Riding Solo........ Motu part 1

The Motu has some legendary status in my eyes.  When a very strong cyclist trains hard but is twice unfortunate in 'The Motu', you know it's not a walk in the park.  I've been keen for ages to try out part of the track, but it's never quite worked out.

Easter weekend, and it didn't quite work out again.  Manu and I had been talking and gradually pinpointing a vague idea into a plan, we set a date and time but were still co-ordinating which parts of the Motu we would do.  Then she got sick and we had to call it all off.  Elusive, the Motu is.

Still, it was a long weekend and the weather cleared a bit, so Tom and I took the girls down to Opotiki anyway for some horse-riding, walking and mountain biking.  And seeing as I had my bike..........  I headed out on my own.

I'm getting a bit used to riding on my own.  Life is busy, friends are busy, and co-ordinating matching times can be damn near impossible.  Going solo has some advantages.  You only have to stop for half as many toilet breaks, snacks, gear malfunctions and costume changes.  This means you can knock off the k's considerably more quickly than when in a group, where everyone warms up at a different rate and sheds a clothing layer five minutes after the last person!  On your own, you can leave when you're ready, when it suits your family.  Also, going more quickly means less time away from the family, so less guilt!  On my own, tough chick status increases, I have to look after myself, navigate, and make the decisions.  This gives a greater sense of braving the elements, girl vs wild.  I'm also more observant of my surroundings, and can move on or stop to admire something as it suits me.

The flip side is, it's a bit lonely.  There's no one to point out something cool to, to name a bird call, or tell an entertaining story.  The uphills feel a little longer, even though they're probably shorter alone. 
 Trouble shared is trouble halved, and I like to share just how much my legs hurt on a big climb.

There is no one to take a photo of, or to take a photo of me, so my photos are normally of my bike......

 The downhills have a sinister edge to them, knowing that if I come off, there is no one to help.  Nerves are not good for riding, and this can make it even more risky, as it takes me a while to warm into it.  Luckily, I find a good downhill hard to resist, and I normally get over this!  It also means I have to carry a set of survival gear, as if I have a problem, it'll be many hours before I'm overdue and Search and Rescue get called in.  Tom and I have meeting points, plans, back up plans, and back up backup plans. 

It's better to ride with someone.  But riding solo is better than not riding at all.