#molason — Public Fediverse posts

The Desire to Cancel an Event

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Pre-broken arm and pre-pandemic I was deeply passionate about via ferrata and I went up every single weekend in summer. Since my broken arm, and since the pandemic I have lost almost all desire to do via ferrata. It's a sport that I loved because I loved finding new places. The issue, and this is something I said before I broke my arm, is that I have done almost all local via ferrata several times each.

Reservations

The other issue is that with the growing popularity of the sport you often find yourself trapped, unable to progress as you wait for those ahead of you to make progress. It's convivial, but I no longer feel like driving far to participate in this sport.

The other issue is that I didn't train in a gym, or do much upper body strength work so I think that this decline in upper body strength encourages me to feel more fear than I used to.

When I planned to do the Moléson Illuminé I hadn't rediscovered my passion for cycling. I really love cycling. I love that I don't need the car or trains. I love that it's practically free, especially if I stop buying accessories. It's also about community. I like the cycling community.

Driving Investment

It takes 50 minutes for me to cycle to Geneva, and six minutes to cycle into Nyon for a group ride. In contrast it takes one to two hours for every via ferrata. At the end of the day you spend more time driving than you do practicing the sport you went to do.#

Waiting the Entire Day

One issue, in this context is that you spend your day waiting until evening to do something so you waste your day. When I did it last year the VF took three hours because of how slow those ahead were. If you start early, you benefit from having no one in front, but if you start late then you're blocked. You end at one or two in the morning and then you have the drive home.

And Finally

I don't need to make up my mind now. I can easily decide the day before. I can see what other opportunities present themselves, as well as what the weather is doing. For some reason I felt some urgency to make up my mind when there is none.

#climbing #gruyère #illuminée #molÃSon #viaFerrata

The Desire to Cancel an Event

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Pre-broken arm and pre-pandemic I was deeply passionate about via ferrata and I went up every single weekend in summer. Since my broken arm, and since the pandemic I have lost almost all desire to do via ferrata. It's a sport that I loved because I loved finding new places. The issue, and this is something I said before I broke my arm, is that I have done almost all local via ferrata several times each.

Reservations

The other issue is that with the growing popularity of the sport you often find yourself trapped, unable to progress as you wait for those ahead of you to make progress. It's convivial, but I no longer feel like driving far to participate in this sport.

The other issue is that I didn't train in a gym, or do much upper body strength work so I think that this decline in upper body strength encourages me to feel more fear than I used to.

When I planned to do the Moléson Illuminé I hadn't rediscovered my passion for cycling. I really love cycling. I love that I don't need the car or trains. I love that it's practically free, especially if I stop buying accessories. It's also about community. I like the cycling community.

Driving Investment

It takes 50 minutes for me to cycle to Geneva, and six minutes to cycle into Nyon for a group ride. In contrast it takes one to two hours for every via ferrata. At the end of the day you spend more time driving than you do practicing the sport you went to do.#

Waiting the Entire Day

One issue, in this context is that you spend your day waiting until evening to do something so you waste your day. When I did it last year the VF took three hours because of how slow those ahead were. If you start early, you benefit from having no one in front, but if you start late then you're blocked. You end at one or two in the morning and then you have the drive home.

And Finally

I don't need to make up my mind now. I can easily decide the day before. I can see what other opportunities present themselves, as well as what the weather is doing. For some reason I felt some urgency to make up my mind when there is none.

#climbing #gruyère #illuminée #molÃSon #viaFerrata

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Every year the Moléson tourism board and related teams provide people with the oppotunity to do the Face, and the Pillar by night. I have wanted to experience this multiple times in the past but because either of work, or weather, I had to cancel the plan to experience this.

The idea is simple. Sunset is at 20:25. People start climbing the VF from 1900 onwards with the option of doing the "easy" Pillar or the hard "Face". As I did The Face a few weeks ago in daylight I did The Pillar instead. My decision was based on two things. The first is that I had organised to go with a group, and I felt a sense of responsibility to help those with less experience should they require it.

Some Thoughts

Two thoughts I had during this climb is that it's like caving, rather than diving. When you look up you can see people making their way up both faces simultaneously. You can hear cow bells in the fields below as well as the sound of crickets. Every so often you notice plenty of small spiders. The legs are thin and the bodies are not big. If I'm indoors I would hate to put my hands so close to spiders but on a VF it doesn't bother me. I thought that I may see bats but noticed none. Either they don't have enough insects around there or they have no caves or caverns within which to sleep. It's possible that they're active between midnight and 4 am as indicated by a sign near the Areuse river.

