Why I like cycling.

I thought to talk about the motivation of cycling. 

This Tuesday I returned back to work from short holiday I took to complete the *c2c* or also known as coast to coast cycling route. It takes you from West coast to east coast of United Kingdom. 

I'll talk about that experience at some other time. 

So when I returned back to work few of the guys I work with were very surprised about my endeavour and few were puzzled since they couldn't see the reason for doing 140 miles without money prize at the end or even just a handshake from a stranger to acknowledge this achievement. 

It's difficult to explain to a person with slightly different set of values that this trip was more valuable than money or internet likes. 

This was just one of them milestones I had to do to prove my self of what I am capable of. 

It gives exactly the same feeling when I took off my training wheels I rode all by my self at age 7. I remember my self trying all day long until it happened righ before the sun went down. I felt so free .. I was knackered from trying all day long and then I remember this surge of excitement that I can literally go anywhere at any time from here on.

The sense of freedom and the view of the road I just covered behind me. 

Over the years from there on my bikes and priorities changed and I got back in to it regularly around 12 years ago. I am now nearly 37 years old. I came to UK in 2009 and quickly realised that the cheapest and most convenient way of getting around is on bike. Since I don't drive and I found the public transport unreliable, expensive and it doesn't always go places I want to go. 

So I found my self my first iron horse on gumtree. It was a black Chinese something. With no brakes and wonky back wheel. Not all gears worked as much I can remember. It cost me £30 British pounds and it wasn't the best. The frame size was way off for my height and the wonky wheel meant that my back breaks wouldn't work properly. And when the pads on the front wore off I started to use my shoe to stop. Yes it's insanely stupid. Yes I rode it like that for a year or so.. Yes I crashed it multiple times. Yes my back would hurt and my fingers would get numb from the inappropriate frame size. 

But there is a big BUT. I got to see more of the Leeds area than some of the locals. And I was doing all that for free. Except the regular shoe change. 

Every other bike I bought after that was somehow better than the previous one until I got my first road bike. Which was a game changer. 60 mile trip was now very realistic distance. All I needed is few water bottles and an orange or few bananas. 

Rest of the fuel was the beautiful country side all around me. And the never ending tow path that keeps unraveling like exciting story. 

I did my first 60 mile trip in 8 hours and a bit. 

I was so exhausted but I was so proud of my self and couldn't keep my self from texting my mate about it. Because I needed that approval after all. 

Even tho my legs felt like cooked pasta I was plotting my next ride that same day. 

Anyway before I ge too poetic about this. All I wanted to say that the love for cycling comes from the freedom, the escape, the challenge, the achievement.

So on that note... See you out there.