In lieu of describing my Winnipeg rest week in boring detail, here's some 11 pm thoughts on how long distance bike touring affects my view of time:
Time is weird on this trip. It's almost completely thrown out the window as a concept, except when I need a brewery or bakery to be open.
I generally wake up shortly after sunrise and decide whether or not to begin my day or go back to bed based on feel.
Do I feel I got enough sleep? Do I feel particularly motivated right this second? How hot does it seem like it will be today?
I will admit I do check my phone or the spedometer on my bike (still set to Yukon time) before making a final "out of bed or not" decision, in order to avoid making an accudental 4:30 am start. I did obsess over time quite a bit at the start of the tour. When I would leave camp, when I would get to the next town, how late I would ride. I'll admit, these thoughts are still in the back of my mind most of the time I'm turning the pedals, but they don't really affect my mood or speed much anymore. I just ride my bike and worry more about the heat, or the disconcerting pain that sometimes creeps into my knee, or whether I collected an unseen tick the last time I stopped to water the roadside flowers.
On a larger scale, days blend together. I don't usually think of the timeline of the trip in terms of days and weeks. My main measure of passage is individual memories. Places I have passed or things I saw. But even these placemarkers are becoming scrambled in my recollection. I am starting to have a hard time grasping how long I have been on the road. I long ago stopped bothering to count the days. Now, when asked how long I have been on the road I simply reply "since May 8th", although May 8th, 2018 seems as long ago as my graduation from university 2 years past.
While in Winnipeg, I feel like my brain is slipping back into the old university pattern. Even though I've only been in the city for a week, it feels more like I never left after finishing classes. The bike tour seems like it has happened in another life.
When I think of finishing the tour in 2 months or so, the idea has no real impact.
The last two months seem immeasurable so it's almost inconceivable that the trip will ever end. Until now I have also passed through mostly familiar country; places and highways I have driven through before. I wonder how the totally unknown lands east of Manitoba will affect my perception of time. Will all the new sights and experiences make the days stretch even longer? Or will it be so exciting that it passes in a flash?
No comments:
Post a Comment