The Declining Case for Social Media Giants

Years ago I was interviewed by the RTS to speak about Twitter and my conclusion is that it would never pick up in Switzerland because there are too few users and they're too dispersed. That is still true.

Social networks that are alive and well are Meetup, GoSocial, Strava and Whatsapp. It's absurd that Whatsapp is in the list given that it is owned and controlled by Facebook, so people that hate Facebook would, rationally avoid Whatsapp too, but they don't.

Meetup

Meetup is an events based social networks. This means that you look for events to join, say you're coming, and then turn up. You can share photos after the event but if you don't connect IRL via Whatsapp and other apps, then you're going to experience quantum friendships. By this I mean they're only around for the event, and vanish as soon as it's over, until the next meetup.

GoSocial and Whatsapp

GoSocial is a paradox because it's a chat group based social network, where chats are created for every single event, but they're closed and conversation is throttled as soon as an event is over. It is purely to say "I'm doing this on that day", "Can you drive me from Geneva?" and maybe sharing photos after the event, but then the photos are trapped within the chat, as downloading is turned off.

Strava

Strava is two things. The first is a community of "I went for a run" and "I went for a dog walk" and "I went for a bike ride" and sports based events where people say "I'm in". There is little to no conversation, and due to there being no threading conversations are chronological. It is really not optimal for "chatting". It is great for finding local cyclists and runners.

Whatsapp

Last, but underlying every social event, is Whatsapp, or WhatsCrapp as I prefer to call it. Almost everyone is on Whatscrapp so if you want to have a social life, you are obligated to use Whatscrapp, whether it is for "ride cancelled due to rain" or "Hike taking place on this day, to that place, from here" to simply instant messaging individuals.

The Aburd

Pre-pandemic, and pre-Facebook purchase, Whatsapp was a chat client for friends of multiple events to keep the conversation going. It was a place to share thoughts, passions, challenges, and generally to keep the friendships alive between weekly indoor climbs, weekend activities and more. It was tight knit.

The Modern Coldness

The reason I call it Whatscrapp now is that conversation is actively discouraged. Utilitarianism has replaced humanism. In the past Whatsapp was a place for textroverts to have conversations in between events, and after events. In the age of WhatsCrapp you're allowed to say "Hey, I need someone to drive me from A to B". As someone who drove people a lot I find the behaviour offensive. I'd rather have a little conversation before or after an event than "I want to use people".

Solitary Irony

Until 2007 online communities were social networks but when hashtags came to Twitter and Zynga came to Facebook the art of conversation was lost, favouring pokes, likes, retweets and more, rather than engaged and engaging conversations. We went from socially engaged and rewarding online relationships to utilitarian broadcasting. That utilitarianism is reflected by how people use WhatsCrapp but there is a silver lining. I did not write this to be negative.

Widely Accepted

In the age of Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Instagram and more, we had to be on the tech giant sites because they had global reach. If we wanted to connect, we had to use the global site.

In 2026 everyone uses WhatsCrapp, and plenty of sporty people use Strava, and many hikers and tech people use Meetup. The GoSocial community too is large, and entirely built around Whatscrapp.

And Finally

And finally we are in a new Post Social Media age. Twitter, Facebook, Threads and Instagram were so busy getting in the way of our community building efforts that we slid to the fediverse, to Bluesky, and to social networks that are local to us, that are relevant to us, that are driven by European values.

Cycling to the Airport and Ice Skating

Reading Time: 3 minutes

A week ago I proposed a bicycle ride to Mies, before stopping at the Port de Crans for coffee. Quite a few people joined the chat but no one committed to turning up. I woke up in the morning and said "I'm thinking of setting off early, since no one had confirmed. When no one said "wait, wait, wait" I set off on my bicycle ride.

The conditions were excellent. I was warm, the roads were quiet, and the views were pleasant. I even thought "These are fantastic cycling conditions, it's a mistake to stay indoors and zwift when the weather is so pleasant.

I did make the mistake of gravel, and then grass riding. The route I had planned on was closed due to the shooting range being in active use. That's when I diverted to a giant puddle and then grass and mud. In the end I turned around, due to a dead end.

I then rode towards Geneva, and the airport, before riding down towards the centre, before turning to get to the Place Des Nations to snack, before riding home. This stop was a mistake, because that's when I cooled down. That's also when clouds appeared and blocked out the sun. It also started to drizzle so the trifecta of being wet, in shade, and rained on made the second half colder and less pleasant.

