First entry in quite a few months and its really more about riding than Bolivia. April 10th, we had a national race down here. In between runs, everyone was down at the bottom playing around on two large table tops that the race ended on. My friend, Ben, came into one too fast, overshot the landing, bike split in two near the headset and Ben landed straight on his face. His full face definitely saved his life, but he was still knocked completely out. At the hospital they discovered a blood clot in his head that needed to be drained before it did permanent damage to his brain. That first night was rather intense as we waited on word from the doctors. Eventually, they came out and told us that all was well, but he would still be in a coma for at least a week or so. The doctors were not sure how much damage had been done to his brain, so they intentionally kept him in a coma for three weeks in order to give his brain time to heal without it being used much. This past week, he was finally awake enough to be flown back home to the States with his mother and doctor. He still has a long recovery ahead though. At the moment, he can open his eyes and move his body, but he can't talk and we're still unsure of how much and who he recognizes.
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| Ben rips it up on the Cucu |
This has really been making me think a lot lately about what it is we do for fun. I know that for many of my friends and myself, these sports we do are not just a hobby, but a part of life. Whether this thing is rock climbing or kayaking or mountain biking, our lives revolve around being able to satisfy this need. In choosing a school, I only seriously thought about places with good outdoor playgrounds nearby. In choosing jobs since, I have always looked at the wilderness sports potential either within the job or nearby. I know that I will never be able to survive within an office in a big city. If I don't get out into the woods for awhile, I start to feel tired all the time and my mood takes a down turn. Why?
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| Ben trials riding at the neighborhood park. |
Why does this addiction have such a strong hold upon us? These sports are dangerous. No matter what people say, you cannot deny that these sports are much more dangerous than your average game of soccer or anything else that most the world's people do for fun. Video games are a ton of fun and a whole lot safer. Ball sports are always a good time and if you get hurt, the hospital is only a few minutes away. I always tell people I could die crossing the road, so why worry about it? The truth though is that I have never even come close to getting hurt crossing the road. Whether you're risking that one big fall while climbing or “death by a thousand cuts” mountain biking, the danger is always closer.
So what is it that draws us towards these seemingly dangerous sports far from help? Some people say its the adrenaline of being in a dangerous position far from help. The adventurous say they do it for the feeling of just being out there in a foreign environment. Others say its the sheer exercise that keeps them going. Certain masochists do it to push themselves beyond their limits in ways they have never imagined. I know for me, it has to be a mixture of many different elements, because it sure can't be any single one of those. Sure I enjoy the adrenaline, but I'm not an adrenaline junkie. I'm not Michael Reardon or Aron Ralston. I'm not stupid. When I get too scared, I back down, because I know I would rather take a small whip than a 40 footer. I try to stay smart. If I was doing it for the exercise, I would also enjoy running or spinning on a trainer or any number of workouts. In reality though, all that stuff is super boring. I might as well paint a fence for fun. If exercising was really fun to the majority of people, America wouldn't be so fat.
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| Ben hitting a ceek gap step down in Pura Pura. |
What really draws me towards mountain biking though is the all encompassing physical, psychological and philosophical aspects. A large part of why I do what I do is a mixture of all these things. I want to push myself, exercise has its physical and psychological benefits and I do get enjoyment out of the adrenaline aspect. Flying down a tight piece of singletrack at 30mph is fun. Climbing up a hill for two hours for the reward of a sick downhill is both fun and good for my body. Hitting a jump for the first time after being too scared of it for too long is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Spending a day in the woods, hitting three different peaks and not seeing a soul is relaxing. The biggest reason though, is the machine I'm on top of. I enjoy hiking, climbing, paddling and many other sports in the woods, but nothing beats the feeling of a mountain bike. This is really a simple machine that I am a part of and is a part of me. It aids me in getting to places quicker and with more fun, but I still have to get it there. This is something that I control yet must respect the power of. When it breaks, I can fix it, only to break it again. If I take care of it, I break down less often. If I build the wheel strong and true, it will be less likely to fail at the wrong time. As Robert M. Pirsig said, "The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed."
So, with this machine that I have taken care of, I end up in a place that means more to me than any other place, have fun in doing so and end up physically and mentally healthier for it. Its for these reasons that I can never see myself giving up on the bicycle or leaving the woods for too long. Ben's accident has really gotten me thinking about whether its all worth it and in the long run, I believe it is. I'll probably choose to wear my full face a little more often now and I'd wouldn't mind picking up a Leatt neck brace for downhill. An acquaintance had a bad climbing accident in Australia while not wearing a helmet. This has gotten me to wear my helmet more often while climbing. These things do have their affect, but it shouldn't stop us from giving up on something that provides so much joy in our lives.
Ben I hope you recover soon and we are all rooting for you. Hope to see you riding again soon in Bolivia or North Carolina.
