I read an article a while back about what people think about when running. It was rather humorous and it got me thinking—about thinking. I’ve often looked back after rather trying trips on the bike and gone through what my mind was focusing on.
On the average cycle when I am here, the weather is gorgeous and the route not overly difficult I find myself thinking about the sky, the colours, the sounds. I think about how lucky I am and how grateful for the time I have here.
But on really nasty climbs, my mind often goes elsewhere. For some reason, I tend to have conversations in French in those moments. Maybe the practicing helps take my mind of the pain. Or I think about the next corner, the next kilometer. I convince myself it will get better. But more often than not it goes something like this:
“What is with this mother #&*@&%#(!#@! wind?”
“Why is that guy driving like such an asshat?”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Why is it so cold? I hate being cold.”
“Why am I doing this?”
So many profanities I would make a sailor blush. At home where cycling is a contact sport and you take your life in your hands each time you go out, profanities are life-saving. Here, I rarely swear in my head (or out loud for that matter) while cycling. It’s such a relief to know I am not always such a nasty person.
Olives and pomegranates. What's not to love about this place?
The view of this never stops taking my breath away.
For those who wonder how I fit in so much cycling while here, it’s quite simple really. Once all the visitors and activities die down, I have much more time on my hands. I do work, but because all my work is pretty much on Canadian time, I have all morning and early afternoon without emails, texts or skype calls. If it’s busy, I work a few hours, then head out for a ride. Then I work in the afternoon and evening. When the temperature drops and the evening darkness comes earlier, this isn’t a hardship. I get the whole, sunny, bright day to myself. I mostly choose to spend it on my bike. Who wouldn’t?