If I had stuck to my original route the entire ride would have been pleasant.

A Slight Mistake

I believe that suggesting the ride on GoSocial, rather than on strava was a mistake. When I got home from the ride I noticed the timeline light up with gravel rides, normal rides, runs and more. If I had proposed my activity on Strava I would have been heard by people who were already motivated to cycle rather than trying to convince hikers, and people who prefer to party.

Ice Skating

During one of my walks I noticed that the ice skating rink was going to open in a few days so I posted it to the Nyon GoSocial group. People were interested so yesterday afternoon a few people turned up and we skated for a few hours. In this case seven out of eleven people who signed up turned up. If it had been a hike it would have been twenty out of twenty.

It could be up to two decades since I last went ice skating. I don't enjoy skating because you go around over, and over. Compare the GPS track from yesterday's skating, compared to the morning's bike ride and you will see what I mean.

Ending on a Feeling of Solitude

Yesterday there was a conversation about ice skating and fondue, and I thought both were the same event. They weren't. At the end of the day, after skating three people went for the fondue and I walked in solitude and I felt down. The irony is that I have been more social than I have in years so it's absurd that I felt that isolation. That's one of the challenges of being an introvert in the COVID age, as I call it. You want to be social but not in crowded bars, pubs, or large events. You want to be social in a convivial ambience, such as on a bike ride or hike. If skating and the fondue were the same event, that would have been ideal. I misunderstood.

And Finally

It is absurd of me to start a cycling group, just as every cycling group straps an indoor trainer to the back of their bikes. It makes sense to ice skate, do autumn hikes and sports that people want to do in this weather. Having said this, there are plenty of hiking groups so it's nice to have a niche.

I noticed that for Saturday and Sunday I could propose Ride and Scones as a bike activity, and in the afternoon, when the air has had time to warm up.

#autumn #cycling #gosocial #ice #pleasure #skating #social #solitude #sunshine

Why do I Hike and Cycle in Groups

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The most beautiful sight I saw on today's ride was a murder of crows sitting at a water fountain. They were there because it offered water. When I cycled by it forced them to take off and scatter. With them were a few birds of prey. If you have watched The Birds by Hitchcock then the experience would have been bad. For me it was the highlight of my solo ride.

My habit of hiking and cycling might seem absurd. On Thursday I went on a group ride but spent quite a big portion of it cycling up a road to the top of part of the Jura in solitude. I was overtaken several times by people who cycle more than me, and when I got to the top I exchanged a few words, before heading back down, once again in solitude.

Of course, that solitude came from one source. It was my first time with this group so we did not have much to talk about. If I persist with this group then we will have more opportunities for conversations.

I was looking at event photos of a hike and I was reminded that I would like to see two women again. I want to see them again but not if it involves seeing a toxic person. If I say I hate something, I am not negative, I am venting. I am being healthy. I am looking for compassion and empathy. When I was shown apathy that made me never want to deal with that group again.

I was thinking about why I prefer to cycle, rather than hike with people. I then realised that I enjoy hiking with people and cycling. Tomorrow I know of two hikes. Once is along the Areuse, and should be easy. The other is to the Tour D'aï and this is a hike that I really want to do. If I had not committed to hike 1 then I would very happilly do Hike 2.

Today I hesitated between two bike rides and it's when I arrived on the spot, and saw who was doing which hike that I easily chose which ride to do. I'm happy with the choice I made.

I got to have good conversations and look forward to many more rides in future. I also got to explore a new route for getting home that does not involve climbing from the lake to the French border, and then riding across.

The Pleasure of Being With the Right People

When I walked with the group last week on the hike I organised I derived pleasure from being with these people. I would say the same about the Nyon TDC ride, although due to the solitude this is a partial truth. I'm keen to go with them again.

Today's bike ride was a pleasure too. I'm getting to know people so I'm less reserved, less shy, more social. That's why it's good to go with groups regularly. Through familiarity conviviality will grow. Ironically I say this despite the group being quite large. It shows that when we're in a good group, the experience is more pleasant.

I have three groups that I want to do more activities with and that is pleasant. A good group is one that you walk away from feeling more isolated than when you joined them. A good group is one that you can leave, without feeling isolated and alone.

