READ PART 1 HERE
We are off!
When the day to leave arrives it is with relief and excitement that we head off. This is literally the best part of the whole adventure, there is no more planning or training to be done and the road is just open for us to take. We can feel comfortable in the knowledge we have done everything possible to make this adventure a good one and it’s now down to us to actually reach our goal. I won’t bore you with details of our entire 3 day trip so I will just give you a couple of soundbites…. no honestly it is just full of fabulous scenery, bike hardships and ‘bonking’…. and most of you know that is a technical bike term for being low on energy!
So about that energy, when it comes to making sure our energy is topped up we need to have a good strategy for re-fueling, ours came about by chance but perhaps we should have thought about it more before we set out. Our first stop was an hour in, we were not hungry but it was a great place to stop and take in the view, having a quick bite to eat whilst recovering from the climb we had just done seemed logical. After that we simply agreed that we would stop after every hour of riding, regardless of how we felt, to eat. In-between those times we would take on water and maybe a moam or two…. yes I know they are foul disgusting sweets but they get me moving like no other jelly baby or gel can. This worked really well and there was only a couple of moments on the second day when my need for energy was reached before the hour was up. I did make a little ‘song and dance’ about it on one occasion before being force-fed more welsh cakes which seemed to do the trick.
It was absolutely wonderful riding with my husband, it was truly a partnership for the whole ride. We looked after each other, when one or the other was low on energy we would suggest stopping and taking on more food or water, and we went hours one day without uttering a single word but riding in simple companionship. There was one beautiful moment reaching the top of a particularly difficult climb, Peter was waiting on a rock, the size of a dinner table, and as I reached the summit tired but happy, I just put down the bike and joined him simply looking in wonder at the view from this new vantage point. I sat on the rock, crossed my legs and slipped into a beautiful meditation and when I opened my eyes he was still there smiling. We continued to eat in silence until it was time to move on. I can not tell you how connected I felt to him in those moments, our silence filled the space so beautifully and the world just moved around us. It really was a most remarkable moment. He was probably just glad of the peace……
For the love of it
It is in those moments when you feel so connected to your surroundings that you feel most alive. This is the reason I do this, why I take myself of on mini adventures and challenge my limits. It is why I feel it is essential for me to experience the blissful solitude so that I can better be there, present, for my clients when they need me most.
The views were stunning, the challenges life affirming and most of all it was fun spending time with the one person that I care most about in this world (ok all bar my children).
The joy of dis-connecting with technology and using it just for our own safety was mind changing. I switched off Facebook/Twitter and any other social media I have, I talked only to my daughters in the evenings and used the camera to record a few photo’s of my time on the hills. It was liberating that I didn’t need to look at what every one else was doing, I was so much more engaged in my journey.
I can count the lessons this latest adventure has given me; courage, to work through a challenge that felt so much bigger than me; faith and trust, in those around me from my partner looking out for my energy and topping me up with moam’s and my family who spent their time looking after my girls; honesty, in everyone we meet on our journey especially the drivers who took our luggage from place to place (without passengers) and; gratitude, to the B&B owners who took in two very wet and muddy cyclists each night and gave them tea and cake to restore their exhausted bodies and washed their dirty clothes ready for the following morning.
What Next?
As I write this I am indeed planning my next adventure, I have the bug for this. It does get under your skin. My new adventure is going to be a little more interesting, it will take me away from home for longer than 3 days, indeed it will take me about 12 to 14 days to achieve my goal – In May 2017 I shall be Cycling from John O Groats to Lands End, a solo journey for the best part but hopefully a few friends joining me along the way for a few day trips.
Life without adventure would be dull, adventure fills my soul and I learn so much about myself and those around me. I am also far more able to support my clients and feel I am a better coach for it.
Adventure is worthwhile in itself – Amelia Earhart
I’ll leave you with a few photo’s, they don’t do it justice at all!! However I thought you might like to see some of the terrain we travelled on – yes that water in the last picture is the trail…. 3feet deep in places, we had to carry our bikes over the stream connecting the river to the trail to get through and this was one of many interesting sections we had to cross.
If you want to know what it’s really like take a trip out there yourself. It is great for mountain biking but the walks or even the trail runs around there are truly amazing and I would be happy to share any of our planning, B&B recommendations and route selection with people who are interested.
Bio: Nicky is a professional life coach and Level 2 British Cycling Coach and MTB Leader. Her passion for sport and feeling fit has lead her to support and empower women to take control of their fitness and to fully experience the freedom and enjoyment of being physically fit and feel good about themselves. Nicky’s programmes offer 1:1 performance coaching to live a fitter life as well as courses for women to gain confidence on the bike to either pedal for fun and recreation or step up into sportives and longer bike adventures. You can follow @nickyharverson on twitter as she takes on her own challenges and lives the life that she dreams of.
