Allow me to share in this space certain reflections this journey brought me. I once read that one travels seeking the intensity of the experience; in our case, each of us knows the reasons we had for joining this trip, group-based yet individual at the same time. Today, now that a few days have passed, I can discern that for me it was almost like undertaking a personal epic and discovering what I was capable of…
We traveled dizzying roads, impressive landscapes that stimulated the senses, as the greens, the flowers, the scents varied, and even the earth took on an intense flavor. Riding on gravel kept us alert with every step; we had to watch for potholes, loose rocks, curves…roads that surprised us and led us to feel the eternal present, we had to concentrate, joining mind and body, in a meditation in motion where the cadence of pedaling generated a synchronization with a new heart rhythm, with a new breathing.
We had to seek the perfect balance between strength, endurance and enjoyment. The climbs tested our will, our strength, our passion… and each descent demanded control and freedom, mastery and detachment…
Under the guise of a sporting adventure, we had the chance to come together and connect with others and with ourselves. That way, learning, transformations and bonds unfolded one after another. But we were also able to complete a journey that allowed us space to develop introspection, to observe our shadows and accept them, even when we'd rather not be aware of them.
There will be anecdotes, moments, words, silences that each of us will process through the broken fragments kept by memory, but surely for everyone it was a double crossing: one exterior, grueling, extreme… and another internal, deep and intimate.
Thank you for having lived it with me.