#cycling #friendships #gosocial #hiking #meetup

The Desire to Hike First, and be Social Second

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Tomorrow there are at least three hikes and three bike rides that I know of. The hikes are via GoSocial and the bike rides are via Meetup. On Sunday I know of at least two to three GoSocial hikes and one Meetup hike. I have plenty of choice for what to do on weekends. In fact the choice is broader than that.

Over a week ago I signed up for a hike but over the last two weeks I have seen people say "I want to participate" without ever being told "sorry, we're full". My concern is that this will be another large hiking group with people who are out for a chat, and just happen to be walking at the same time. For some that's fine, after all it is a GoSocial hike, not a GoHike event.

If my past behaviour is an indication of future behaviour then I should avoid hikes that are too filled with people because I will eventually abandon the group and hike my own hike. If I am with 18 people then I eventually long for solitude and hike into the distance and leave the group behind. This is especially true with the Jaun to Gruyères hike. If I had followed my desire I would have dumped the group almost immediately, and almost did before lunch.

Small, Tight Knit Group

When I hiked with another group we were few, tight knit, and fast. We talked and we hiked fast. We stopped long enough for the group to be together again, and then we set off within seconds of becoming a single group again. That's nicer. That's comfortable. It also means that we talk with everyone in turn. We meet everyone in the group.

Whilst it's nice to find that so many people want to hike every weekend, and in such large numbers it has a cost. That cost is that extroverts get to talk, and because they're charismatic people will listen to them, rather than each other. We go from pairs of people having conversations to broadcasts where the charismatic extrovert hogs the conversation.

It's not that it matters. It's that if I hike in my thought I can go for a solitary hike.

Too Large

If I could, I would go on every hike, and I would be social with everyone. As I am an introvert, if the group reaches a certain size I will withdraw and walk at the front, or the back of a group, but rarely in the middle. I could go on two to three hikes tomorrow but the size is large, and I question whether I would be social.

The Lure Of Cycling Groups

I like to cycle, and I like to cycle with people. For at least two or three years I have thought that I should find a cycling group. Now I know of a group that meets on Saturday mornings to go for bike ride so I should experiment.

Yesterday I thought that I had signed up for a relaxed ride but for some reason it wasn't accepted. I will do a moderate ride, which I fear will knacker me. Luckily I know the climbs, and the region. We will see how slow I am compared to those that ride all the time.

And Finally

After such a sporty two months of hiking I have full confidence that I can do the hikes. With cycling my optic is different. I have hiked over eight hundred kilometres this year, and cycled just two hundred and twenty nine this year. This means that my legs are not yet optimal for cycling. Having said this, I got to the Signal de Bougy comfortably.

I will see how it goes.

#friendships #gosocial #hikes #meetup #social #socialising #walking

From Jaun to Gruyères and around the Aiguilles De Baumes

Reading Time: 4 minutes

This weekend I went on two hikes. The first was from Jaun to Gruyères across fields filled with flowers. The second was a loop around the Aiguilles de Baumes. Both hikes were interesting although I prefered the size and pace of the second group.

This weekend I was reminded of the "Hike Your Own" phrase that American thru-hikers like to remind themselves of. I had to remind myself of this phrase on Saturday, but also on previous group hikes with GoSocial. The concept is great. A group of people follow a chat on Whatsapp and when they see an activity they want to join they join a sub-chat. In this sub chat discussions take place about logistics, photo sharing and more.

Hiking with different leaders, different people, and with people from different hiking cultures can be a challenge. Two or three weeks ago I would have chosen an easier route than the organiser. I didn't want to contradict the leader so I kept quiet. A key reason for this is that people were not equipped for the conditions so in theory both had their own issues. I wrote about that situation in an earlier post.

On Saturday the issue was another one. I didn't like the pace of the group. I especially didn't like that not only were people slower, but we also stopped, more than once, in places with no view. I have no issue with stopping to allow people to catch up. It's normal to do so. What does bother me is stopping for 5-10 or more minutes in a place that has no stunning view, especially when the next part is downhill.

In the end I got tired of waiting, so I set off and walked solo until I found a place to have lunch. At this point I shared my location, and photos, before sitting, and starting to eat. I then heard the group. They chose to stop 100 meters earlier than I did.

This did bother me. At this point I questioned whether to finish lunch and continue the hike solo, or to go back one hundred meters and rejoin the others. Of course I rejoined the group.

