Arrival

I think it was Gertrude Stein who once said, "When you get there, you realize there is no there, there."

I cycled into Durango, Colorado on July 25 about 1:30 in the afternoon under sunny skies and a gentle breeze. I had reached one of my goals. It was a great feeling to know that this ride has been a boon to possibility and taught me that I can ride almost anywhere. Although I have cycled long trips before, this was by far some of the most difficult terrain and the harshest conditions I have encountered as a cyclist.  Overall, it was a successful trip in that I arrived mostly unscathed and with most of my dignity in tact. There were days though when I felt hopeless and that failure was inevitable.  

I read a great story recently in Dirt Rag magazine about a guy who went to mountain bike in Bolivia. He was quickly defeated by the terrain and conditions. He threw in the towel on the ride and spent a few weeks traveling by bus around the country.

It seems to me we don't often see articles of this nature.  More often than not we read about successful adventures and winning races not blunders and races hopelessly lost. I found it refreshing to see in print someone giving in. 

So, does this constitute total failure? This is the question I grapple with myself. What does success look like? What is the true nature of failure?
Stay tuned. Thanks for reading.