“Bumps and Bubbles”

I just stumbled over ‘Des Bosses and Des Bulles‘ (Bumps and Bubbles) a so very French cartoon and comic strip. The creator Mattieu Forichon is from Lyon France and his style of drawing reminds me of all the great French/Belgium comics I grew up with. His main topic and subject matter: Trail running.

Des Bosses and Des Bulles’s Matthieu Forichon also created a few of the UTMB posters over the years, which in all fairness I was never fond of, but now that I am understanding the history and background gain a different appreciation for.

We often talk about culture in trail running and how important it is to project it. Through the prism of the small world we surround yourself with we often think ‘our culture’ is ‘the culture’. But here’s an excellent example of how trail running in a different country has evolved and grown and embedded itself into the culture of their country and surrounding. That does make it look and feel different, but in no way any better for worse than the culture we’ve come accustomed to. Culture is flawed, but it also is beautiful. and rich, and as long as we can move forward and embrace each other’s differences we will learn and grow and truly make this world a better place. Here’s to embracing more bumps and more bubbles.