50cc to Assisi: The Blog Posts
In the summer of 2024 I spent a month travelling on my 50cc moped on a somewhat winding route from Leicestershire to Assisi, a journey of about 1,450 miles. I packed a tent, spare clothes, a few essentials (and a few non-essentials, it turned out) and mostly slept rough on roadsides and in the woods as well as staying at a few monastic communities. Here's the story: jump in anywhere and use the "older post" and "newer post" links at the bottom of the page to journey with me ...
Preparation ...
- May 18: The Plan - Assisi and back on a 50cc moped
- May 24: Rocinante - introducing my noble steed
- June 14: A lovely send-off! - a farewell party at Launde Abbey
- June 18: '50cc to Assisi': The Movie - Launde shoots a little film
Stage 1: From Home to Dover
- June 24: And ... we're off! - getting to the end of my street
- June 24: Southwick - a little gem of a church
- June 24: Little Gidding - an unexpected stop
- June 24: (Not) having a punt - praying in Cambridge
- June 24: Evening Reflection: Monday 24 June - camped by the roadside
- June 25: Dawn chorus - waking up on the road
- June 25: Error of judgement - when and how not to cross London
- June 25: Some rest - St Mary's in Fawkham
- June 25: A strange but charming gem - St Mary's Westwell
- June 26: Evening Reflection: Tuesday 25 June - on riding too far and too fast
- June 26: The Mother Church - a visit to Canterbury Cathedral
- June 26: Joyous Evensong - praying in Canterbury Cathedral
- June 27: Bon Voyage! - crossing the Channel
Stage 2: From Dunkirk to Châtillon-sur-Seine
- June 27: St Martin says Hi - Église Saint-Martin in Looberghe
- June 27: The view from the saddle - what it says on the tin
- June 27: Evening reflection: Thursday 27 June - a first pleasant night in France
- June 28: Getting my bearings - and finding myself at a low point
- June 28: A pick-me-up - "Salam alaykum!"
- June 28: Almost a confession - what are we waiting for?
- June 28: Travelling companions: part one - travelling alone with autism
- June 29: Early contemplation - the stunning cathedral in Laon
- June 29: Light and dark - a different experience in Rhiems
- June 29: A proper pilgrim - a moment of self-discovery
- June 30: Breakfast in bed - a morning visitor
- June 30: Serendipity: Part One - in which I almost take a service in French ...
- June 30: Serendipity: Part Two - some beautiful plainchant books
- June 30: Can I pray for you? - reaching out to readers
Stage 3: From Châtillon-sur-Seine to Taizé
- July 1: 'Schoolboy, with his satchel, and shining morning face ...' - Châtillon-sur-Seine
- July 1: Tourist or Pilgrim? - an interesting article
- July 1: Book Recommendation - a remarkable introduction to the Jesus Prayer
- July 2: Travelling Companions: Part Two - on the road with a sleep disorder
- July 2: Ressourcement - the shrine at the source of the Seine
- July 2: Wet, wet, wet! - enjoying the rain
- July 3: Washout - on being well prepared
- July 3: So sweet! - celebrating my tour de France
- July 3: A short stop to pray - glad I didn't resist Sercy
- July 3: Taizé - visiting this remarkable community
- July 3: Paradise - a truly beautiful little church
- July 4: Start the day right - prayer and silence in good company
Stage 4: From Taizé to the Great St Bernard's Pass
- July 4: Once a wonder - the great abbey at Cluny
- July 4: Today's high point - on the top of Col du Berthiand
- July 4: Sunset - a beautiful evening by Lac de Nantua
- July 5: Crossing the line - over the border into Switzerland
- July 5: Just church, that's all - Geneva, and the contrast between two cultures
- July 5: After darkness, light - the Maccabees Chapel and mental health
- July 5: Ancient and Modern - a wonderful stop at Le Temple de la Saint-Madeleine
- July 6: Mordor? - facing the giant wall of rock
- July 6: The prayers of deep time - the unchanged prayer of centuries
- July 6: Grit, determination, insanity - a lunatic climbing a mountain with a moped
- July 6: In peace we will lie down and sleep - well-earned Compline
Stage 5: From the Great St Bernard's Pass to Baggiovara
- July 7: From pélerin to pellegrino! - finally at the Alps crossing
- July 7: Switching gears - morning mass on the mountain
- July 8: Taking stock - at the Monastero di Bose
- July 8: Prayer continues - a derelict church where people still worship
- July 8: Necropolis - the quiet rest of the dead
- July 8: Twenty-five feet above contradiction - the possibilities of a giant pulpit
- July 9: Idyllic - sleeping under the stars in an Italian grove
- July 9: Don Camillo - visiting the home of an old friend
- July 9: Spanner in the works - Rocinante is in trouble
- July 10: Bees! - hitching a ride?
- July 10: Some respite - mechanics and supplies
- July 10: RIP Rocinante - saying farewell to a beloved friend
Stage 6: From Baggiovara to Assisi
- July 11: Angels everywhere - how we look after one another
- July 11: The Plan (Revised) - time for a rethink
- July 11: A spectacular inferno - in Florence during a heatwave
- July 11: Febreze! - one of my travelling secrets
- July 11: Infusion - in the midst of death we are in life!
- July 12: Quiet in the chaos - finding places to pray
- July 12: The Divine Poet - my beloved Dante
- July 12: Torre della Castagna - the very first ballots
- July 12: The last mile - Assisi on the horizon
- July 13: Sei arrivato a destinazione - the joy of finally getting here
Stage 7: From Assisi to Home
- July 14: Light, colour, joy - ecstasy in the Basilica
- July 14: Sunday church, Bose style - sharing in morning worship
- July 14: Table talk - figuring out what really matters
- July 14: 50cc: The Movie - when Hollywood picks up this blog ...
- July 15: Crossing the Tiber - approaching the Vatican
- July 15: The staff of Moses - crossing the road in Rome
- July 15: Heart of the Eternal City - praying in St Peter's
- July 16: Unbreakable silence - Santa Maria sopra Minerva
- July 16: Bone Church - what to do with your predecessors?
- July 16: Angels everywhere (Part two) - Francesco and Andreas
- July 16: How to change the world - the wonder of the 'little brother'
- July 16: Writing - finding space and grace to think
- July 17: Grace among the 'infidels' - the little silver-covered horn
- July 18: Simplicity and Love - St Francis and his friends
- July 18: San Damiano - a taste of Franciscan simplicity
- July 18: The Community - the beautiful people of Bose in Assisi
- July 19: Teleported - from 30mph to 500mph!
- July 19: Holy Ground - the prayer continues
- July 21: Home at last! - back where I belong