Want or Need?

I'm not a cyclist.

I'm writing this as I complete week 11 of my bike trip. But at home I don't ride a bike either for fitness or leisure. I walk everywhere or I take the train.

But on longer trips I absolutely must travel by bike. It's such a great way to see everywhere and be involved in the scenery.

It's not that I want to ride my bike so much, it's a case that I need to. There's a pull that makes me have to do it.

Not for some macho image thing. I just like the fact I'm doing something I wouldn't normally do.

That has also added to the challenge of this trip, to get up and load the bike every day and ride for about 35 miles on average. I mean, I'm not a long way out of my comfort zone or anything. But when you don't usually cycle much it is another aspect to deal with.

I can understand why people love to get serious about cycling. After a while the fitness builds up and you don't realise it. Today I rode 49 miles mostly into a headwind and my legs just kept going round and round. As long as I ate and drank I felt I could of just kept going. What a feeling.

If I'd looked at the end goal at the start of this trip I think I would of struggled mentally with the fact that I wasn't fit on my bike. But it's a case of little by little. Keep doing it and keep going.

You need to accept where your body is. Early on, I didn't beat myself up when I was tired and a bit sore. More importantly I didn't celebrate when I could feel myself getting stronger. I didn't want to feel as if I'd made it, there's always room for improvement. 

You'll know by now that this bike trip is also a metaphor for my life.

I think if you have an interest in something but it seems too daunting, empty your mind, then just start. Don't have high expectations. Live in the moment and build up and up, try to keep your temperament level.

Keep going, don't stop. We can all  get there. It can be a physical challenge, it could be learning a new language or skill, writing a book, anything.

If you don't do it then somebody else will. Be that person.

I met a German lady twice on this trip, the second time she rode over 50 miles to get to my campsite. Once she arrived, happily smiling,  she told me she had just thanked her body for the work it had done that day.

That's important, you need your mind and body to be working together as one. They are not two separate things.

When I unpacked my tent tonight there was a slug stuck to it. He'd been there all day.

My first thought was that it's now 49 miles away from it's family and friends. Good luck Mr  Slug, you can make it back. Stay positive.