Fear and Physicality

When you're climbing by night the landscape is different. You can see far, due to city lights and car lights. You get a sense of height but not as you would if you were doing this climb during daylight. In daylight you would see everything. At night you see as far as your light will reach, or other groups ahead and behind you.

At one point I heard one person in another group say "don't look down" and this felt odd to me. I always look down. With rock climbing, and especially when abseiling down I learned that if you don't look down constantly, when it comes time to descend you will be surprised by how high you are, and feel fear. By constantly looking down the change is gradual.It also implies that people doing this VF are afraid of heights.

Logistics

The illuminated event is well organised. You can book via a web form up until 1400 the same day, or you can see if you can get a ticket on the spot. They check off your name from the list. They get emergency contact info, check that you have all the required gear, and snacks. They also provide you with a ticket for soup at the end of the VF in the restaurant.

One of the best aspects, in my opinion is that they have a team at the start of the VF routes, to log you in and then three individuals at various points along the route to check that everyone is okay. In case of an emergency they are ready to abseil down in case of bad weather, or use the helicopter in case of good weather. If you push beyond your limits then people are there to support you.

A Howling Wind At the Top

One of the key features of this specific climb is that there was a very strong wind. At moments there were gusts strong enough to require you to fight back to remain upright, both on the VF but also when walking from the end of the VF to the télécabine. That wind made it cold, which is why people didn't stop and wait at the summit, but chose, instead, to head for the télécabine, and the restaurant below.

And Finally

It's an interesting experience that is worth doing. By the end of it I was exhausted so I'm happy that I did not do a hike that morning. It's when I finished that I felt exhausted, and barely able to stay awake. I don't remember being this tired after a daytime vf. I am rarely so tired after a daytime VF.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/the-illuminated-moleson-via-ferrata/

#gruyère #molÃSon #night #nocturnal #specialEvent #viaFerrata #yearly

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Every year the Moléson tourism board and related teams provide people with the oppotunity to do the Face, and the Pillar by night. I have wanted to experience this multiple times in the past but because either of work, or weather, I had to cancel the plan to experience this.

The idea is simple. Sunset is at 20:25. People start climbing the VF from 1900 onwards with the option of doing the "easy" Pillar or the hard "Face". As I did The Face a few weeks ago in daylight I did The Pillar instead. My decision was based on two things. The first is that I had organised to go with a group, and I felt a sense of responsibility to help those with less experience should they require it.

Some Thoughts

Two thoughts I had during this climb is that it's like caving, rather than diving. When you look up you can see people making their way up both faces simultaneously. You can hear cow bells in the fields below as well as the sound of crickets. Every so often you notice plenty of small spiders. The legs are thin and the bodies are not big. If I'm indoors I would hate to put my hands so close to spiders but on a VF it doesn't bother me. I thought that I may see bats but noticed none. Either they don't have enough insects around there or they have no caves or caverns within which to sleep. It's possible that they're active between midnight and 4 am as indicated by a sign near the Areuse river.

Fear and Physicality

When you're climbing by night the landscape is different. You can see far, due to city lights and car lights. You get a sense of height but not as you would if you were doing this climb during daylight. In daylight you would see everything. At night you see as far as your light will reach, or other groups ahead and behind you.

At one point I heard one person in another group say "don't look down" and this felt odd to me. I always look down. With rock climbing, and especially when abseiling down I learned that if you don't look down constantly, when it comes time to descend you will be surprised by how high you are, and feel fear. By constantly looking down the change is gradual.It also implies that people doing this VF are afraid of heights.

Logistics

The illuminated event is well organised. You can book via a web form up until 1400 the same day, or you can see if you can get a ticket on the spot. They check off your name from the list. They get emergency contact info, check that you have all the required gear, and snacks. They also provide you with a ticket for soup at the end of the VF in the restaurant.

One of the best aspects, in my opinion is that they have a team at the start of the VF routes, to log you in and then three individuals at various points along the route to check that everyone is okay. In case of an emergency they are ready to abseil down in case of bad weather, or use the helicopter in case of good weather. If you push beyond your limits then people are there to support you.