It's after the ruins of the Castle that I sped up and stopped waiting. it's at this point that I walked with other people, who were actually ahead for the entire hike. I told them that I was toying with the idea of speeding up to catch the train. I said that I'd decide once I got to the Castle.

In the end I did rush to catch the train. I walked fast, and then eventually ran for a short distance, weighed down by hiking gear before arriving at the train station with 5-6 minutes to spare. I bought the train ticket and headed home.

Like the Tour De France

In cycling, hiking, and other sports, there are those that are fast, that stay at the front and chat. I did talk with these people often. I was fine with this. It's normal with cycling, and hiking that people go at their own speed, and then wait for others. It's like the echapée in the Tour de France. One group breaks off, and spends time at the front. The rest cruise as a group in the back.

Yesterday, and the last time I was near Ste Croix, as well as when hiking up to the Dent De Jaman, I do stay at the back, as the voiture balais when I see that people are struggling. Someone worried that she was slowing me down and I said that I chose to be at the back of the group.

In some cases, when I was struggling, or unfamiliar with a via ferrata I found that it was uncomfortable to be at the back. When we enter a difficult or dangerous section, or if knees start to ache, I will slow down so that no one feels abandoned.

In seven hours of real time we spent five and a half hours moving, and I think that's because I chose to abandon the group after "La Chapelle de La Marche".

Train Schedules and Rest

For a day or two before the hike I questioned whether to take the car, or the train. I believe that if I had taken the car I would have felt differently. I believe that the key factor in me being less patient was knowing that trains are once per hour, and take two hours to get me home.

I caught the 16:58 train, an hour later than was ideal, which meant I was home by 19:00, ate by 20:00 and didn't have as much time to relax and prepare for the next day's hike.

As the Sunday hike was 12km I didn't worry about preparing a lunch. I simply took a few snacks, and planned to be home by 16:00-17:00.

A Smaller group

On Sunday the hike was better. It was a small, fast group with people used to Swiss hiking. The group walked fast, and despite this stayed within eyesight of each other the entire time. It was just eight people. We could easily fit in two cars, and a bike. One person cycled from Fribourg to join the group.

And Finally

Two or three organisers have a black list system. If you sign up for an event and don't turn up, without a valid reason for not turning up, you are blacklisted. I was thinking of flipping this around on Saturday. I considered blacklisting the organiser. If organisers can blacklist participants then we can avoid them in turn.

Before you accuse me of prejudice, and superficiality there is a simple rationale for this. When a running group admin sent me two audio messages that I never bothered to hear because they made me anxious, I quit that group.

After Saturday's experience I feel like not participating in any more events organised by the individual. When I hike with a group I want the organiser to be at the front, or near the front. When a break is taken I want it to be for a real reason such as a beautiful landscape, or people really struggling to keep up. I don't want a break to be taken without justification.

The problem, I suspect, is that hiking with a large group is no longer an intimate experience. With a small group of five to eight people everyone gets to talk with everyone, but with a larger group the extroverts take over, and the social experience becomes less outgoing. Extroverts hog the attention. It happens in bars, which is why I stopped going out at night, years ago.

If anything Saturday encourages me to organise my own events, rather than waiting for others to organise theirs. I have at least three projects that I look forward to.

I have every intention to continue doing one or two group hikes per weekend. On Saturday hikes though, I will be ready to leave the group by a certain time, to be home at a reasonable time to have dinner, sleep properly, and then enjoy the second hike of the weekend.

#breaks #gosocial #groups #hiking #meetup #pace

A Weekend in Two Hikes

Reading Time: 5 minutes

This weekend I didn't blog because I went on two hikes. The first hike was with the History hiking meetup group, and the second was with a GoSocial group. Both hikes were around 10km in different landscapes. The first one went from Bière to Allaman and the second one went from Haut-De-Caux to the Dent De Jaman and back.

From Bière to the Arboretum

The first hike was with a larger group than usual for this meetup group. Usually we are 3-10 people. This time we were 23 I think, maybe even 25 after a moment. That's a huge group to hike with. As an introvert I prefer smaller groups.

I am familiar with the Arboretum. I have been many, many times over the years. It's a nice, short walk. It has some climbing, and descending and because it has trees you can see them flower in spring, get their leaves and more. You can also see plenty of tadpoles in one pond, swimming around. Children can look for frogs. In Summer you have the shade of the trees. In Autumn you have the changing of the leaves. I haven't been in winter so I don't know what to expect.

