Okay so, I am an endurance athlete and like to do things big, I like to do them on my own testing my perseverance, strength and will. Doing it with a group doesn’t do that for me, I don’t want the help of a team in such endeavors, I see it as “Me against the world” and I plan on sticking it out and making it work, no quitting, no surrender, and if I have to singing my favorite 90s fight songs the whole way.
When I explained to a friend I wanted to cycle across the United States alone, without escort, or a group of riders and wanted to do it in 3-weeks, she told me I was nuts, crazy, basically called me a lunatic with a death wish – not so. I am not crazy and this challenge to myself is not crazy, it is an adventure, and the cheesy tourist cycling group rides are pathetically easy (aka anyone can do it), I plan on doing 250 miles a day, it’s like running a marathon a day for 3 weeks. These “Ride Across America” type group rides only do 50-100 max, it would take too long, I’d be bored. Always, Trust Self. It’s practically an American Tradition, victory goes to the bold, not the meek. Ha ha ha. I am all male (a little Alpha Male Syndrome there). I told her; “I see your woman’s POV of course, but if you do everything the approved way, you can never break-out or break away, you’ll always be a fish in a school, a sheep in a herd or a human in the Borg.” Dear Reader – Please take a break and listen to “It’s My Life” Bon Jovi.
Turns out my friend wanted to debate this point of male’ness with me stating; “Most cyclists are men, and most ride in packs! For safety! I’m all for your Trust Self thing, but NOT because it’s a man/male thing. Remember Amelia Earhart? Totally a Trust Self thing and female… and where the heck is she? BUT, go for it! It is definitely bold. And whether you come back safely or disappear, it’s definitely an awesome pursuit.”
I explained to my friend; yes, as a pilot I am up on the Amelia Earhart story, there were other factors too. It’s not an adventure if you do everything by the approved method. It’s not even notable, 100s of people do it each year in groups. Why would I want to be like everyone else? I don’t consider myself a cyclist (aka Bike Weeny) and do not belong to any cycling groups, I love to pass them however on their 6,000 dollar bikes with all the gear – ha ha ha.
No worries, we come from different mindsets. I like to win. Take the road less taken. Test my will, strength of character, not belong to a group and follow a so-called authority telling me how to do everything by the book. I say the book was written by lesser men, and that those who can’t teach. Humans are often like sheep in herds, but not all, some are like Eagles with the command of their domain, they don’t need the group to survive, they believe in themselves. I hate groups, you have to give up a part of self to belong, supposedly for something great, but in the end all you get is a higher-level of mediocrity. That doesn’t interest me.
Yell all you want, you wouldn’t be the first, but if you understand the psyche of what I am saying you also realize that telling someone like me “you can’t” is indeed a motivator to “Just Do It” and that is what makes like worth living, Live life, we were not born to follow.
Power to the individual – who needs socialism – who needs a village? The individual is ALL that matters. Groups are for those who don’t understand themselves or what they are capable of – What say you? Philosophically speaking that is?