A Howling Wind At the Top

One of the key features of this specific climb is that there was a very strong wind. At moments there were gusts strong enough to require you to fight back to remain upright, both on the VF but also when walking from the end of the VF to the télécabine. That wind made it cold, which is why people didn't stop and wait at the summit, but chose, instead, to head for the télécabine, and the restaurant below.

And Finally

It's an interesting experience that is worth doing. By the end of it I was exhausted so I'm happy that I did not do a hike that morning. It's when I finished that I felt exhausted, and barely able to stay awake. I don't remember being this tired after a daytime vf. I am rarely so tired after a daytime VF.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/the-illuminated-moleson-via-ferrata/

#gruyère #molÃSon #night #nocturnal #specialEvent #viaFerrata #yearly

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Every year the Moléson tourism board and related teams provide people with the oppotunity to do the Face, and the Pillar by night. I have wanted to experience this multiple times in the past but because either of work, or weather, I had to cancel the plan to experience this.

The idea is simple. Sunset is at 20:25. People start climbing the VF from 1900 onwards with the option of doing the "easy" Pillar or the hard "Face". As I did The Face a few weeks ago in daylight I did The Pillar instead. My decision was based on two things. The first is that I had organised to go with a group, and I felt a sense of responsibility to help those with less experience should they require it.

Some Thoughts

Two thoughts I had during this climb is that it's like caving, rather than diving. When you look up you can see people making their way up both faces simultaneously. You can hear cow bells in the fields below as well as the sound of crickets. Every so often you notice plenty of small spiders. The legs are thin and the bodies are not big. If I'm indoors I would hate to put my hands so close to spiders but on a VF it doesn't bother me. I thought that I may see bats but noticed none. Either they don't have enough insects around there or they have no caves or caverns within which to sleep. It's possible that they're active between midnight and 4 am as indicated by a sign near the Areuse river.

Fear and Physicality

When you're climbing by night the landscape is different. You can see far, due to city lights and car lights. You get a sense of height but not as you would if you were doing this climb during daylight. In daylight you would see everything. At night you see as far as your light will reach, or other groups ahead and behind you.

At one point I heard one person in another group say "don't look down" and this felt odd to me. I always look down. With rock climbing, and especially when abseiling down I learned that if you don't look down constantly, when it comes time to descend you will be surprised by how high you are, and feel fear. By constantly looking down the change is gradual.It also implies that people doing this VF are afraid of heights.

Logistics

The illuminated event is well organised. You can book via a web form up until 1400 the same day, or you can see if you can get a ticket on the spot. They check off your name from the list. They get emergency contact info, check that you have all the required gear, and snacks. They also provide you with a ticket for soup at the end of the VF in the restaurant.

One of the best aspects, in my opinion is that they have a team at the start of the VF routes, to log you in and then three individuals at various points along the route to check that everyone is okay. In case of an emergency they are ready to abseil down in case of bad weather, or use the helicopter in case of good weather. If you push beyond your limits then people are there to support you.

A Howling Wind At the Top

One of the key features of this specific climb is that there was a very strong wind. At moments there were gusts strong enough to require you to fight back to remain upright, both on the VF but also when walking from the end of the VF to the télécabine. That wind made it cold, which is why people didn't stop and wait at the summit, but chose, instead, to head for the télécabine, and the restaurant below.

And Finally

It's an interesting experience that is worth doing. By the end of it I was exhausted so I'm happy that I did not do a hike that morning. It's when I finished that I felt exhausted, and barely able to stay awake. I don't remember being this tired after a daytime vf. I am rarely so tired after a daytime VF.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/the-illuminated-moleson-via-ferrata/

#gruyère #molÃSon #night #nocturnal #specialEvent #viaFerrata #yearly

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Normally I like to do things in the morning because I wake naturally between 0600-0800. Today was no exception. I could easily have got ready to do the hike, and then do the via ferrata but the thing that really blocked me is the one hour twenty drive from Le Pont to Moléson-Sur-Gruyère and the one hour drive home late at night. I could have been fine with doing both things but I want to be a hundred percent for this evening. I want to have the choice of the easy, or hard option. I also want the drive to be relaxing, not a challenge.

