Would you give up having children to save the planet?

Yesterday it was the Earth Overshoot Day, which marked the imaginary point when humanity’s demand exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year 😓
So, from today onwards, after having used every last bit of natural resources that Earth can provide, we are living on ecological credit.
There’s overpopulation and people keep having children no matter what. Somehow I feel relieved with my decision of not having kids (after many years being judged) knowing that this is probably the most generous decision one can make for the planet.
Modifying the environment to fit the needs of society is causing severe effects, which become worse as the problem of human overpopulation continues. Some human activities that cause damage (directly or indirectly) to the environment on a global scale include population growth, overconsumption, overexploitation, pollution, deforestation, etc. Some of the problems, including global warming and biodiversity loss pose an existential risk to the human race, and human overpopulation causes those problems.
This photo was taken 3 weeks ago when this 🦌 was standing in front of me in the Alps. Like many others, it may disappear because of our selfishness.
It may sound harsh, but I think that we, as humans, deserve extinction. We can’t bring extinct animals back and we can’t undo the massive environmental changes we’ve made. The best thing would be disappear and let the planet begin the slow process of healing itself, reclaiming what was stolen from it.
I don’t remember in my entire life having asked anyone “Why did you have children?” So, I don’t know why I have to be asked so often why I don’t want to have children as if my decision was something wrong and unnatural.
Before I get any criticism, and if you dear reader are still reading my post, I am gonna make a children-related question for the first time: “Would you give up having children to save the planet?”
The environmental toll of having even one child is enormous – 58.6 tonnes of carbon each year. So it’s pretty obvious that going child-free is the answer to our climate crisis and Earth destruction process. And quite probably, the most generous decision a human can make.

Disclaimer: this post is not about condemning those who have children, it’s about awareness of what we are causing to the planet. Feel free to have as many kids as you wish but bear in mind that the world they will live in may not be the desired one. Everyone must act according to his consciousness. 

DAY 50 of self-isolation. PER-SE-VER-ANCE: To carry on in your course of action, even in the face of difficulty, with little or no evidence of success.

Among all the stupid things I’ve been doing for the last 50 days (cutting my hair with my kitchen scissors, dancing and singing the spice girls, talking to my plants, using a satisfyer for the first time, getting drunk alone, and so on)… one of them was to do 3 sets * X repetitions (being X the number of days stuck alone at home) of push-ups every day until I could go outside again. Today it’s been 3*50 push-ups. So with these 150 push-ups I’m done with this silly challenge as tomorrow we will be already allowed to exercise outside!

I must admit that when I started I couldn’t do more than 15 push-ups in a set, and when I saw that the lockdown was extended I just gave up for a couple days … but then I told to myself “WTF!? There’s no such thing as surrender… go back to that, train the fuckin’ upper body and get these PUSH-UPs done everyday”. And here I am 50 days later. 
Perseverance is a thing that can be learned. There hasn’t been a single day out of these 50 that I haven’t done strength exercises and ridden my bike indoors (actually outdoors in my balcony).I increased my upper body strength to a point that I wouldn’t have expected. Also my arms size is not ridiculously tiny anymore. They are now more aligned with my legs. This will make me a better climber and get ready for all mountains adventures awaiting out there!
I’ve been alone all these 50 days, I haven’t get paid by the government nor haven’t found a job after losing it the 1st day of lockdown, by the end of the month I am moving to my parents house because I can’t afford living alone anymore, but my mood and happiness have been good 48 days out of 50. So I am pretty satisfied with that. Specially when I see friends that have a house, a job and money and are always complaining for the situation and looking at what they don’t have and can’t do. So must be true that happiness doesn’t come from money, fame or power. Another thing that I realized is that those that have less are those that are the most generous and are more willing to help others. I also learnt that selfish people will remain the same no matter what. This pandemia was supposed to change people, but I am not sure that it will have the right effect to everyone. 
I know I’ve been showing you my balcony with my 3 palm trees everyday and there’s a quote that says “You are what you do repeatedly every day”. So I’m not sure if I am a palm tree or what this means. In any case from tomorrow I will show you my palm trees from another perspective. I hope people don’t go to run a marathon nor ride the Tour de France tomorrow, especially those who haven’t been doing anything in months. I won’t ride yet, I will let the desperate ones do it and I will be happy with an easy run and watching the sunrise from the sea. And who knows if I swim a few meters as well. After 1 month of cold showers, sea water must feel warm. 
As a scientist I only believe what I see, so check my 50 push-ups (I must acknowledge that they are not technically good as I should go a little bit more down, but when you have 150 push-ups ahead you try to minimize the effort to complete them) and check as well  one of the most effective exercises I’ve been doing to gain upper body strength. 
PS: All those of you asking me if I am really alone. Yes, I AM. All photos and videos have been self-recorded! I just got the company of some virtual animals and hallucinations I may have got during this quarantine. By the way, it is not over yet! Stay safe and take care.

