Idalen

My solo motorcycle trip into the wilderness may be perceived as a solitary activity for someone trying to get off the grid and take some time to reflect on things one usually does not find time for during the daily grind.

And yes, it is. But in a way it's the opposite of that. It's not about being alone, it's about giving yourself the opportunity to meet the people along the way and the stories that are born as a result. They say if you don't go, you don't have a story.

This trip allowed me to reconnect with many people I met in the last decades and I feel privileged to be able to do so. The surprise trip to Sweden carries an additional emotional component. I started working for a Swedish horse racing analytics company Estable exactly two years ago and that gig turned into a whole new career path for me. One of the main reasons for joining that startup was the fact that Jani (CEO at the time) and I really hit if off and had great chemistry putting the Estable team together. We had a blast launching the product with the whole team. But Covid hit and work was all done remotely so we were never able to meet in person. In the meantime, we all left Estable and went on with new challenges while staying in close contact.

So fast forward to the rains in Portugal and Jani says: 'Why don't you see if there's a cheap flight to Stockholm from over there? You can stay at our place, it's sunny here and we'll BBQ, sauna and drink beer.' As a good friend commented, it was a first world problem with a first world solution so here I am.

A great thanks to Jani, Larissa and the whole family for welcoming me into their home and allow me to enjoy the company and the Swedish culture. Another story has been born!

PS: The icing on the cake is the visit to Solvalla horse racing track on Saturday. We have analyzed the Solvalla V75 races for so long at Estable and now I will finally get to see it in person!Read more