It's all about the mindset

When he was only seven years old his parents went on a horse and everything that could fit on a wagon, taking him and his big brother on the 3.05.2002 for an adventurous journey leaving their home in the southern France travelling up north from village to village.

It was a trip where a 7 years old boy didn't go to school and explored alongside his family. After 4 month his parents returned the horse

to his owners and kept the wagon for some years returning home by car.

No wonder where Jean got his sense of adventure from.

On 2020, during his first degree a friend from university that travelled Sweden for 5 month by bike with his girlfriend and a french roommate that went alone by bike to Turkey, that trip took 6 month. Told him about their crazy adventures while bike riding and inspired him to start.

His first mountain bike ride took place on 3.05.2022 as a symbolic date for the family trip he did on a horse and wagon . He did it alone and visited some friends along the way, and it was untill 31.07.2022 inside France. Where he rode up the Alphs and the Cime de la bonette (2802 mts) which is the highest road in France to reach with bike.

Cime de la Bonette

On that trip he adjusted his mindset that riding the Alps would be hard and he was able to handle the hardship of the trip.

He's now on his current trip that started on 4/06/2023 in Arcachon in France.

Only being 28 years old. I'm writing as he is riding 100 km a day across Portugal. We sat down and he told me this trip is harder than he thought because in his mind: " this trip would be easy. I already climbed the Alphs and it turned out riding from France through Spain to Portugal can be tougher".

He crossed the border from France to Spain ariving in Gernica. Than Bilbao where like any extreme adventures you have a downside day. For him it happened in Bilbao as he had to cary His bycicle up some stairs and anything that could go wrong that day happened. But looking back he can say "at least my bike was ok and I was in good health". What an optimistic guy.

Highest point of continental portugal

From Spain he continued to Portugal crossing the border between Lago de Sanabria and Bragança.

Road his 100 km per day untill he got to a lovely place up the mountain hill called a Ponte secret garden located in A Ponte das tres entradas.

Camping his small tent near the river bank, cooking his meals and what he can say about this magical place: " if I knew I would meet so many cool people here I would stay more than one night".

He woke up with dawn and continued riding to reach Lisbon , his final destination and go back to France.

By: Danielle Mishaeli