To The Top Of Wales And Back - A Bikepacking Adventure.
I was nervous before setting off.
The unknown is terrifying.
Those crazy thoughts of all the things that might happen.
But had I known what it would really be like I’d have been way more scared.
In fact I’d never have started.
Never have left home.
Never have even made that first pedal stroke.
And the thought of that, is so much scarier again.
I’m glad I went.
I’m glad I had this idea.
And I’m glad I made it happen.
The longer that goes on now the more the good stands out.
I saw this part of the world in a different way.
A way that not a lot of people have seen it.
Slow.
Out in the open.
Alone.
I could sleep right under the stars.
Just me.
Just the world.
The idea for the trip was one that had been floating around in my head for a while.
To ride from home to the top of Snowdon and back.
Over 350 miles.
Seemingly endless mountain biking through a wild and beautiful part of the world.
To the top of Wales and back.
It sounds like the dream.
It was.
But also it wasn’t.
It was amazing.
Beautiful.
Wild.
And interesting.
But as the days went on the loneliness became unbearable.
You see...
This was never about getting up Snowdon.
It wasn’t even really about riding my bike.
I’m a man who doesn’t fit in trying to fit in.
You hear those stories of people out on solo adventures.
The ones where they bump into the coolest group of people.
Adventure with them for a few days, then continue on having made lifelong friends.
Somewhere in me I believed something like that would happen.
Ha, it sounds a bit silly now.
Maybe it is.
Maybe it isn’t.
Maybe the conditions just weren't right.
Maybe I was looking the other way as I passed them, missed by a matter of seconds.
I’ll never know.
But what I do know is if I stayed at home the chance to meet them would never have been there.
For now I’ll come up with the next idea.
Repack my bags.
And set off on another adventure.
Whoo!
- Jacob.
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