Also of note, one thing I had forgotten about is the logistics of picking people up from two or three different points along the route. I will have to stop in Fourmi, near the metro, and then again at Vevey. Both of these stops might add ten minutes or more to the journey time. If people are punctual then it adds less than five minutes, but if they are not then it could add 15 minutes per stop.

There is plenty of buffer, from the registration continuing until 2030 to the last ride down being at midnight 30.

If I was not driving anyone I might have considered going early to try a bike ride in the region. I enjoyed cycling around the Lac de Bulle a few years ago. It would be nice to do that again.

For the VF I am going to try to be as light as possible. I think that I suffered more on a previous VF because my bag was heavier than it should have been. The lighter I keep things, the less effort I need to make.

And Finally, I still would have liked to go on the hike to meet new people and consolidate friendships that were founded two weeks ago. In two weeks I will get the next opportunity.

I have planned to do this VF at night for years and this evening I turn that desire into a reality. I expect it to be like diving on a wall in a Swiss or French lake. It will be like climbing in the clouds, but surrounded by darkness, rather than grey clouds.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/waiting-for-evenning/

#molÃSon #nocturnal #patience #rest #switzerland #viaFerrata_

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Normally I like to do things in the morning because I wake naturally between 0600-0800. Today was no exception. I could easily have got ready to do the hike, and then do the via ferrata but the thing that really blocked me is the one hour twenty drive from Le Pont to Moléson-Sur-Gruyère and the one hour drive home late at night. I could have been fine with doing both things but I want to be a hundred percent for this evening. I want to have the choice of the easy, or hard option. I also want the drive to be relaxing, not a challenge.

Also of note, one thing I had forgotten about is the logistics of picking people up from two or three different points along the route. I will have to stop in Fourmi, near the metro, and then again at Vevey. Both of these stops might add ten minutes or more to the journey time. If people are punctual then it adds less than five minutes, but if they are not then it could add 15 minutes per stop.

There is plenty of buffer, from the registration continuing until 2030 to the last ride down being at midnight 30.

If I was not driving anyone I might have considered going early to try a bike ride in the region. I enjoyed cycling around the Lac de Bulle a few years ago. It would be nice to do that again.

For the VF I am going to try to be as light as possible. I think that I suffered more on a previous VF because my bag was heavier than it should have been. The lighter I keep things, the less effort I need to make.

And Finally, I still would have liked to go on the hike to meet new people and consolidate friendships that were founded two weeks ago. In two weeks I will get the next opportunity.

I have planned to do this VF at night for years and this evening I turn that desire into a reality. I expect it to be like diving on a wall in a Swiss or French lake. It will be like climbing in the clouds, but surrounded by darkness, rather than grey clouds.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/waiting-for-evenning/

#molÃSon #nocturnal #patience #rest #switzerland #viaFerrata_

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Normally I like to do things in the morning because I wake naturally between 0600-0800. Today was no exception. I could easily have got ready to do the hike, and then do the via ferrata but the thing that really blocked me is the one hour twenty drive from Le Pont to Moléson-Sur-Gruyère and the one hour drive home late at night. I could have been fine with doing both things but I want to be a hundred percent for this evening. I want to have the choice of the easy, or hard option. I also want the drive to be relaxing, not a challenge.

Also of note, one thing I had forgotten about is the logistics of picking people up from two or three different points along the route. I will have to stop in Fourmi, near the metro, and then again at Vevey. Both of these stops might add ten minutes or more to the journey time. If people are punctual then it adds less than five minutes, but if they are not then it could add 15 minutes per stop.

There is plenty of buffer, from the registration continuing until 2030 to the last ride down being at midnight 30.

If I was not driving anyone I might have considered going early to try a bike ride in the region. I enjoyed cycling around the Lac de Bulle a few years ago. It would be nice to do that again.

For the VF I am going to try to be as light as possible. I think that I suffered more on a previous VF because my bag was heavier than it should have been. The lighter I keep things, the less effort I need to make.

And Finally, I still would have liked to go on the hike to meet new people and consolidate friendships that were founded two weeks ago. In two weeks I will get the next opportunity.

I have planned to do this VF at night for years and this evening I turn that desire into a reality. I expect it to be like diving on a wall in a Swiss or French lake. It will be like climbing in the clouds, but surrounded by darkness, rather than grey clouds.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/waiting-for-evenning/

#molÃSon #nocturnal #patience #rest #switzerland #viaFerrata_