There’s something magnetic about Dajti.
When the first snow touches its peaks, you feel it — that quiet call to climb again. And after riding through the mist and grey, today felt like the perfect chance to meet the mountain dressed in white.
I packed light… or at least I thought so:
3 full batteries for the DJI Air 2S, the Insta360, gloves, snacks, and a small camera bag. Add all this to my Cube MTB — which already weighs more than it should — and let’s just say it didn’t feel very “light” during the climb.
But I had no rush, no pressure, only the simple plan of creating a small winter story from the mountain.
First Stop: Linza — Autumn Below, Winter Above
The climb warmed my legs quickly.
Linza village came fast, a perfect first stop. From there, the white peaks rose above rolling hills still painted in yellow and green — autumn refusing to leave.
I sent the Air 2S into the cold air, its sensor catching every detail:
the thin snow, the blue shadows, the contrast between seasons.
Everything was going according to plan.
Second Stop: The Dry-Thorn Ambush
The second filming spot was familiar — a clearing at the base of the mountain where I often fly up to the panoramic road at Dajti National Park. If I’m lucky, a car passes just in time and turns into a cinematic shot. Today luck was on my side again.
But the ground was not.
The whole area was full of dry thorns.
I saw them…
I ignored them…
And paid the price later.
Two batteries gone, footage amazing.
One battery left — perfect for the final stop at the park entrance where I could film the snow from closer.
I jumped back on the bike, happy, energized, ready.
Then the bike felt… wrong. I looked down.
Front tire: completely flat.
Dead.
Plan destroyed.
The Slow Walk to Lanabregas
I walked the bike for almost a kilometer down to Lanabregas.
No drone shots.
No Insta360 descent.
Just me, a heavy bike, a flattened tire, and that stupid thorn somewhere deep inside the rubber.
Sweaty.
Annoyed.
Alone on the roadside.
Waiting for a taxi with my helmet still on — a classic moment.
The taxi finally came. Straight to the repair shop.
Goodbye cinematic descent.
Goodbye last drone battery.
But the Mountain Always Gives Something Back
Even with a ruined plan and a thorn that defeated 3 drone batteries’ worth of ambition, the ride still gave me something:
- the colors of autumn
- the silence of a cold climb
- the first snow on Dajti
- and footage that I’ll use to tell the story anyway
A tiny thorn changed my plan, yes —
but it also gave me a different story.
For those who want to see the full activity details, here’s the Strava link to the ride:
👉 https://www.strava.com/activities/16551133644