Fab’s Friday Field Notes

I’ve been in rooms like this. A contract on the table. Pressure from above. A line somewhere that, if crossed, changes what you are.
I didn’t always hold it. Sometimes I moved with the room — told myself it was pragmatism, told myself the relationship was too important to lose.
The ethical line isn’t abstract. It’s heavy. And it teaches you something the easy choices never do: how to recognise the moment earlier next time. How to see the line before you’re standing on it.
That’s the only descent worth choosing.

I don’t map routes this time — I map ideas. With attention, not certainty.
After injury, after failure, the question is never whether you can climb again. It’s whether you still want to. I still want to.
The effort I put into organising outdoor adventures — the route research, the conditions checking, the preparation — I’m now applying to business. Not as metaphor. As method.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Fab’s Friday Field Notes (Saturday Edition) These notes are a day late. Yesterday was full — ride, work, climbing, family, friends. In that order. Mostly. Sometimes the best thing you can do is let the week breathe before you write about it. Friday morning. Winchester. December sun pretending it’s April. Craig and I on the … Read More

Fab’s Friday Field Notes We had one of our climbing friends over for dinner this week. Beautiful person, exceptional climber, but suffering right now for reasons that have nothing to do with climbing. We didn’t offer advice. We offered dinner, conversation, and laughter. A place at the table. Sometimes the most profound thing you can … Read More

Fab’s Friday Field Notes This week reminded me of something I learned decades ago on la grande cresta with Alessandro Gogna and Marco Milani – that the outdoors doesn’t require epic journeys to distant peaks. Sometimes the most meaningful adventures begin right outside your door. Family Trails Saturday brought one of those simple, perfect moments. … Read More

Fab’s Friday Field Notes Note: Publishing Sunday instead of Friday – the whole family caught some bug this week. Which is itself a reminder: presence sometimes means being sick together, not performing productivity. I’ve been thinking about the friends I’m losing. Not through conflict or distance or falling out. Through something quieter and more insidious. … Read More

Fab’s Friday Field Notes – November 22, 2025 by Fabrizio de Liberali, Southampton, UK Tired fingers typing this after yesterday’s session with Richard and Andy. That steep 6c+ didn’t go until the third attempt—a route that should have been comfortable territory by now. But here’s the thing about comfort: it’s where growth stops. The Mirror … Read More

November 14th, 2025 Fab’s Friday Field Notes Two weeks ago, I told you about Wines2Whales. Three stages. Three leadership modes. Hold back, push ahead, reunite. This week I learned something harder: finishing the race was just the warm-up. Eleven Hours That Rewired My Brain Cape Town to London. Eleven hours. The universe has a sense … Read More

Fab’s Friday Field Notes Stage 1: When Holding Back Takes More Strength 61 kilometers. 1,100 meters of elevation. One deliberate choice. I rode the first stage of Wines2Whales Epic with an overloaded backpack and my enduro bike – not exactly the setup for speed. But that wasn’t the point. My partner needed me alongside, not … Read More

Weekly Recap: October 20-27, 2025 This week I’ve been orchestrating multiple high-stakes ventures across climate tech, digital rights advocacy, and strategic partnerships. Project Spotlight: Smart Mountains Strategic Pivot Transformed Smart Mountains from a pure technology play into an operational infrastructure company through innovative partnership structures. The challenge? Securing €2M seed funding while dramatically reducing capital … Read More