Serra de Carreu

La Serra de Carreu is a mountain range in the municipality of Abella de la Conca, in the region of Pallars Jussà, but with a small part – the western one – in the term of Conca de Dalt, in its former term of Hortoneda de la Conca, also of the Pallars Jussà, and another small part – the Eastern one – that enters the old term of Montanissell, in the Alt Urgell.

The route covers the entire mountain range and is recommended to be done in a minimum of 2 days, as more than half the route runs along a ridge (with some difficult parts) and time flies when you are up there. It is ideal for those who want to get started in the world of ridges and experience the sense of verticality walking on narrow ridges at high altitude.

No ropes nor climbing gear are needed.

It is advisable to sleep in a bivouac, because with low light pollution, many stars can be seen and you can even spot the Milky Way on a clear night.

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Tracks, highlights and explanation in Catalan on my Komoot account:

https://www.komoot.com/collection/925446/-serra-de-carreu?ref=wcl-tw

Stay at home but keep on moving

Some more exercises to do for those stuck at home like I am 💪🏻💪🏻

Do not take anything for granted

Some thoughts after almost a month (29 days) of self-isolation

Somehow this video came to my knowledge. It recounts exactly my case scenario, but for me it is not any sort of experiment, it’s reality.
My water heater got broken 10 days ago during the lockdown, I lost my job due to covid19 and  I was somehow pursuing my dream career as I was about to to move to US for an exciting research project. Instead, I am now about to move back in with my parents because I can’t even pay the rent of my apartment (I’m paying it with the help of others). HOWEVER, and despite this scenario which I might consider worst case, isn’t that bad after all. Life is not that terrible without any of this.
I’m physically and mentally healthy and I’m surrounded -not physically right now- by many nice people taking care of me in all senses. It took me some days of lockdown to flip my perspective of everything, but I can say that I am HAPPY and feel lucky for all what I have (it may not look like a lot for many people, but it certainly is).

My last day in the mountains.

This 18 km loop is not only special because of its particular beauty, but because it was my last time being outdoors in the mountains right before the first day of lockdown in my country.

It’s been already 27 days of self-isolation for me and the truth is that what keeps me motivated is to plan exciting mountain and cycling projects for the upcoming future. I am also trying to find a job, but this is not so exciting, you know… Meanwhile I will let you about this loop so you can get some inspiration for when we all can go outside again. 

The route starts and ends in Pratdip a small town of 700 habitants. The town has a legend indicating that the area surrounding the village was inhabited by animals called dips, which would eventually give the town its name. They looked a lot like dogs, as can be seen in the representation in the ancient altar of Santa Marina. It is said that these dips used to go out at night and were like vampire dogs, feeding on the blood of the cattle from the village.  

In the middle of the route we arrive to one the highlights of the day, the Miranda peak with its 919 meters of altitude with amazing views of all the Serra de Llaberia and the coast.

Approaching the end of the route we will find some 2 delicate mountain passes that can be done with the help of ropes and chains already installed there. 

Once we get down it is interesting to visit the town and its castle.

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Check out the track on my Komoot account:

https://www.komoot.com/tour/167741826?ref=wtd

Everesting to buy face masks for healthcare workers in Catalonia

On Sunday, together with @gravelepic, we raised 5757€ to buy face masks for healthcare workers in Catalan hospitals 😷😷 This initiative came from @tim.kremer.de and @ralph_birke_bike, race directors of Gravel Epic which should have been a serie of gravel races around Europe.

By now, we should have gone to Marrakesh and would be about to race in Slovenia. Everything was cancelled, and instead of staying at home crying for what we can’t do and lost, we did what we could do, which is help in any possible way.

I personally can’t make any donation because I’m already being helped to pay my rent, bills and food as many other people in this country that have lost their job due to covid19. And I’m still waiting to see if this incompetent government is willing to help me. Otherwise I wonder if moving to my tent ⛺🏞️ in the middle of the mountains, -because I can’t afford paying my rent,- would be considered illegal.