The part that I wanted to try was walking from the Arboretum to Bière, or vice versa, and this weekend we did. Part of it is along single lane roads and you have to allow cars to pass every so often so it's not ideal.

Switzerland has an issue. There are plenty of narrow one lane roads. These would be fantastic for cyclists and hikers, if they were closed to cars, except for agricultural vehicles. In France, Spain, and Swiss German parts plenty of roads like this would be made into Voie Verte. During the pandemic these were fantastic for going on hikes without touching a car. After the pandemic cars made these roads unpleasant for cycling and hiking.

Switzerland loves to say "We love mobilité douce and we want to encourage it, but they forget that it's when we're going from towns and villages to towns and villages that we want to leave the car in the garage. Once we're in town we walk anyway. It's between towns and villages that we need walking paths.

It's the first one point eight kilometres that are like this. After this you're in the woods, the arboretum, along a parcours vita and more.

The parcours via, in and of itself is interesting. They have just put down fresh wood chippings so the surface is soft and comfortable under foot, great for running. In some places Parcours vita get muddy, especially after rain. This one is a good one to know about.

I would be tempted to try some of the route on a bike in the near future. These roads are quiet and they're right next to the busy roads I would usually use.

Hauts-de-Caux to La Dent de Jaman

It was raining heavily in the morning, when I woke up at six. I questioned whether to go on the hike. I checked the weather for Caux and see that the rain was not meant to come until sixteen hundred so I made sure to have the rain coat in case. It's part of my standard hiking kit anyway.

When you drive up to Montreux to Caux the road is steep and winding. On the ninth of March I walked from Montreux to the Buvette de Jaman. We stopped at Hauts-De-Caux for a toilet break last time. This time it was where we parked the cars. If you come up later in the day they control how many people can come up and park so it's good to go up in the morning.

This walk was a loop rather than a linear walk. The loop can be done clockwise or counter-clockwise. We went clockwise. The gradient in this direction is more gentle than via the route we went up in March.

You walk along paths through trees, and every so often you get glimpses of the valley beneath. It was nice, because at one moment I slowed down to take photos, and the group went behind a ridge and I had the sound of silence. That sound of silence made me think about how nice it would be to hike solo. In the process I came to plenty of Ail D'Ours. I forget the English name. Bear Garlic, if we want to translate it literally rather than correctly.

It's at the Manoïre, and the Col De Jaman that I would have taken a different route. I would have continued straight and used the same path as we use for the Via Ferrata before climbing up towards the Dent De Jaman. It would have added one kilometre but it would have been much safer.

One of the challenges with hiking with different groups and leaders up to twice per weekend is that you don't know how much experience the leader, and participants have. This means that whilst you're equipped for a winter hike others are not.

There is a clear message. Everyone is responsible for their own safety. When I saw that the route was becoming more challenging I made the decision to remain at the rear of the group. It's the same thing I do with via ferratas and in other situations. The rational is simple. If you're scared, or stressed as one or two people clearly were, being at the rear is deeply unpleasant, 'abandoned' by the group. By being at the rear of the group I removed that pressure from the person who was struggling.

The challenge, when you're in the clouds, is that you don't know how safe, or exposed you are, so it's better to assume that the situation is not safe. It's also a cruel irony. The group stopped for lunch, just 400 meters from the summit. We stopped at 6.7 kilometres and the summit was at 7.1 kilometres. On a clear day the group would have seen how close we were, and we could have stopped where we usually stop for lunch.

Two of us did get to the top. There was no view so the détour was good for a GPS track, but we didn't gain a beautiful view by reaching it.

Slight Regret

I have a slight regret. If the entire group had been better equipped, and if I had remembered how exposed that route was, then I would have insisted that we took the safer route. Having said this, on a clear day the experience might have been different. My interpretation of yesterday's situation is based on the experience on the 9th of March. In that situation we were exposed for one portion of the hike. I don't remember if where we were yesterday was as exposed.

Group Activities as an Introvert

When I am around people I have only just met I am an introvert. Saturday and Sunday we were twenty five on one day, and fifteen or more the second day. That's a lot of people, for me, as an introvert. I suspect that there are hundreds of hikers which is great. It means there are plenty of people to meet and do things with. It's a drag, because it means that its harder to see the same people regularly. It means that every hike requires new meeting and new socialising. It's still April, so there is plenty of time for Summer hikes and finding new friendships.

