Unfortunately it would appear that I don't have the mental stamina I thought I had when I signed up for this trip in January or unfortunately (and perhaps more importantly) that'll see me through to Ushuaia.
Basically I no longer have the desire or perhaps it's the tenacity, to push myself through whatever the conditions are, such as the barren landscape we were due to ride through today.
It would seem that in order to ride at my best, I need to enjoy the scenery and to be somewhat mentally distracted, cause otherwise I end up either over thinking things whether it simply be what I'm doing in terms maintaining a decent cadence, or (as occurred yesterday), what I should do on the work front when I get home to Australia, what's currently happening at home, etc. Heck I mean if I'm totally honest, there's at least part of me that thinks I should be at home living and concentrating on the real world as opposed to living in cuckoo land, as I am at present by being on an extended holiday!
So where does that get us as far as today's activities, well aside from not really looking forward to riding what appeared like being a long (150KMs) ride through a boring nondescript wasteland I woke up this morning feeling a little dispirited about things and with a heart rate that was well above what it should be.....
So essentially I didn't ride today....
Hopefully resting today as I have, will result in things returning to normal and I'll be able to get back on the bike tomorrow even it's only for a portion of the 120KM we're due to ride.
Now knowing that enjoying the scenery is important as you go forward is an important realisation, and that some scenery is more enjoyable than others. Spring here in Aust is probably very different to spring Sth America. Each of us look at the same thing see it differently. It is multiple perspectives, or as my Year 12 student is studying English says - multiple realities. Ryan finished all his secondary school yesterday (Wed 22/10) and exams start next week here. Finish in four weeks, then mum and dad get a break 10 days later on the Great Vic - and while those of us here would say 500km in 8 days is not a break, it is really a ride in the part compared to your ride.
ReplyDeleteNo shame in knowing your limits
ReplyDeleteNow that I finally have time to start looking back at some of my photos, I gotta say that a return trip to Peru and then possibly heading North to Colombia isn't totally out of the question!
ReplyDeleteWhilst Bolivia was probably a one off, there are parts of Argentina & Chile still appeal from a scenery point of view. It's just a lot of hard work and such long distances between prospective lunch stops, etc! Whereas Ecuador & Peru, where interesting, scenic and had small villages dotted along the route where it was possible to stop for a snack, to set up tent, etc!