Dear Friends,
This will be a long post about dreams, helping others, illness, the good people on my path, physical challenges, fears, and things we don’t usually share on social media. But since I’ve decided to reveal a bit of my vulnerability, let it be without holding back… This is a post about how, in just over 2 weeks, I will set off on a multi-thousand-kilometer bicycle journey beyond the Arctic Circle, not only to fulfill my own dreams, but (and more importantly!) to also help 6-year-old Franek in his fight against an incurable disease. You too can help me/us in this fight! I will be very grateful for taking a moment of your time to read and share this post, and for supporting the money box set up for the fundraiser (jump straight to the How to Support section at the bottom)!
How Dreams Begin Link to heading
I’ll start with dreams, because that’s where everything always begins. I remember the year 2023 very well - spending a vacation in Scandinavia - when I saw an older gentleman struggling to push a heavily loaded touring bike uphill. Very quickly the thought appeared - “I would love to do that too!”. After the initial burst of great euphoria came more sober thoughts, saying bluntly - “yes! I’ll do that when I retire!” or “all in all, I probably won’t be able to find time for such a long expedition”.
First encounter with the North Cape in 2023 - this is where it all began.
From that moment on, nothing was ever the same again. Today I feel that, in a more or less deliberate way, I subordinated the last two years of my life to these dreams. I bought a bicycle (I hadn’t been very “bike-oriented” until then), changed jobs to one that gave me the opportunity to commute by bike, and through our bicycle micro-trips with Monia, I gathered the gear that will soon allow me to set out on the journey of a lifetime. Yes! On a bicycle trip beyond the Arctic Circle! Past the polar circle!
Planning in Silence Link to heading
Why am I actually writing about this now? People used to say that travel plans like silence. And that was supposed to be the case this time as well. The trip plan was being developed quietly and very slowly. On autumn evenings, I plotted the initial route design; in the winter, I learned how to service the bike; and in the summer months, I quite often took roundabout ways home from work to “log” kilometers and test the changes implemented on the bike. Monika noticed quite quickly that this wasn’t just another “crazy idea” that would never see the light of day, but that it was something more. As the plan began to take shape, I gladly shared it with Family and friends, but I wanted to talk more broadly about the results of a solo, 2-month journey on my social media only after it ended. With that conviction regarding the “publicity” of the expedition, I asked the company I cooperate with for a 2-month break in the contract, so that I could set off to pursue my dreams.
First attempt at dynamo wheel energy harvesting to charge the Garmin GPS navigation.
Good People and Finding the Purpose Link to heading
And here, in my long story, appear the good people on my path mentioned in the introduction. Sławomir Szweda and Kamil Kozłowski are the heads of Unisystem and Riverdi. Bosses with whom I have the honor of working - an honor not only in the technical/business dimension, but also in the human one. During our conversation about the 2-month break and the plans for the trip, they were the ones who suggested combining the trip with a charity campaign - I don’t remember the exact words spoken by them today, but I won’t be too far off writing:
“Since you’re going anyway, let’s create a cause - we’ll promote and support it.”
And although my first thought was “no, thank you!” (this was supposed to be a trip for me, without publicity, in quiet with my own thoughts), I then asked for more time to make a decision.
A few days passed, and on my way home from work, I called my Mom - I do this often, although Mom thinks otherwise 😉. I didn’t say anything about the idea of organizing a fundraiser, because I generally try to avoid the topic of the trip in our conversations (Mom being Mom - she worries at the mere mention of the expedition). During various conversation topics, Mom mentioned little Franek (the grandson of her friend), who suffers from a very rare, degenerative, and fatal genetic disease - Leigh Syndrome - and about the ongoing fundraiser for innovative screening tests conducted in the USA (you can read more about Franek and the purpose of the fundraiser in detail under the money box link). At that moment, I concluded quite quickly that it couldn’t be a coincidence that we were talking about this right now. I knew - I already had my purpose! A purpose that, all in all, I hadn’t had until then, and which I had often been asked about when telling Family and friends about the idea for the trip. To the questions “what for?” and “why there?”, I had a few ready - made and weak explanations in my head, like: “I’m going there because you can’t go any further”.
Today I can shout with pride - I am riding for Franek!
