Last Sunday I had an epic dirt bike enduro ride day with my good friend Miller and his riding crew – Chad, Denis, Scotty G, and Scotty L. In total that day we road 75 kilometres.
I Needed To Get In The Zone
Most of the riding we did that day was technical single track riding. In the beginning, I was busy in my mind with thoughts of work, taxes and all that other life stressy stuff. As a result, it was hard for me to focus on my riding for the first little while. I needed to get in the zone, in sync and flow with my bike and the trail. Presence in the moment is key when riding tight technical trails. Eventually, my focus on riding took over. Otherwise, I would be crashing constantly. Nothing like hitting the ground to evoke presence. These guys like they’re hard enduro-style riding. The riding is challenging, and these guys ride a lot more often than me, so I knew I was up for a workout.
Challenge is Where The Fun Is
The last time I rode with these guys another friend of mine Geoff asked me about it. He asked me, wasn’t it hard? To which I replied, your damn right it was. However, I know that – challenge is where the fun is. His reply was well I’m just not into that, that’s not the kind of the riding I want to do. That’s fine enough for Geoff, but I wasn’t going to let myself be scripted as such, as I know I will only get better at riding if I challenge myself, ride with guys that are going hard at it, and that are better at riding than I am. To be fair Geoff’s bike isn’t the best in the tight woods where every advantage plays a role.
Watch Your Influences
This reminds me that we need to be careful to consider the influence of others and not let other people’s perceptions become our own. Unless of course, it is a good perception and influence, and that you have concluded, upon reflection it is a good influence. Furthermore, it is like the principle of training with black belts if you want to be a black belt. As you will become like those you surround yourself with. It’s all about influence.
Smiling mixed with Cuss Words
Dirt bike ride break time
When I planned to go for this ride, I knew I needed some guy time. I needed to do guy stuff. I love my wife but sometimes I need my hard adrenalin hit. She gets it. So even though the muscles in my hands and arms and legs were burning after about the first hour, I reminded myself to smile at the pain. I reflected on my yoga teacher Fiji’s comment about smiling during Chaturanga, and how if you could smile during Chaturanga you could smile doing anything. Sorry Fiji, but this ride was a hell of a lot harder than Chaturanga. However, I am pleased to report that I kept smiling with the odd cuss word mixed in for good measure of course ; ). Furthermore, I take it a step further by picturing my kids smiling faces, to keep me smiling on the inside, when on the outside my lungs and muscles are screaming at me.
Finding Your Limits
When you’re out riding with the boys there’s not a whole lot of slack given. It’s an unspoken thing. Being a pussy is not an option, but we do take breaks take breaks. However, when you hit your limit, well, you hit your limit. But that’s what hard rides are all about. Finding your limit and then seeing if you can push a little bit past it.
Later, in the ride, I took a spill near an old tree stump. As I was picking myself up, I noticed I was being stung by wasps. It would seem, I had fallen in a wasp’s nest. Fortunately, I was so jacked up on adrenaline from riding I barely noticed the pain from the stings. I removed the wasps from my arms, started my bike and got moving quickly. Later as the pain kicked in, I decided to view the wasps as helicopters and me as the Incredible Hulk getting stronger and stronger from them biting and stinging me. LOL, it’s good to laugh when you’re in pain.
Later in the ride, on the faster more open trails I caught a rock off Scotty L’s tire right on my nose, cutting it open. Again, I just Kept riding and let the blood clot itself. Nothing else you can do, so just carry-on.
Everyone Is Watching
Another key moment in the ride was when I was totally exhausted and got stuck halfway up a huge hill climb. All my buddies are at the top of the hill looking down waiting for me. Denis came down to help pick a good line. At this point, the muscles in my hands were toast, my leg muscles burning and I was out of breath. In short, I was gassed out.
You know that voice in your head that wants to cave in and just get your buddies to help you out and admit that you can’t do it? I’m pleased to report, that I stifled that voice and told myself that I was going to ride that dirt bike up that hill come hell or high water. And I did. Knowing I had the support of my friends if I needed them. Also knowing that they all want to see me do it on my own. That’s camaraderie.
The Alchemist’s Dictum
View from the Lunch Spot
You will find what you need where you least want to look. This is the alchemist’s dictum. I heard Jordan Peterson talking of this on Joe Rogan’s podcast number 1208. I believe he was paraphrasing Carl Jung. To me, this goes right along with the saying – challenge is where the fun is. I often find that a deeper truer joy is often found at the end of a grind or a challenge overcome. As such, I find it an amazing combination when you can challenge yourself doing something you enjoy. And when you push yourself to the limits of exhaustion and face your racing mind in that environment and circumstance it only builds strength and character that helps you through the next unforeseen challenge you may face. Not to mention the physical exertion and output I seem to require to keep me in my happy place.
