Journey Men.

Dedicated to: Paolo Beltramo, Greg Anderson, Sean Quinn but actually to everyone who takes cycle journeys.

A journey is a gesture inscribed in space, it vanishes even as it’s made. You go from one place to another place, and on to somewhere else again, and already behind you there is no trace that you were ever there. – Damon Galgut.

I am lying on the grass – Shavasana (Corpse position). Under a giant shady tree. It’s Yoga at three with flowy Charlotte as part of the 2018 Joberg2C – 9 days, 900km of mountain biking across a country as beautiful as its ragged and flawed. Day six of the journey to the sea and I am toast.

“I want your head to press into the mat and your body to relax and I want your brain to find the pain and the source of your pain”, Charlotte, the Yogi smoothly intones.
It hurts everywhere, every possible where – Yogi and the source is 6 hours of exquisite mountain biking through the beloved country. Day six and three more to go, I am floating away from my body trying to justify the pain and the effort needed to complete the task. My entire biosphere is in a crumpled heap because the riding hurts, but it is cathartic and soothes other deeper imbalances.

I know why I chose this particular journey, like a pilgrimage to Mecca or Lourdes and Fatima or even the El Camino de Santiago hike. It’s a search, again, for origin and that is a quest for spirituality. From darkness to light from pain to bliss – it is not the other way around. At some point racer, hacker, pro or weekend warrior the reason to ride moves beyond completing or competing to exploring critical personal dilemmas – The big question, what is it all about – Main Man.

4 years ago, I rode the race with Paolo Beltramo who was dying of cancer (RIP) But it was his dream to ride the Joberg2C as his outgoing gesture to himself. No one, least of all his oncologist, physician wife or the organizers were overly enthusiastic for him to ride this very tough 9 stage race. He endured incredible odds and demonstrated invincible grit to complete his last ever pedal stroke onto the grass at Scottburgh beach. Chapeau, Chapeau, Chapeau – that experience as his partner changed me and my attitude to more than just racing. There exists a dimension where we can connect to forces greater than ourselves, where if we choose to embrace the opportunity we can learn a great deal, not least some humility. Paolo enriched Me and everyone else that year.

In 2017 I did Greg Anderson a favor and took him to the start of the same race – it was a privilege to be his friend and a previous race partner. A year later he is no longer with us (RIP), senselessly and fatally knocked off his bike while out training. The ultimate competitor – fearless, unflinchingly ambitious and goal driven in his chosen sport, and most everything else, he epitomized the race warrior. What a loss and what a waste of humanity at its finest. When we are young, everyone and everything is immortal. It is a rude and painful lesson learning that that is far from the truth. Life is precious and fragile. I am older now and I attend funerals and without a spiritual connection and inner strength and the support of friends and family, none of us could cope with the level of loss that surrounds all of us. Greg will never race again but we will never forget him or anyone else who has contributed to our lives. Stuart Loxton rides the race every year in honor of his fallen son Chris. Remember.

In 2018 I am riding with my great mate Sean the Eskimo who now flies the British flag from his seat post. Sean immigrated a few years ago proving for the umpteenth time in my life that everything is transitory and impermanent. That physical closeness cannot be relied upon, that people are migratory in nature and all relationships ebb and flow in multiple aspects – distance, nature, and importance. We are having a great race and have approached the race as a journey and mindfulness is a top priority – all 5 senses are flooded to the point of drunkenness – I am relishing the overload. But the other intangible senses are also stimulated, like wonder, gratitude, happiness, redemption, spirituality, and closeness to nature and a better version of humanity. 36 nations are on tour, and almost to the last one, are fantastic humans. This is a core strength of Joberg2c – the riders. The organizer’s ethos of consistent treatment for everyone regardless of status or stature attracts the right type of rider. The treatment is superb – I may develop a cake addiction by race end. Kindness and friendliness are as contagious a camp tummy bug. (Sanitise your hands).

Back on the Yoga mat, I fold myself into the child position, breathing deeply and steadily exhuming the toxins from my body and the demons from my mind. My body is distressed from a day’s hard riding but is entering recovery mode and it will be ready for tomorrow and the next day and until we finish in 3 days in Scottburgh.

I could not survive without my cycling journeys – Joberg2c, Swazi Experience, Namibia and the Swiss Alps but also and importantly The Spruit, The Lion Park and just to the coffee shop in my slops. The bike allows me to connect with people, places, experiences, and all my senses but critically to myself and my life’s purpose – still trying to complete the angel designated tasks.

But the big races and the long breaks are a chance to focus hard on decompressing, realigning ourselves and spiritually balancing. Just like a yoga retreat.

I am back Shavasana and I think I will remain prone for a few more minutes.

Namaste – take this as all-encompassing and multi-denominational.

Something I repeat often, but that is what prayers are:
Mountains are cathedrals: grand and pure, the houses of my religion. I go to them as humans go to worship. From their lofty summits, I view my past, dream of the future, and with unusual acuity I am allowed to experience the present moment. My strength renewed, my vision cleared, in the mountains I celebrate creation. On each journey I am reborn – Antoli Boukreev

Bibliography/Credits:
This article was inspired by the 2018 On the Joberg2C race and all the books magazines, newspapers, music, films and art currently populating and making noises in my head. I want the sources and references and everything else making a noise in your head as well.
In no particular order and with less than academic integrity and very incomplete and meant to be quirky and also a little cryptic.

The architecture of peace YOGA: Netflix
Wild Wild Country: Netflix
The man who mistook his wife for a hat: Oliver Sacks
Everybody Hurts: REM
On the Road: Jack Kerouac
Pilgrimages: To Lourdes, Mecca, El Camino and similar spiritual journeys
We are above all what we do: De Beauvoir
Road to Nowhere: Talking Heads
I am true only when alone: Proust
We can’t express our solitude: Chekhov
FT: Weekender (every issue)
1843: Economist Magazine (see above)
The Divine Comedy: Dante (all the levels)

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