Morally, I did the right thing by being the sweeper during the difficult part because it provided psychological and moral support to someone who was struggling in an unfamiliar situation. Having said this I would have probably been happier near the front.

And Finally

I saw a group photo from the Lavaux hike and I question whether I would have been happier doing the easy hike in Lavaux, rather than the Dent De Jaman. I knew with certainty that I wanted to do the physical hike, but now I have ROMO. Regret of Mission Out, on the easier hike, especially if it was a smaller group.

Time to see what the next weekend will bring.

#arboretum #gosocial #hiking #history #jaman #meetup #social

Hiking From Le Pont to Marchairuz

Reading Time: 2 minutes

If you're ready to use buses and trains opportunities for walks and hikes open up. Yesterday's hike, for example, was possible because we parked the cars in Marchairuz before catching a bus to Le Pont. That's where we met another part of the group before hiking from le Pont, to the Col de Mollendruz. From here we saw the defensive Toblerones before heading back down.

I didn't expect that the path would take us back down, lower than the road, through the trees for a while, before getting to a clearing and a parking where the smell of barbecue was present. It's at this point that we headed westwards and through more trees. Now we were heading towards Mont Tendre.

We stopped half an hour to an hour from the peak and had lunch. My lunch was different to usual. In the morning, before leaving home, I had prepared Ravioli. I had carried them with me, and when we stopped for lunch I had a warm meal. I also had warm tea.

Aside from raviolis and warm tea I also had two bars of chocolate, and I could share them with the other hikers. For years I have walked by the fortified toblerones and thought "I should have toblerones for this." Finally I did. I was surprised to see that I had enough.

The walk up to Mont Tendre was completely different from last time, because snow was almost gone. This time I could see the rocks, and the contours. It was not just a duvet of snow hiding away most of the details. It was also overcast, rather than in cloud, so I could see the landscape. The last time I was at Mont Tendre we had white out conditions.

From Mont Tendre to Marchairuz the path was familiar. Despite walking along this path in deep snow, at moments, last time I could recognise the hills, the climbs, the buildings. I could also feel how different the ambiance was. By this I mean the feel of the places we passed. Not the people.

In winter conditions, with the strain of walking through deep snow, and in clouds, places felt remote. In contrast, with the snow melted, and grass and rocks visible it felt connected to the world.

Despite the lunch I had, and the easier conditions, this hike was still tiring. By the time we had completed the 22-23 kilometre hike I was happy to see the Col De Marchairuz, and to be able to drive home, after dropping a group off in Gland, before heading home.

I had considered taking the train, before considering which car to take, finally setting on the C3 rather than the Fiat 500. With the C3 I could transport up to four people comfortably with hiking gear. In the end this paid off, not financially, but logistically for others.

I enjoy doing this type of activity every weekend.

#gosocial #group #hike #hiking #Jura #linear

The Appeal of a Local Hike

Reading Time: 2 minutes

It's easy to look at what people are doing and to travel two hours on a train or in a car. In practice it's a way of exploring the local area and seeing things that you wouldn't otherwise see. On the flipside sometimes it is nice to stay local.

I went from seeing that a hike was in Gstaad that would take two hours to get to, to seeing a hike that would take an hour to get to and participate in, to another. Finally I saw a hike that was really local. A hike to a place I can see from a bedroom window on a daily basis.

On Saturday I will have a 20 minute drive to the start of the activity. The bus and train would take an hour. It's clear that driving is the better option. One advantage in this situation is that I don't have to worry about the range of the car like I do with other activities.

Familiar Walk

The route is along paths I have walked along many times. I checked and on at least one side there is little snow. I'm not sure about the other side.

What makes this week special is that I could choose from three or four walks for Saturday and two or three on Sunday, as well as bike rides tonight, and on Sunday. In effect the season of outdoor sports such as hiking and cycling is back.

And Finally

It's good to take advantage of the opportunity to do something local when the chance comes up. It makes logistics and planning simple. It also means that you spend less time on a train or in a car. I really hesitated between the Cossonay and Vaulion hikes, but La Dôle feels like a natural hike to do.

