Thereabouts

I mused that this fleeting sense of clarity was a feeling that people search for in everything they do. This type of journey was the sort often taken by the troubled, the depressed, the alcoholics, and the drug addicts. I, we, and they, journey to escape ourselves and our day-to-day routines. The purpose of a journey is to clear your mind and reset yourself in space.

-Taylor Phinney

I've been a fan of Taylor's for a while now. Actually the same is true for all four of the stars of Thereabouts 2. I finally bit the bullet last night and bought the documentary on Vimeo.com. I had held off for a while because I was having a hard time justifying spending $13.00 on an hour and fifteen minute documentary. All I can say is, I should have done it sooner.

Just like the first edition of this hopefully ongoing project, the second really struck a chord. It is really easy to get caught up in performance when you engage in a sport like cycling. You start to focus on your numbers and how the compare to other riders, you begin to hover over Strava to make sure someone isn't getting in more miles than you and ultimately you find yourself in this place where you're truly questioning whether or not it's worth it to keep on/or start training again.

Then I watched this film and realized that shit is not at all what it's about. Taylor's quote above is probably the shortest and most concise explanation of why I ride a bike. It's THE journey for me. The one that most people miss because they are so caught up in life's hustles and bustles. Case in point, I often arrive home from a ride much later than I tell Anna to expect me. I don't intend to. I lose track of time. Reality tends to melt away and what's left is clarity. It is a reset and one that I covet. It's also one that I had lost for the last year since my grandfather passed away, but the hour and fifteen minutes last night spent watching this film changed all of that and reignited the passion.

For that reason I owe these four complete strangers an immense amount of gratitude. Angus, Cam, Lach and Taylor have brought me back to a place where I am excited to get back on my bike and start turning and for that I am eternally grateful.

Cheers!