mantra

Every once in a while, a post I make on another person's blog resonates and finds a home here. This is one such while.

I can remember my father telling me in the early 1980s more than once that cycling was all about suffering. He said you have to learn how to suffer on a bike. Sastra said much the same thing a few years back when he said once you learn how to suffer, all else is easy.

When I am out on a ride, as opposed to riding about, and I find myself running out of gas, feeling the climb, suffering in a relentless easterly spring wind pushing into my face at 60kmph (we get nasty spring winds here) or more, the mantra from my teen years comes back.

You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike.

Each word a pedal stroke, each word pushing me further towards my ultimate goal of what?

No matter. I know that when I get off the bike, I can look at it and say that it and I have been to that place where most do not go. We suffered. And did it for fun.