My place to sleep

I pitched my tent in Heidiland. This is how Bad Ragaz baptized their website. At the end of the 19th century, Johanna Spyri wrote in this small town on the Rhine her famous Heidi novels about the orphan who grew up with her grandfather, the “Almöhi”, living in the mountains. Spyri’s novels, with their slightly romanticized view of the life in the mountains, became one of the great Swiss export hits. Theoretically, Heidi could have had a folding bike. The first patent was issued in 1878, two years before the first Heidi novel was published. The original version, however, had little in common with my folding bike, which I used today on the first stage of “School up! River down”. Mine has 20-inch wheels, an eight-speed derailleur and weighs about 14 kilograms. I have to pat it on the saddle, today it has stood the test.

Suitable for alpine pass

Before the start

In the morning, when I started my ride at 2000 meters, I thought whether it was really a good idea to drive down a steep pass with a small bike like this. Accordingly, I cycled carefully at the beginning. Over time, however, I felt safer. The brakes grabbed, and the bike was easy to be kept under control, even at a high speed. According to my speedometer I reached a maximum speed of 45 km/h. Even with a “normal” bike, I would probably hardly have driven faster. After all, I’m not an expert in bike descents. I always want to keep control of my bike, so my motto is: better to use the brakes once too often than once not often enough.

No, not an e-bike!

A bit cooled down, I reached Disentis. After all, it was green here. The sun was warming me, and after a while I could take off the jacket, the long-sleeved shirt and the leg wair. Since there were hardly any cars en route, I stayed on the main road, so I moved quite fast. The first 50 kilometers – admittedly mostly downhill – I managed in just over two hours, a good average. But the real challenge was yet to come. Behind the village of Ilanz, I had to ride a few strong ascents to drive around the Rhine gorge. Now I sweated, my breath was getting shorter, and my calves signaled to me that they were anything but enthusiastic. But with patience and perseverance, I also made these ascents. On the top of the hills, I was rewarded with great views down into the gorge. When I met three tourists – like me from the Rhineland – at such a view point and told them about my bike trip down the river, one of them asked me: “With an e-bike?”

Headwind at the end

Even here, the success of the motor-driven bicycles can not be overlooked. I almost feel like an exotic, because I still ride my little bike exclusively with muscle power. This was also needed on the last third of the stage. Although it became flatter ahead of the city of Chur and I could always ride along the Rhine, the wind had been refreshing and, of course, it was a headwind. After 111 kilometers on the bike, I had had enough. Tomorrow is another day. And when do I have again the opportunity to sleep in Heidiland?

The school in Thulosirubari is going to be demolished

It was simply too dangerous. In the village of Thulosirubari in the Nepalese earthquake zone, residents and helpers of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have begun to remove the debris of the school. The building that was heavily damaged by the quake on 25 April “stands dangerously on the side of the ground where children use to play”, Arjun Gatraj, chairman of the School Management Committee, writes to me. As reported, the ground floor of the “Gerlinde and Ralf School” had collapsed, the building cannot be maintained. “These days, we have the big problem on how to destroy the main building and how to clear the rubble”, says Arjun. “We have no money for that ant the Government of Nepal is also not able to support us.”

Highly motivated

The school, that was built and maintained by the German aid organization “Nepalhilfe Beilngries”, was inaugurated in 2009. The professional climbers Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits had made the construction possible with their financial support. Before the earthquake, 700 students per year attended the school. They came not only from Thulosirubari but from other small mountain villages in Sindhulpalchowk District too. The students are now taught in tin sheds, in groups of up to 70 students. “The temporary classrooms have proved to be useful”, Arjun writes. “The teaching is more or less the same as before the earthquake, but there is a great lack of teaching materials and school furniture. The children are just as excited to learn even after the earthquake.”

No family left the village

Living and learning in tin sheds

In Thulosirubari, located about 40 kilometers east of the capital Kathmandu as the crow flies, 75 people died in the earthquake, among them seven students of the “Gerlinde and Ralf School”. The villagers have overcome the monsoon – most of them in shanties with corrugated iron roofs and tarpaulins to protect against heavy rainfall. Despite the difficult living conditions, no family has left the village because of the earthquake, says Arjun. “They are struggling with the current situation. Those families who were temporary staying in Kathmandu returned to the village. The greatest concern of the people in Thulosirubari is: How can they build new and safe houses again? And who can rebuild the school for their children?” But of course they do not have the money for that. “So please help us to rebuild it!”, Arjun Gatraj appeals.

Every Euro or Dollar helps

This is precisely the goal of the fundraising campaign “School Up!” which I started in late June along with Gerlinde and Ralf. With your help, we want to ensure that the school in Thulosirubari will be rebuilt as soon as possible. The campaign had a promising start, but it is like being on expedition: If you have left the base camp, you are still far from the summit. You need patience and staying power. Once again, here are the bank details:

Recipient: Nepalhilfe Beilngries
Bank: Volksbank Bayern Mitte eG/Germany
IBAN: DE05 7216 0818 0004 6227 07
BIC/SWIFT-Code: GENODEF1INP
Intended purpose: Gerlinde and Ralf School

Every single Euro, Pound or Dollar is helping. A big thank you in advance to all donators!