A cold shiver runs down my spine, and tears run down my cheeks. Then I smile. If it wasn’t for the events on the 9th November 1989, I wouldn’t stand here. I wouldn’t be walking the streets of Edinburgh in 2019 listening to Silly’s ‘Verlorene Kinder’ (Lost Children) on repeat, a song that got banned when published in 1989, as it was super critical of the regime. I don’t know which turn my life would have taken, but it would have been a very different one. I will always remember the night of the 9th November as a night of opportunities. It was the night that I was given the freedom I enjoy, after many people fought hard but peaceful for it. #inspiration #9thnovember #germany #history

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RT @dirtdashcc: Welsh vistas. We had a cracking day mapping a new Dirt Dash route in Wales. Check out more pictures on our Facebook page ht… 1 day ago
Saturday morning inspiration. Back on the bike to map a new #bikepacking route, this time in Wales. We’re setting o… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
RT @dirtdashcc: Oh Wales, we ❤️ Talybont. Friendly locals, great trails, and a warm place to stay. Mark the 8/9/10 May in your diaries, mor… 2 days ago
RT @lukerobertson: Pls RETWEET! ❄️ The @ScotArcticClub has grants (that’s FREE money) to help young people explore the Arctic...❄️ Please… 2 days ago
Cycling in Scotland: Our guide to Dunoon - a new blog I have written for @YellowJerseyUK about car-free adventures… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 3 days ago

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