James Thinks

View from hillside of rural estuary with mountains in the background.

Why I'm riding "This is not a tour"

This weekend I'm riding the 400km on and off-road audax in the style and memory of Mike Hall. My motivation for this ride is similar to the reason I ride audaxes in general, but with the added variety of off-road sections. I'm interested in the question, "How much harder will that be?". I met Mike only briefly, but I think this kind of event is what he would have wanted to inspire.

Long distance cycling is something I've got into over the past five years. Whenever I've mentioned one of my rides to friends I get bewildered responses ranging from admiration to horror. A lot of people ask if I'm doing it for charity.

"No" I say, "I'm doing it for... fun?".

Yes, fun. I enjoy planning the route, deciding what clothing, lights and bike maintenance kit I should take. I enjoy the challenge of not knowing whether I can finish within the time limits. I enjoy the peace and solitude exploring deserted country lanes. I enjoy chatting with other riders. Sometimes I'm winding my way up a hill, sometimes I'm concentrating on a tricky descent. Sometimes I'm ambling along, sometimes I'm pushing to go as fast as I can. I enjoy the freedom of roaming and of self-sufficiency. I enjoy getting away from it all, relaxed but focused on the ride.

I'm not claiming that every journey is smooth and full of picture-postcard scenery. Things go wrong. Punctures happen, wrong turns happen, lights fail. Headwinds, achy legs and cold temperatures conspire against an easy ride. On most rides I'll have a "low point" when I'm fed up, uncomfortable or hungry. Getting through that and whatever other challenges the ride may throw at me is part of the challenge and the reason I feel elated if I finish.

And I don't always finish in time. If I always succeeded I'd wonder if I was limiting myself to easy challenges. Failure is a good way to learn, even though it hurts at the time.

I'm sure most of my bewildered friends take on similar challenges. Things which take unusual mental or physical effort, which take us away from the humdrum of everyday life. Things where success is not guaranteed, where temporary discomfort is tolerated to reach a goal. Everyone's challenges are different, but we all need to be challenged.

Can you relate to that?