In the last two posts (Initial Thoughts and Embrace Sunrises), I’ve written about the balance between enjoying a journey rather than focusing so much on the gear used for the journey. What I didn’t mention is why go on a journey at all? Why go bikepacking – putting camping gear on a bike making it much heavier and harder to ride? Or why wear a pack with food, gear, water, etc to go backpacking?
Last week, I took off on a 4 day bikepacking journey with my friend Brion. The picture I took from under my tarp the morning of the third day captures the answers to these questions.
It may not be a great picture from a pure picture standpoint. What it lacks in picture-ability, it makes up for in conveying the essence of going out for a journey – be it a multi-day trip or even for a single night.
What’s there?
A calm, peaceful morning sunrise
Spending time with a friend who happens to be camping a few feet away
The anticipation of morning coffee, breakfast, and a full day of bike riding
Burrowing into the warmth and coziness of a sleeping bag while waiting for the sun to rise just a bit higher
Solitude and quietness of a morning in the woods
What’s not there?
Emails and meetings
Traffic
Stress
Biscuits and gravy (I haven’t figured out how to carry this, but I guess it’s possible to survive without it)
This is why it’s worth taking the journey.
