149. It's all about the bike

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The title of this post is shared with a book by Rob Penn, based on the construct of Rob travelling all over the World to his favourite manufacturers of bike parts, to build his perfect bike. It’s a great idea and an enjoyable read. For me, it’s not about a specific bike, but about being on a bike. Specially, on the high roads. The great passes of the Alps, the Pyrenees and even of other, minor chains. The tunnels of Tourmalet from St Marie de Campan, the innumerable hairpins of Finestre, the desolate heights of Iseran, the majestic solitude of the climb over the last wall to the glacial cirque of Troumousse. The bike opens up landscapes in a way that no other means of transport does. Silent. Outdoor. Hard. Reaching each peak demands pain and pays back in satisfaction and awe at nature’s beauty. Every descent demands temerity and rewards with the occasional feeling of that perfect high speed line through the bends. A good bike is beautiful to look at, but even more beautiful to look from 

Length: 1,001 characters

Location: Builth Wells LD2, UK

Comments

Jaime said…
This reading took me directly to those unforgettable days in the Pyrenees... Thanks you Santi..
September 1, 2020 at 11:48 PM
Neil said…
I could not agree more. There is something very special about cycling in mountains.  Perhaps it comes down to the fine balance between the pleasure of witnessing the absolute beauty of your surroundings, and pain from the near relentless effort in turning the pedals, for what can sometimes seem like hours on end.  At the end of the day, regardless of how this tilts, it's the shared experience of the journey that makes it.
September 2, 2020 at 12:00 AM
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