the (new) endomobile

[endo]

Today my son and I did a cayak tour down the Ardèche canyon. My parents did this with up to 50 teenagers for 16 consecutive years in the 80s and 90s. It was part of 3 week youth trip with bicycles through Southern France organized from the parish where my father was a pastor. They used to hike up the canyon in 3 days and cayaked it down in two.

We did the 24 km today at once. We started early so we had it cool and the canyon almost for ourselves. I have done this many times before, but again it was very impressive.

It put me in a bit of a melancholic mood, as it was the first time since both of my parents passed away within the last few years. But it also reminded me how grateful I am that they gave me this ‚traveling gene‘ that I‘m trying to pass on to my children now.

Anyway, it was a wonderful day.

(these pics were taken by professional fotographers that sit by the rapids, bought online later)

(This pic I‘ve previously taken from a viewpoint above the canyon. At this point it‘s approximately 400m deep.)

[Daniel San]

fantastic @endo
looks like an awesome father son trip

[jordanscollected]

Stunning Photos. Looks like an amazing trip.

You live right @endo

[EdH]

Great pictures @endo

So what you're saying is that IH need to do a pair of swimmers for your next trip?

[dinobarnesberlin]

Fantastic you two are doing this @endo

[endo]

thanks guys

[Tago Mago]

@endo love it. What a beautiful experience to share with your son

[endo]

Camp Endo has moved. We‘re now app. 2 hrs upstream in the mountains where it‘s a little bit less crowded and hot.

Passed ‚le pont du diable‘ on our way and went swimming and cliff-jumping, with a few hundred others. Incredible what testosterone does to some of the young blokes (hight of the bridge is supposed to be 17 meters).

Just behind starts a beautiful canyon that we swam up.

This is our new camp for the next two days.

[EdH]

Amazing.

Unsure if I'd jump off that bridge though... I'd have to see it in person.

[DeeDee85]

Beautiful @endo

[endo]

Today we did a hike in the surrounding mountains. Not always easy to get the teenager moving, but he did well and we managed to have a good time. And afterwards we had meatballs and Orangina, that satisfies every soul.

[endo]

We‘re on our way back North. Passing through Burgundy we took the chance to visit the Communauté de Taizé, where we had dinner with hundreds of young people and visited the evening prayer. If you‘re interested, listen to their music.

[Aetas]

Wonderful tour @endo , thanks for sharing!
Visited Taizé once and found it very contemplative.

[weftyarn]

great stuff @endo youre definitely doing it right
brings up memories of camping near Toulon with the family when I was a teenager, good times…
I’m sure your son will not forget this adventure

[Matt]

Awesome.

[endo]

Our last stop in France let us to Colmar, a beautiful medieval town with lots of frame houses (and lots of tourist, but still nice).

But my main interest there was the Musee Unterlinden, with it's Isenheim Altarpiece.

Even my little endo was impressed. It's certainly one of the masterpieces of late medieval painting.

Crazy shit.

[endo]

Now we're back home. Grateful for safe travels and lots of new impressions. Thank you for following.

The next tour should be in September to South England and the Gosport party. See you then, hopefully. ️

[Blueband]

@endo agreed, visited Colmar with my wife in 2019. Very nice town.

[Mizmazzle]

@endo far out!! What a cool tradition to pass on to your children!!

[endo]

it's the cool @Mizmazzle that you have to pass to the next gen, you do it as a teacher