A desired, longed-for, and longed-for goal. To sum it up in one word. Patagonia. It was a deliberate mistake to title the journey to the far edge of South America to clarify the meaning of this experience from the outset. Today, on the feast of St. Stephen, Eleonora Delnevo and Stefania Valsecchi are flying over the ocean towards Patagonia to begin their adventure. Alongside this fantastic experience, supporting the two ambassadors is Liv. The two-wheel brand whose aim is to get as many women and girls on bicycles as possible entertaining them and creating a community.
Such an ambitious and distant goal, however, requires careful and meticulous planning. And that's where... Serena Cugno. Author of the blog and soul of the project Myfamilybike, is a 40-year-old woman, mother of two beautiful girls, Nicole and Cloe, who has made her passion for cycling a lifestyle. Five years ago she herself he crossed those distant lands and today together with Liv is ready to support the two new adventurers.
Myfamilybike
La Serena Cugno's story It stems from a love for two wheels that began far from competition. Listening to her story, it seems as if Liv's words had been in her nature for many years.
«Since we started – says Serena – to do cycling trips in 2004 It was love at first sight. From there, I developed a real passion for cycling, even though I never competed, either as a youngster or as an adult. I never had that desire to ride just to compete and compete with others. I always saw it as... a means of exploring and traveling around the world.
«Since 2019, so before the pandemic – he explains – we started sharing our travels. The island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Then in 2021 we went on the trip of trips from Helsinki to Rovaniemi where we went to visit Santa Claus during the midnight sun in July. When our daughters arrived, we decided not to abandon our passions, and from there is born MyfamilybikeA blog on Instagram and Facebook to share stories and be an example for other families. I saw my friends a little frustrated because they had dedicated themselves 100% to being mothers, putting aside any passions, whether cycling or otherwise. The message of Myfamilybike is precisely this: to communicate that passions can be pursued. The Myfamilybike page was the closing of a circle, when we travel we know that we have everything we need, the family and the bike."
Deciding to leave
Before Eleonora and Stefania, Serena with a story of her own went to discover Patagonia on your bike. A unique journey capable of conveying unrepeatable emotions that still today bring a big smile and motivation to those who want to set out on the road.
«My husband played a joke on me – says Serena – quit your job and open a bike shop which still has the name Cyclocentric, entirely dedicated to cycle touring. To thank me for not stopping him from doing this, he gave me a flight to Patagonia. So I left in February 2017 and cried every tear I could because my daughter was two and a half years old. Deciding to leave, as often happens, was the part that required the most courage.
"The trip was beautiful," he says, "and if I could do it again, I'd do it again. I've always traveled with him, and this was my first solo trip. I had my return flight in 17 days. It took me two to get down. The distance was 1 kilometer.200 divided into 12 stages from El Calafate to UshuaiaAtmospheric unknowns are usually two wind and rainI also experienced an unbearable amount of cold. One day all these bad weather conditions combined and I thought about giving up that stage. In reality, what surrounds you down there is so wonderful that you find strength in anything and you can't stop. In fact, when Stefania and Lola asked me about the negative aspects of this experience, I told them that Positive memories far outweigh any unexpected or adversity. Only wonder and a constant alternation of head down and mouth open in amazement at what surrounded me."
Beauty and effort
Why people embark on an adventure to discover a destination on the other side of the world isn't always easy to understand. Listening to Serena's words you can feel an aura of beauty which, combined with hard work, takes on a flavour of conquest that only situations of this type can offer.
"The local population is very small and very distant from one another. In Tierra del Fuego, we asked for hospitality on farms, and they let us pitch our tents on their vast lands. One of the most fascinating places is Torres del Paine Where you go to sleep facing the peaks. It was a bit like the emotion I experienced in Tibet when I saw Everest opening up behind a cloud and I burst into tears at the beauty. It's always a goal you have to earn after so much climbing and effort.
«Immense, enormous, boundless spaces “Here, as far as the eye can see, you can see these lands and the animals crossing the road. Asphalt is increasing in those areas, but much of it is still unpaved. There's very little traffic, and you're completely immersed in nature. The paths are very undulating, there is a lot of climbing. Over 1.200 kilometers, the elevation gain was about 10.000 meters. It's a challenging journey, especially in the first part. Less so in Tierra del Fuego, where the climbs are less steep. The finish line was in Ushuaia, which is the southernmost city in the world. In fact, I have this stamp in my passport where it says “La ciudad mas austral del Mundo”.
Advice for Lola and Stefania
Leaving today are Eleonora Delnevo, known to all as Lola, and Stefania Valsecchi. Two strong, adventurous women who set no limits. Stefania born in Lecco 55 years ago, she is a elementary School teacher in a school in Lecco, a profession chosen for fun and passion, with his bike he travels and breaks every limit. Lola she is a mountaineer from Bergamo, who was the victim of a terrible accident in 2015 that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Aboard her electric handbike, she faces every challenge with determination and dedication.
«We met – explains Serena Cugno – Through Liv because Marta Villa, the brand's Marketing Coordinator, connected us based on my experience on this trip. Lola and Stefania are wonderful people. The only thing I recommended to them was to be careful with their planning and stops. You can set out to travel 100 kilometers and then only manage 50, and then 120 the next time. So be flexible and be careful about the days afterward. Even though it's a popular tourist destination, it's still a wild land with a very low population density. Essentially, they shouldn't leave anything to chance. It will be a journey full of positive surprises and constant excitement. I told them to enjoy every inch. They are two strong, tough women. Super determined and resolute, which is why I gave them little advice. Having two very strong personalities, they'll have no problem overcoming any obstacle; they've both experienced worse.
Liv Committed
The three ambassadors carry on Liv's philosophy. A concept of inclusion which is good for cycling, and which through women's cycling is ready to set an example for all cyclists in the world.
"Let's be honest, in Italy," Serena explains, "the cycling world is a predominantly male-dominated and competitive world. So someone like me, a woman, who has never been interested in competitive cycling... I always thought I was excluded from cycling. Instead, it's a passion that can change the world, and Liv wants to communicate all of this. My message of inclusion that starts with the family parallels this thought. Above all, trying to make women understand that this sport is suitable for themIn many cases, the husband is too fast, and finding a group within your reach is never easy, and this often leads to abandoning the two-wheeler and feeling unfit.
“Creating groups of women,” she concludes, “who want to ride just for the pleasure of it is my goal for 2023. In Liv, I found support and people who think exactly like me. Inclusion and breaking away from the stereotype of head-down competition. A woman, a mother, does not always have the opportunity to train and be competitive, thus falling behind. Instead, you have to put guilt aside and enjoy every ride."
