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I've got to say that, in the days since competing in my first solo 24 hour at the 24 Hours of Landahl, my life has taken on a much more reflective nature as I struggle to find significance in my everyday life. Right now life seems really complicated, and for what? For the burden of house and car payments every month? Or for the luxury of having a roof over our heads every night and a car to drive whenever we need it? Where does my bike fit into my synthetic life?
It all seemed so simple when it was just me pedaling away in the middle of the night at Landahl, and yeah, I know that's not life in itself, but it felt like living and it felt like how I want to live my life. So how do I make my life mirror how I felt that night? Sell everything I own and go on the Granny Gear 24 Hour World Tour? Maybe not a bad idea... I bet Laird would think it's a swell idea! Heck, you could say he's made a living out of it. I got back onto my bike today for the first time since Landahl, and a lot of me still hurts. My back, my butt, my legs... they're all fighting their own little battles. Surprisingly, after commuting to work, my legs felt like they were coming around pretty nicely. My butt and hands are seemingly still the most affected. Weird... Neither is usually an issue, but I think riding with my saddle 5mm high for 12 hours or so did some unique damage to both areas. That's probably what it is. On a completely unrelated note, on my ride tonight, I was thinking about how well organized Granny Gear has their transition areas. Their electronic scanning system is super sweet, and whether it's a team or solo, it's easy to start/finish a lap, even in traffic. That's where the experience of super big races like 24 Hours of Moab pays off for races like Landahl... You don't get that at the local races. I heard of a couple more of the team guys talking today about how they took showers after each of their laps. That's like six showers in 24 hours!!! Too much vanity if you ask me. I like being dirty and sweaty, but then I've been married for eleven years. ;-) Alright, I've rambled on long enough... It's time for bed. Tonight, I'll be dreaming of singletrack... |
More 24 Hour Musings...
BrandonST says:
 Great post, and really sums up the way that mtb makes people feel when they are really passionate about it! I am just going through some transitions (just had a baby, moving to a new city, got a new job...) and all of these things are making it impossible for me to get out on the bike. Priorities seem to always get shifted, and the things that usually take the back seat are those that make you the happiest. I would much rather get on my bike than spend my days in this cubicle; I would even prefer it sometimes to visiting family...but that's just me. Now, there are some things that have to take priority, like my son, but the list is pretty small when comparing it to a nice 5 hour back country ride, yet still, I can't seem to find the time to get out there...5 hours seems like an eternity. If you find a way to juggle things, and make mtb a more prevalent influence in your life, let me know how you did it...and I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know. Good luck, and have a great ride! Congrats on doing a 24hr Relay Solo by the way! That's amazing. Brandon |
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.thumbnail.jpg "My 1995 Specialized M2 Stumpjumper FS")
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