ED’ S LETTER
SHARE THE STOKE
PHOTOGRAPH OAKPICS, SUPPLIED
IF YOU ASKED A MOUNTAIN biker on his deathbed what he was most grateful for, and if he had any life regrets, I’ d wager he’ d say that the places he explored by bike were among the highlights, and that he regretted not taking more time to smell the flowers on each.
Winning feels lekker and pushing yourself for that reward is important, but racing hard is not something you should do repeatedly. Firstly, you would steadily break down physically, and worse, secondly, you would lose out on the sights, sounds and smells of each unique area that you have the ideal opportunity to explore as part of your ride.
If you value relationships as highly as you should, given that love and kindness are as important as physical health to our longevity, then I’ m sure you’ d very much like to share your passion for cycling with friends and family. In order to do that you need to encourage them to try it, most importantly to tune in gently to the immense power of our active senses when exploring nature at a manageable but adrenalineboosting pace. Suffering over longer-than-fun distances is never going to entice someone into the sport. Not only do we need regular reminders to quieten the distracting tug of our egos, we need to tune in our senses, often numbed in our
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often insatiable quest for external validation.
Tuned-in senses are powerful. Think of how the smell and taste of wine can shift between all kinds of spices, fruits and even tree barks. How an old song on the radio can bring back a crystal-clear, visceral childhood memory. The feeling of a deep hug from someone you love, or the magical light of a sky full of stars on a clear night in the bush. Our senses matter – they are what connects us to the universe that surrounds
us. Just like time in the seemingly barren desert, the more we tune into nature, the more detail and depth we discover. It’ s like growing up all over again as we unburden ourselves of the need to chase money or results to prove ourselves – when with our limited days on earth there is so much to see and do with those we choose to spend our valuable time with. It’ s very easy to grow out of touch with our senses when we spend most of
BikeRunTri. co. za our waking hours indoors, hunched over computers, phones or steering wheels. We put off climbing mountains and diving oceans until we have‘ enough’ time and money, which typically never happens.
If you can relate to this happy-making connection with nature, amplified by the distances you can travel on a bike, immersed in the elements, then you have the opportunity to combine your greatest passions by introducing your family and friends to the magic of
Listening to wild animals beside the Limpopo, planning the day’ s bush-biking with guide Mosa Masupe.
mountain biking. E-bikes are a huge enabler for beginners, and in sunny SA there’ s always a trail nearby to explore on any bike; we are spoiled for choice. Once basic skills are learned in the local park, you can head to trail spaces like those in and around Pretoria that we explore on page 96, then over time expand your horizons to visit dream locations like the Alps, on page 76, or even remote Patagonia, on page 48.
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As you’ ll read in detail on page 26, I was determined to take my fast-maturing girls on an adventure deep into wild Africa, which feels like it’ s disappearing fast, so we headed up to Botswana by road for some bush exploration on two wheels. No crazy long distances or steep climbs and descents; it was all about fully immersing ourselves in nature, and trusting our guide rather than a phone.
It was heartwarming. I will always treasure those moments watching my nervously excited family seeing, hearing, smelling and touching unfamiliar things, then returning home with a lasting impression that will almost certainly motivate them to seek out more experiences like this in future, and in turn introduce this privilege to their kids.
This is the circle of life, much closer to that of our African forefathers. We have access to all the convenient lifestyle appliances we need, and some, like our phones, distract us from our connection with Mother Earth. Regular time out having fun together in nature is like gym for the soul. We are blessed with so much raw, unspoiled space right here in Southern Africa( although we all need to work hard at keeping it that way).
Before you book your next race and go all out for glory, think about a weekend away with mates or family to share the stoke. You will never regret it.
@ mountainbikesa
stoked to ride | MTB | 13