#gosocial #group #hike #local #walk

Reading Time: 4 minutes

On Sunday, after Saturday’s via ferrata I went for a walk along the Areuse river. The hike started in Noiraigue and went along the Areuse river and two gorges. In reality it’s one gorge but there are two parts to the gorge seperated by a long flat bit that is more friendly to people who are slightly, or quite afraid of heights.

This experience wa organised via GoSocial rather than Meetup.com or other sites. Initiaully I was sceptical of such an activity because there are over 50 people signed up, and only 25 spots so I expected not to be able to go. Luckily people signed out and a spot cleared for me the evening before the hike.

The list is interesting. It has 25 spots, for those that are already confirmed, and you cut and paste the list, adding your name to the waiting list. As people remove themselves so you are automatically moved down the list and eventually promoted to “participating”.

The key thing that I liked about this group is that the hike didn’t end as soon as the hike ended. In fact it continued for hours afterwards and some people even went up to the Creux Du Van to see the sunset. If I had known how much longer the activity would last I would have stayed longer but I’ll explore that later.

## Car Park

I checked the travel time by train, and by car, and saw that with the car I would save 50 minutes so I took the car and parked it at Boudry train station. I then hung around there waiting for a train. Eventually I realised that to connect Boudry and Noiraigue you had to change train. I thought I was going to be half an hour late to the walk. I then found that the train station I wanted to use was 20 minutes away, on foot, so I walked up. Within 15 minutes I had covered the distance. From that station trains are every half hour, rather than every hour.

## Familiar First Part

The first part of the hike was familiar because it is the hike I have done along that gorge when I hiked the Creux De Van, at the start of this year’s group hiking season. Photos were taken at iconic spots along the way. These were the stone bridge, the Expo 02 bridge, the Baume De Four and one or two other locations.

[The Route](https://www.komoot.com/tour/1778678181?share_token=aUmlkgM8wIpoNtX58kqjOaX2yPZ2MUX3iS4ZMrpk8ZtLQfMDEM&ref=)

## The Snack Point

When I do group hikes people always want to stop for a drink or a snack, and then another snack. I like to hike without stopping, and have a good meal in the evening. The main snack point was by the river where it was flat and convenient. My snacks were consumed quickly and then I was ready to continue.

## The More Exposed Segment

The part to avoid is the [Gorge Sauvage](https://www.komoot.com/highlight/1904045) as it is called on Komoot because although it looks nice it takes you high above the river and there are bits that are exposed. If you slip and fall you could potentially fall into the gorge. It requires good shoes and surefootedness.

Within this part of the gorge you see ill-equipped people, symobolising that you are getting back to “civilisation”. It’s at this point that the group split in two. One group walked back to the train station and the other went on to the castle, and eventually the lake. My first goal was to go and pick up the car from the train station but instead I drove people from Boudry Gare to Noiraigue. I considered driving down to the lake and waiting for the group to re-emerge but chose to take the motorway home. One reason for this is that I didn’t know how much longer the group would stay by the lake.

If I had known that they would spend hours by the lake I might have made the effort to go down to the lake. With shade I might have stayed for a while before returning home.

## Too Much Sun

In Leukerbad I spent hours in the sun because there was no shade, so Sunday when I sat in the morning sun I felt that I had overdone it. On Saturday after the Charmey VF the group spent hours in the sun and I wanted to be in the shade. I suspect that Sunday I would have spent many more hours in the sun, if I had gone to the lake, so returning home was probably the right decision anyway.

## Too Well Equipped

During this hike I was asked, “Why would you do such an easy hike?” because I was equipped for a serious hike, rather than what we did. The short answer is “because I didn’t really know what to expect from the path” but also because I didn’t know the level of the hiking group. It’s better to be too well equipped and appear absurd, than too little equipped.

The paradox is that I only had a cycling rain coat, two water bottles, hiking shoes, and batons, but with the small bag that I use for all of my local walks.

## And Finally

I went on this hike because I was curious to try GoSocial and it’s better to do something comfortable, before doing something ambitious. Now that I know what to expect I can push the boundaries further next time. I enjoyed the group and I like that they hung around at the end of the activity rather than rushing home. We will see how soon I do the next GoSocial activity.

https://www.main-vision.com/richard/blog/from-noiraigue-to-boudry-along-lareuse/

#gorge #gosocial #hike #Neuchatel #stroll #switzerland #walk