Reaching Out to Franek’s Family Link to heading
The decision was made, but I still didn’t know where to start. First, I spoke about Franek at work. As soon as I received confirmation of the willingness to promote the campaign, I contacted Kasia Raban - Franek’s Mom. Kasia is the daughter of my mom’s friend, but I remember Kasia best when she was Franek’s age, and I’m not sure if we ever had a chance to talk. I reached out via Messenger, sending a message with the following content (this is a slightly shortened and simplified version of the original):
“Hi Kasia. I don’t know if you remember me, because the last time we saw each other ‘in person’ we were both basically still kids. […] I saw and supported the fundraiser for Franek, but an opportunity came up for me to additionally support your efforts. For 2 years I had been planning a long bicycle trip (to the North Cape, beyond the Arctic Circle) and this year I hope to realize this plan. At the moment I asked for a long leave (the trip will be 2 months), my boss himself suggested that maybe it’s worth combining such a trip with a noble cause. I thought of you then. When I was 16 and lying in a hospital in Bydgoszcz waiting for head surgery, some of the very first people who visited me were your Parents - it’s time for the kindness to come back to you. Could I call you tomorrow for a quick moment? I would briefly tell you what’s what, and then you can make a decision.”
From the conversation with Kasia, I remembered two things. The first was the number of times I heard the words “thank you” for something I hadn’t even done yet. And the second:
“If our Franio could speak, he would definitely thank you.”
After the conversation, I returned to work, but on that day only physically - mentally I was already at Nordkapp.
An Incredible Team Link to heading
From that moment on, things started happening that are best described by the words taken from Fismoll’s song Jaśnienie - “a man alone is not complete”. I received an enormous amount of support from more good people on my path:
- Basia informed me with a smile that she was preparing a poster for me. She is also the author of the expedition’s slogan - “Nordkapp by bike: beyond the Arctic circle for Franek’s breath of life” - breath, because Leigh’s disease is characterized by a disruption of the cellular respiration process, depriving organs of the energy necessary for life.
- Magda organized everything on Unisystem’s side.
- Krzysztof and Piotrek advised on technical matters and on bike matters (the question “do you trust those bolts?” will stay in my head for a long time).
- And many Others, in whose eyes I see care for my safety and a happy return.
To all of You - thank you already now!
The campaign poster designed by Basia - a colleague from work - promoting the fundraiser for Franek’s treatment.
Physical Challenges and Real Fears Link to heading
At the end, it was supposed to be about physical challenges and fears… This journey is not only about countless kilometers to cover by bike, cold, and wind, but also elevation gain. The calculator of the planned route indicates that I will have to climb on a cosmically loaded bike (it’s on the bike that I will have my tent, sleeping bag, and all my belongings) to a height equal to three times Mount Everest! Will I make it? I don’t know. Am I afraid? No. I am not afraid of the cold, the wind, the road.
What I fear is the separation…
The separation from the best person I have met in my life - my Wife. Although for many, 2 months may not fall into the category of “tragedy”, yet during our more than 20 years of being together, we wouldn’t be able to add up as many days that we had to spend apart. The sad eyes of Monia, when for months I tried to convince her of my idea of a solo trip, will never leave my mind. Deep down, I knew then - I won’t go, I won’t manage.
At the final stage of this story, fate sent me Lukas (my cousin’s husband), who will join me on the way to Nordkapp. The goal is to get there. If I have enough health, strength, and time, I will decide on a solo return. Monika - I love You for Everything, and I will not forget when, at the moment of the greatest uncertainty about the fate of the expedition, you sent me an image with the inscription: “Love is giving someone a ’leg up’ toward their dreams”
The image Monia sent me when I was uncertain whether the expedition would ever happen.
How to Support Link to heading
I set off on 18.06.2026, but already now I encourage You to support my money box, which will directly fund Franek’s account!
https://www.siepomaga.pl/nordkapp-rowerem-dla-frania
Thank you for every donation, and if any of the Supporters would like to hear stories about how I succeeded or didn’t succeed in getting there - I will gladly meet, share, and personally thank you for the support.
P.S. Mom, I added this postscript after I already read the whole thing to You before publishing - don’t cry - I will come back 😉