Anyway, I didn’t want to talk about me, because the truth is that I feel lucky to be healthy and that’s what’s more important right now. I wanted to talk about what we achieved yesterday. I joined @tim.kremer.de in a successful “Everesting” attemp on an indoor trainer, which raised that bunch of money 💰 that will go straight to Vall d’Hebron hospital to buy facemasks for those that really need them. And I feel proud of having been part of this. I wish I could do more to help other people in this challenging situation.

And this long message was basically to thank everyone that made a donation 🙌🏻 and helped us to help others.

PS: Tim, you’re a machine 💪🏻

One day we’ll remember the hardest of times when distance meant love and it kept us alive

Andrà tutto bene

Cities are vacant like they’ve never been
Everyone’s scared of what blows in the wind
The plans we all had
Have all gone down the drain
Our lives were postponed
But I know in the end we’ll be alright
We stand together as one
People are lining in grocery stores
Silence is screaming the fear in their hearts
Don’t give up your faith, no
Don’t let your light fade
Together we’ll get through the dark of these days
Two or three months
They’re saying on TV
Be safe in your shelters and soon we’ll be free
One day we’ll remember the hardest of times
When distance meant love and it kept us alive  

Coronavirus is changing how people live daily lives

Someone said that after 10 days of self-isolation things start to be hard and that it can have a detrimental impact on people’s mental health. 
Well, for me it’s been already 17 days of self-isolation and the truth is that I’m feeling much better every day.
I may have lost my job, have no money and not knowing what I will do when all this is over, so what? I can’t do anything right now. I will figure out something when all this is over (thanks to everyone willing to help btw!). And as I can’t do anything about that right now, I just focus on other things.

I really don’t mind staying at home watching the time go by if that is for the sake of people’s health. Just sitting in my balcony and listening to sea’s charming song brings me complete relaxation and incredible feelings of joy, calm, and peaceful exuberance.

I analyzed what I would do if I was in the middle of the mountain right now and well,… I would also live this kind of slow life that we are all asked to do right now, but in a corner of nature. Stare at the fire. Listen to the birds. Jump in the lake. Read. Take a nap. Relax. Watch the sunset. Watch the stars. Cook over the fire. Breathe the fresh air.  

Maybe this virus turns out to try to show people that we all just need to slow down and get rid of this society’s self-destructive addiction to faster living. 

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30 Exercises to make the most of your at-home workout while being confined

With my head in the mountains 🏔️ and my feet on my flat, dreaming about peaks, sunrises, sunsets and stars, and in order to help somehow in this hard situation, I thought that I could share some of my knowledge on physical activity and health.

🏡You’ll find a link with some easy exercises to do at home to keep the spirits high and stay healthy

🤸🏻‍♂ 👉🏼 Pick 6-8 exercises/ day 💪🏼

🏋🏼 Complete 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps (or 30 seconds) of each exercise with 1 minute of rest between each exercise and 3 minutes between each set.

🙌🏻 Benefit from the endorphins that will trigger a positive feeling in your body for the rest of the day.

🥗Take care of your nutrition 👌🏻 and stay away form negative thoughts 👻

👉🏼 Good mental health promotes good physical health and viceversa.💪🏻

You can add 30′ of indoor cycling, doing steps or simply just walking 30 minutes inside your home.

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CAT
Davant d’aquesta situació que estem vivint he pensat que a part de quedar-me a casa podria fer alguna cosa més i ajudar compartint una mica els meus coneixements en el món de l’activitat física i la salut.

Us proposo 30 exercicis de fàcil execució i a l’abast de tothom per fer a casa sense necessitat de cap gran espai ni cap material específic. Un parell de briks de llet, una màrfega i una cadira.

Escolliu entre 6-8 exercicis cada dia combinant la meitat de tronc superior i la meitat de tronc inferior i repetiu-los unes 10-15 vegades (30 segons aprox) cadascun descansant un minut entre exercicis i repetiu la sèrie un parell de vegades.

Això ho podeu complementar amb una caminada de 30 minuts per dins de casa o pujant i baixant escales durant 30 minuts 🙂 Cuida l’alimentació, centra’t en petites coses positives i allunya’t dels pensaments negatius. Una bona salut mental promou una bona salut física i vice versa.

Cuideu-vos i protegiu-vos!

Una abraçada a distància 🤗