Slow Down

Lesson for the day: slow down!

Those petty things that could consume me in everyday life simply don’t apply here. It truly is life in the slow lane. Wanna go fast….it dares me to try. They’ll be only one winner…(clue….it won’t be me). Maslows hierarchy of needs comes in to play….food, sleep, the rest…that just has to wait. No signal….no phone! No shops….no food. Something breaks …..you find a way to make do. Can’t dry your stuff…..get used to damp clothes! It’s a wonderful reminder of what’s important and what’s just noise….as Passenger sings….’see all I need is a whisper, in a world that only shouts’.

I left Larrimah after another night of incessant rain, regrettably without having solved the mystery of who killed Paddy Moriarty….but I’ve developed a theory – there was absolutely no food this morning to be had in Larrimah – the ‘hotel’ (🤣) was closed until 12 and Fran (the Pie lady and numero uno suspect in Paddys death) was also closed. I reckon Paddy walked off with his dog and died of hunger looking for something to eat! It’s possible. I had to ride 78k with no food in me and well, my body was less than impressed. I got to Mataranka and the delightful hot springs completely buggered. I also started with wet clothes just to add to the joys of the ride! It rained too. But all that evaporated when I got in to those hot springs. Omg all my weariness soaked away. And the couple in a van next to my pitch took pity on the pitiful bedraggled cyclist that slumped in to his unpowered pitch and made me hot tea and a toasted sandwich….because there’s no food at this campsite!! But there is a small township 2k away so I’ll ride in tomorrow to get some supplies.

A pizza van has pulled up at the site and is doing a roaring trade!! Resting tomorrow but it’s 95% chance of rain 15-20mm so it’ll be a day for the hot springs, my kindle and sleep!

My dearest friend Barry wrote to me yesterday via WhatsApp and I think he beautifully captured the essence of this journey so I’m sharing it here:

“It’s a daunting journey and aside from the physical challenge is that inner journey to break trigger cycles and to find yourself again, or at least know where you as a person need to heal and replenish the emotional well”.