BikePacking Kooks, The Forethoughts (Oct. 7 2020)
The Plan (ish)
The Plan(ish)
What We’re Doing
One of my best friends and I just decided that we are going to go on a bike ride from Oregon about two weeks ago. We are about 4 days out from departing on the journey. We have zero bike-packing or road biking experience and have not ridden a bike for more than 20 miles.
Why We’re Doing It
I’m hitting the trail because I said, “hell yeah!” when we started talking about this. Also, I’m doing it as a celebration of good health. I was bedridden a couple of years ago for reasons I’m not sure of. (That story here)
My friend Brock Eissman is a sport psychologist and is the founder of Off the Wall Therapy. Brock is doing this as a personal experiment in an effort to understand endurance athletes and break down fear.
Thoughts
The last couple of days have felt overwhelming instead of full of stoke. I’m all stressed about the details such as which creams to bring, which tent, camping gear, rain?, bike shoes, how to pedal, and oh ya… I don’t have a bike yet and I leave Sunday!
Which is fine..
Learned this is pronounced “Sham ee”
Just like just about everything in my life, I kinda have to just feel it out and do it myself to actually learn and understand. However, I’m sure that the Chamois Butter that Jacob sent me is a must-have and will save my chafed bootay.
Some people think we are crazy for doing this. I think we are almost not crazy enough.
For some reason, I find myself comparing other people’s bike-packing trips or feats to our proposed feat. We’re not doing anything original here. I even read a book about someone who road from Washington(?) to Patagonia on his bike! I mean..it’s 2020 now and we unlimited data. We should make it harder for ourselves to really test us, right?
Ya.. so people are gnarly and I guess I just want to be one of those people. I want to find the edge of what I am capable of and then push further.
I want to reach my potential in this life. Such a goal is about as unclear as Doheny water after a winter storm, but I do know that action and experience will help me get “there”.
This bike trip will definitely scratch a current itch that I have. I’m craving adventure. Each experience I survive compounds and forms the way I see the world, myself, how I fit in, and what is possible.
I’m sure that surviving this trip (prayers please) will scratch an itch, but reveal a whole cluster of hives that will need scratching. ’Tis what makes life interesting.
Also, it’s definitely stupid that I’m already comparing my proposed trip to others’ adventures. I’m super competitive (if you haven’t noticed), but the constant comparison dialogue in my brain serves me not.
Okay, enough philosophizing. I gotta go refresh Offerup and Facebook Marketplace to find a bike.
Ciao for now!