“I GUESS I’M A BIT CRAZY” EDILTECO SUPPORTS ENRICO MONARI’S CYCLING JOURNEY TO NORTH CAPE

We asked him:
“Aren’t you afraid of coming across wild animals in the woods at night?”

“Well, I have thought about that,” Enrico replied.

“I guess I’m a bit crazy”

Enrico Monari says it naturally, almost without thinking, with bright eyes and a cheerful smile. There is something disarmingly simple about the way he says it: as if he knows that some choices do not need long explanations. Sometimes a few words, said with a smile, are enough to describe a dream that may seem impossible to many: leaving from San Felice sul Panaro, in the province of Modena, and cycling all the way to North Cape.

North Cape was the dream Enrico had been keeping for his retirement. Now the time has come to live it.

Ahead of him there will be nights in a tent, starry skies, forests, silence and that sense of freedom that only a journey can offer. Because cycling from the Modena countryside to North Cape takes more than strong legs. It takes courage, trust in the road and a willingness to embrace the unexpected. Perhaps this is why stories like Enrico’s matter: they remind us that some dreams only seem impossible until someone decides to start moving towards them.

A ride for life

Enrico’s project is called “Una pedalata per la vita” that means “A ride for life”. The name was suggested by Roberta, his wife. She has always encouraged him to turn this journey into something greater: not just a personal dream, but a shared gesture for the community. So Enrico has transformed his adventure into an opportunity to support AVIS Association of San Felice sul Panaro in raising funds for a mole screening project. It is a concrete prevention initiative, designed for the local area and the people who live there.

He will cycle more than 6,000 kilometres towards the northernmost point of Europe. It will be a long, intense journey, and in many stretches a solitary one. But it is not an escape. Quite the opposite: it is a way of feeling even more connected to people, to his local area and to the wider community.

On 6 June, at 8:30 a.m., Enrico will set off from the square in front of San Felice sul Panaro Town Hall. Ahead of him there will be roads, borders, European capitals, plains, lakes, silence, wind, rain, bright northern nights and days to be built one pedal stroke at a time. He is currently expected to fly back on 1^st  September from Bodø, Norway. But the plan may still change: Enrico has not ruled out cycling home as well, crossing France, Belgium and other countries along a different route.

Well organized, yet ready to leave room for the unexpected, he will carry only the essentials: his bicycle, a tent, a water bottle, a sleeping bag, a few changes of clothes, some power banks powered by a small solar panel and, in his headphones, the 1990s music that will keep him company along the way. He will also carry a small mascot with a very special meaning: a little ball with the handprint of his grandson. So, even during the loneliest parts of the journey, Enrico will never truly be alone.

Edilteco’s support

“I never imagined this project would grow into something so big”, Enrico says. And perhaps this is one of the most beautiful aspects of the project: the way in which, little by little, a personal decision has become a shared story.

Friends, cyclists, associations, companies and local people are all supporting Enrico’s journey, each in their own way. Edilteco has also chosen to support “A ride for life”, recognizing in this journey values that are deeply close to its own identity: connection with the community, care for people, real solidarity and the ability to turn an idea into a project that creates value.

Roberta, the woman by his side

Enrico is no stranger to extraordinary challenges. In the past, he has walked from San Felice to Rome, crossed the Alps to Geneva, run marathons and taken part in long, demanding races, often pushing himself to the limit. He has climbed mountains, followed trails and faced countless uphill roads.

But this time is different.

This time, there are 6.000 kilometres by bicycle to reach North Cape. And then there will be more kilometres to share with Roberta, who will join him for the final part of the journey. “Roberta is my angel”, Enrico says. “She has always supported me. She has always been by my side. At every race, run or event, she was there waiting for me at the finish line. She helps me organise things and put my thoughts in order when there are too many of them.” When Enrico talks about Roberta, his tone changes. What emerges is a strong bond, built over the years, in which she is a constant presence and an essential part of every challenge he takes on.

A journey that belongs to everyone

What Enrico is truly looking for is the slower pace that only a bicycle can give: the time to see, to stop, to meet people and to really experience places. “When you travel by car, you miss so much”, he says. “On a bike, you stop, you enter places, you live them”. There will be difficult moments: bad weather, unexpected problems, loneliness, perhaps a puncture or two. But when the journey becomes harder, it will not be his legs alone that keep him going.  There will be messages, phone calls, donations, social media updates and people riding alongside him, even if only for a few kilometres. Because a journey like this never belongs only to the person who undertakes it. It also belongs to those who support it, and to those who believe that even the smallest act of support can make a difference.

Enrico would like to thank all the companies, associations, friends and people who have chosen to support “A ride for life”, helping to turn this project into a truly shared journey.

To support the AVIS “Mole Screening” project, please visit:
https://www.produzionidalbasso.com/project/una-pedalata-per-la-vita/

Follow #unapedalataperlavita, stage by stage, on Edilteco’s Facebook page and Instagram profile @edilteco.