And that was my column done, I submitted it
and then promptly drove back home from the
UK, 1600 miles to Bulgaria. Making miles,
sleeping across the seats, through the night,
into dawn, along time saving autobahns
heading south east seeing nothing. When I
got to the Czech Republic, where the corridor
of speed takes a break, I drove alongside a
slow flowing Saturday morning river, with
orange leaves floating my way. Leaves which
later passed me as I sat in a two and a half
hour stagnant jam south of Prague, losing all
the time my losing sleep had gained me.
There was little compensation in reaching
over for something to snack on, change the
iPod playlist or the cab temperature because
I was still trapped and unable to change the
situation.
Into a Slovakian sunset and a Hungarian
Saturday night, past a Budapest party, staying
on the ring road, staying in the cab, a few
more hours pass across the seats. Then into a
Romanian frosty dawn and slower speeds and
way of life, cloud in the valleys, sun behind
the haystacks, mountains on the horizon, and
markets on the road, not car boot or super,
just traditional, culture, the other side of my
music and glass. And that's when I realised
I'm not ready for this yet, to be a spectator, I
can’t smell the fruits or fire smoke, the
moisture of the mist or the warmth of the
sunrays. I can’t stop without a lay by and
turning around is as unlikely and leaning into
a corner. I may be warm and able to cross
long distances with ease, but this isn’t
travelling this is transiting. If I had a bike on
the back would I take it off for an excursion?
No, in my mindset there is biking and then
there is passage. And I don't see how I could
mix the two, leaves drop off autumn trees
and I can’t lift a hand to catch them, can’t
catch an eye or shake a hand when a side
stand goes down on the outside of town. I can
effortlessly boil the kettle but its little
compensation for the loss of feeling. And I
don’t just want to see what passes me by, I
want to feel it, on the bike I use all five
senses and sometimes I get a sixth one free.
I’m deprived of that in the cab, it’s senseless.
Ride On Baby,
Ride On
Graham