In Love With Earth

The cycling

Me and my partner in crime D. began the tour from the centre of Lugano at 10:40.

The original plan was to visit the Convent of Santa Maria close to the village of Bigorio and then went back passing through Origlio to take some drone videos in the cave under the Oratorio of San Zeno. We visited it the week before but the videos were really bad (I am a newbie with drones).

The plan changed when we reached the Convent of Santa Maria. The place was peaceful and quiet. In the lobby of the small church there was a small table with some products handmade by the Capuchin Friars. D. decided to buy some delicious honey cookies that we ate while we were contemplating in absolute silence the place.

D. proposed a detour in order to explore the amazing surroundings of the Convent. I just say yes, the idea was great, my curiosity about new places is always hungry and in addition I thought “We visited the cave the week before. Let's do it!”.

The ascent was really hard (no e-bike, just the legs). We stopped at Posteggio Sciss and visited the small groups of cottages looking for a place where we can do some drone videos and take some photos.

Well, the first flight was good but during the second - I already said that I am a newbie right? 😳 - the drone had a collision with a tree. The drone was at almost 7-8 metres from the ground in a tree surrounded by an enclosure. We immediately began to look around for a stick long enough to push the drone down off the tree. We were not lucky.

I decided to look for some help in the close cottages but, even if there were some cars, there didn't seem to be anyone there. Except in one. I knocked on the door, a dog barked and a few seconds after G. opened the door. G. immediately asked if I needed some help. It looked like we had known each other for a long time: I cannot really describe the feeling but I felt really good and happy.

I described the situation to G. and he gave me the longest available stick he had. Together we back to the tree where D. was waiting. We realised soon that the stick was not long enough. So G. once analysed the situation, suggested to use his ladder. We back to his cottage, got the ladder and we back again to the tree. Once we were sure that the ladder was secure I climbed the tree enough to reach with the stick the drone and push it down of the tree.

Finally the drone was recovered. Damaged but repairable (I already fixed it and it is ready for the next crash 😝).

At this point G. invited us to drink a coffee. We chatted probably for more than an hour and gave us some ideas on how to proceed with our detour. He told us that upon Sciss there was the small village of Condra. He even gave us some gems: Condra was the place where Filippo Tommaso Marinetti spent some time in the Chiattone house.

Time to jump on the bikes and continue our detour. Even if G. gave us precise information where to find the Chiattone house we did not find it or better we passed without realising it 😜.

We reached Condra and we were a bit exhausted. After a break and a chocolate donut we went back to Lugano.