Åheim
You and I both know you are just making up excuses to not get on the bus, and it’s not because you can’t figure out how to get the tickets. You say it’s hard riding in rain, but you do it anyway; I haven’t seen you stopping for a day because of rain. You say you want a nice comfortable ride; but you have taken zero steps to make it easier for you, do you know why?
Because deep down, you want to experience it all. I know it, and you just deny it. You feel the exhilaration, so do I. You feel the burn, so do I. You just keep telling yourself that’s not fun, but you know it is, I know it is.
I understand you don’t want to accept who you are, you keep spinning this narrative of “a tour”. You keep telling yourself you need the creature comforts, the niceties, but you don’t. You never did. You did not twenty years ago, you don’t now.
My friend, you and I both know there’s a madness in you, an itch to feel how it is when it’s hard & cold, an urge to ride until twilight and start all over again the next day. You don’t care if you are wet, you don’t really care if you don’t have a warm shower. You made yourself believe that you do! I know it because I am you; We spoke a long time ago but I have always been here. Never thought we would speak again, yet here we are.
Today was hard leaving the comfortable cabin in the Måløy. It was raining, and I was constantly debating whether to take a bus to Trondheim and skip this entire part.
The ferry journey to Måløy yesterday was interesting, quiet and contemplative, and I kept thinking about my plans.
But then, today I went to a store I got some new really good (hopefully expedition grade) jackets, gloves, and went back to riding! Now I can say, “What’s rain?”.
And then, best part of today, met Naomi and Espen and we rode together to a campsite tonight.
From Naomi, I learned about sea-grass and oyster restoration and conservation program which was super interesting. Got to see some amazing photography by Espen.
In the end my inner voice calmed down.
Good night!
Åheim, Norway