Some of you who already follow me on Instagram or Facebook might already have seen this. Most of you probably haven’t. Regardless – take the few seconds to read the lines of this post from a few days ago. Because they’re all what this blog entry is about. Actually, they’re all what everything is about.

For you, this is another sort-of-pretty photo to scroll past on the way down your feed. Now let me tell you what this line of trees means to me. _ This is Canal du Midi in fall. I've been here once before. On a bicycle. With colors just as pretty. _ In 2013 I stumbled onto a blog (not too unlike this one) & was introduced to the concept of cycle touring. To the simple idea of heading out to ride your bicycle without returning back home at the end of the day. – Weeks later me & an old friend stood outside Budapest airport. With some time on our hands, 2 crappy bicycles we'd semi-stolen from family members & not a clue in the world of what we were doing. Laughing hysterically. And agreeing on that 'Shit. We really should've brought a map..?' – _ Fast forward a bunch of westward pedal strokes & I was here. Riding below these very trees, hopelessly and irreversibly in love with this life on the road. Secretly playing with then impossible thoughts of the big one. – This dream was born here. Under the long line of trees along Canal du Midi in fall. _ I try to imagine what that girl would've said if someone told her that in 4 years time she'd be back. Following her own tracks in the opposite direction. Heading home. After fulfilling that too-big-to-grasp dream – of riding her bicycle around the world. 🍂🌍

Ett inlägg delat av Fredrika Ek (@thebikeramble)

I’m on my way home.

Never has this felt more overwhelmingly clear than now. Now – when I’m suddenly back where this journey began. Not began as in where it’s first peddle stokes were taken. I’m back where it began – as in where that first grain of an idea silently took form in the head of a young Swedish girl, so endlessly clueless of the life changing snowball she was about to set in motion.

The air is crisp and fall has never been more beautiful. Someone told me the colours of the leaves match my jacket. Maybe. More than anything though, they match my inside.

Because for the very first time – am I now at peace with having reached the autumn of this ride.

To answer the one question I’m receiving more than any other these days:

No. My life will never be the same again. But then again… That was never the point.

This post ends up being both late and short. I’ll let you in on all the how come’s as soon as possible, though for now I intend to stay 100% present on the cloud 9 on which I’m currently floating. To write about the most beautiful parts of life, one first has to live them. Now if you’ll excuse me – I’ll go right back to doing just that.

Greetings from Bern, Switzerland.

Until next time,

Fredrika

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