rhineland-palatinate

Bill McKibben published The End of Nature way back in 1989. His book detailed the emerging concept of climate change, a phenomenon which would unfortunately assume the label of ‘Global Warming’ allowing for endless misinformed interpretations of overall effects, and denials of interrelated calamities. While Mr. McKibben expounded on inevitably devastating predictions for the world as we know it—he ultimately concluded (in my memory at least) that humanity, and even he personally, wouldn’t be easily convinced to adopt the measures necessary to alter the actions and emissions attributed to its acceleration. He was right.

The potential for local skiing lasted one weekend. Sure was nice.

17 years later (!) the documentary An Inconvenient Truth was released. The polemics generated in response continue in their ignorance and vehemence. A challenge of epic and conceivably existential proportions, which could potentially be mitigated through global cooperation and collective ingenuity, instead remains politicized by those who stand to gain the most from the continued proliferation of carbon industries. Well, that and our own endless demands for comfort and convenience I suppose. Which McKibben identified as the insurmountable stubbornness at odds with feasible corrective measures.

If you’ve been alive for more than a couple decades there is no doubt you have noted significant and ever-increasing alterations to the environments where you live and recreate. Even the most ardent opponents of vilified green agendas will reminisce about how things have changed since they were kids. In my own time on the planet, as someone whose favorite activities (boating and snow sports) rely entirely on water cycles—it would be impossible to pretend not to have been witness to obvious and progressively pronounced climate instabilities. Hotter, drier, more severe. One would have to expend significantly more effort in denial than acceptance. Even if acceptance is unlikely to amount to viable action. Even if viable action means things like local jobs, regional energy independence, generational stability. Perpetuation of propaganda prevails. Maybe it oil-ways will…

Summer day in early March. Riding between Austria and Switzerland at Ischgl.

Late March snow in St. Anton after weeks without.

Here it’s been winter but warmer. Little bit of snow. Little bit of rain. Little bit of out-and-about. Short forays into France, quick stops in Luxemburg and Belgium, more local hikes, planting a few flowers, breaking out the bicycles…

Zu Fuß

Various Cathedrals. France and Belgium.

Nancy and Metz, France

Düsseldorf, Trier, Etc.

Springtime was a fine time and summer proves equally pleasant. Days of hot. Days of not. Light until 11 pm makes for dreamy sunset bike riding, late night porch sitting, Bitburger swilling, guitar strumming, hammock swinging… Only hard part is going to bed when you should. 8 months in.

In that time, I’ve been trying to focus on two things. Figuring out how to best do my job and gaining a basic knowledge of local surroundings. If we’re around long enough, the time will come for broader travels in neighboring countries, but for now I’m quite content staying within a limited radius from the backyard. Exploring the trails, learning the customs, trying to speak a little of the language…

Rhineland-Palatinate. Farmlands, Woodlands, Vineyards, and River Valleys.

Every day I am grateful for the house and community we ended up in. The town has less than 2000 inhabitants, yet still supports a bakery, a nice restaurant, a convenience store, and a gas station. Like all the smaller villages around here (hundreds of them) the town celebrates festivals, sponsors sporting teams, and hosts social events. There is a bus that comes through every couple of hours from which one can access neighboring villages as well as the nearest train station. And the trails! I’ve mentioned this already, but even after months of walking and biking from the house we’re still discovering more routes, different loops, new possibilities.

We recently took some days to go on an extended bike trip from the house, down the Lieser and Mosel Rivers, and ended at the confluence with the Rhine and the city of Koblenz. This trip was well over 100 miles of riding on signed and paved paths with only a mile or so of sharing the road with cars! Unbelievable to imagine that a good portion of the country is set up this way.

After spending the solstice in Koblenz, we hopped on a train with the bikes, shuttled most of the way back, and then rode a different route home from the train station. The last couple of weekends have been similar with bus-supported bike rides to various named routes in the local region. Miles and miles and miles of cruising through vineyards, along waterways, through tunnels, across bridges, past churches and castles, and into the hearts of centuries old downtowns.

Other highlights from the past few months include four-days of hiking around the Mullerthal region in nearby Luxembourg, a day trip to a medieval festival at the Sedan Castle in France, a beautiful spring day in Cologne, Via Ferrata in Manderscheid, stumbling across too many other castles to count, a short canoe trip on the Sauer, a few music festivals, and more. Jede Woche ein neues Abenteuer. A new something to appreciate.