June 22, 2010: "Starting out! That's my old school in Leysin, with the Dents du Midi behind. Can you see why I loved this place?"
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June 29, 2010: "On the go in very big country."
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July 1, 2010: "Just took a big fall. Am mostly ok but maybe broken rib. Waiting for helicopter rescue."
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October 6, 2010: "Even sunny mornings are slow, but finally we're off."
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October 7, 2010: "Paddling out to Lake Constance."
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October 10, 2010: "Leaving the Rhine for my tours around Büsingen and Schaufhausen."
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October 11, 2010: (near northernmost point of Switzerland): "I don't know how it happened. I was riding yesterday and the derailleur seized up and I fell over forward. I think it got bent during my 'bike-whacking' through bushes and vines."
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October 13, 2010: "A different kind of day in a region with a different kind of character - very industrial. This is the nuclear plant just downstream from Koblenz."
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October 22, 2010: "Crossing the bridge between the two Goumois - French and Swiss - where we enjoyed frogs and trout for lunch."
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October 23, 2010: "I was told that the Jura would be all pine and fir forest without colorful fall foliage. But the Doubs at least has proven otherwise."
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October 28, 2010: "End of the bike journey! On the shore of Lake Geneva, at the beautiful little town of Hermance, complete with a medieval castle."
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October 29, 2010: "Transferring everything back into a boat for the final leg this year."
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October 29, 2010: "First day of paddling across Lake Geneva."
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July 5, 2011: "New beginnings at the Rhine. This is the same position but the opposite bank where I launched with kayak last October."
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July 6, 2011: "Andrea and me on the summit of Falknishorn." (In 1992, Andrea Vogel was the first to circle Switzerland following its borders)
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July 9, 2011: "On ice in the Silvretta range." (PatitucciPhoto)
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July 10, 2011: "Reaching the summit of Dreilanderspitze, where the borders of Switzerland, and the Austrian states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol meet." (PatitucciPhoto)
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July 14, 2011: "A natural stone for an artificial border. This three corner border, the Dreiländerpunkt, did not exist until after World War I, when Tyrol was split between Austria and Italy. At least Switzerland was stable."
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July 31, 2011: "Filing my report from the summit of Cima di Rosso."
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Aug 2, 2011: "I walked up to Soglio, one of the most picturesque villages I've ever seen, hoping to catch a view of the Bregaglia's most famous peak, Piz Badile. No such luck."
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August 4, 2011: "The cow trail. This walkway was a complete mystery to me until a hiker explained that it was built to walk cows across the pass over to the Bregaglia valley."
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August 13, 2011: "Being interviewed on Ticino television in Serpiano."
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August 13, 2011: "Using my GPS to discover the southernmost point in Switzerland. A bit of a letdown!"
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August 15, 2011: "The Italian shore of Lago Maggiore." (at 193 metres above sea level, lowest point of tour)
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August 23, 2011: "My camp at the head of the Binntal valley."
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August 28, 2011: "The Matterhorn came clearly into view from Schwarzberg-Weisstor Pass."
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August 29, 2011: "The two Johns on the summit of the Dufourspitze." (The highest point of the Swiss border at 4,634 metres above sea level)
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September 1, 2011: "Looking up at where we should have been today."
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September 11: "Sending photos from the Fiorio alpine hut on the way to Mont Dolent."
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September 12: "The summit of Mont Dolent."
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American writer and climber John Harlin III has completed his Swiss Borders odyssey.
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The images in this gallery give a small taste of Harlin’s countless ups and downs, climbing, paddling and cycling the entire Swiss frontier. There were many highs, and a few lows. (unless indicated, all photos by John Harlin)
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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“This sort of journey is about endurance”
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The American climber and writer has returned to the Swiss Alps to complete his Swiss Borders adventure, circling the country of his childhood. Harlin, who kayaked and mountain biked Switzerland’s northern and western borders last year, spoke to swissinfo.ch as he prepared to complete his journey by hiking and climbing the alpine section that divides…
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After Dad’s death in 1966, the family moved to the United States, where my mother became a botany professor. During my teenage years I spent as much time as possible in the wilderness, including several month-long hiking and kayaking trips to the North Slope of Alaska. Following my graduation from the University of California at…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.