“We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it and stop there lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again and that is well but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.”
? Mark Twain
After cycling 1,538 km and two provinces, I have made the decision to put my trip on hold. This decision came when my parents left after visiting for the weekend. This wouldn’t have been a problem in itself, however I realized the harsh reality that this would be the last time I saw a familiar face until I finished. I basically had just grown tired of being alone. Waking up alone, biking all day alone, and then going to bed alone with my only conversation occurring at a grocery store checkout, or while ordering coffee begins to wear thin after a while. By this point I realized that I wasn’t having fun anymore, and that I still had a huge amount of distance and time to cover on spirits as low as mine were.
I had thought that my goal would be enough to carry me through the hard days, but instead I found out that I am more of a social creature than I thought, and that the goal itself wasn’t enough without someone to share it. I also have learned that in the end it takes a strong mind rather than a strong body to take you through an adventure such as this. It is important to commit to a dream and follow it through to its conclusion, however it’s just as important to figure out when enough is enough and anything more is too much.
The memories I have of biking through B.C. and Alberta I will cherish, but before I tackle the next phase of the trip I have decided to find a partner to share it with. And so, this will be my last blog for the Gazette. I am very grateful for the opportunity they gave me to write these blogs. I certainly don’t want to be like the cat and never sit on my bike again. Stay tuned for part two!
