Commuting I hear you think? No… Mid week musings I hear you conclude, most definitely. I’ve been sitting down of late and designing the DN 2015 Calendar, which is obviously firmly anchored with Trans Provence in June, when something started to occur to me.

Yes, I had planned out some awesome destinations, a veritable smorgasbord of locations that is enough to make any rider go “uhhhhhh” and “Ahhhhh” . Yes, I have acquired some of the hottest ENDURO equipment available to man on the market currently, but there was still one component that is lacking. Trickiest part is, they’re the most important as well:

The People

I then coupled this with the fact that I’ve sort of been back in the Matrix for a quarter now (not exactly a stunning success mind you) and these two experiences have ganged up on me in such a manner I feel compelled to reflect on them in a mid week musing manner.

Is this an attempt by me to prove that I have been cooped up too long and am slowly surrendering to my own crazy over thinking? Probably, but hear me out before you cast me aside like other sites that are addicting to doping stories or are overly sycophantic about Women’s cycling because its currently the PC Populist thing to do. I may even have a point…

Exhibit A) The Bad Work Day: The last time you left work after one of these, you stormed across the lobby after cutting people off getting out of the lift, you let fly a somewhat muttered ‘cunt‘, loud enough so that you wanted people to hear it while still trying to retain a cover that you didn’t actually let it happen. Yup, its been a shizen day. Was it the fact that morning coffee got squeezed for a meeting that had no agenda and no outcomes? Was it because you were late for a meeting and the printer shitted itself at the moment you needed it? Or you farted in the lift the moment it stopped on the floor where the hot chick from HR you’ve been angling for works and she got in, thus wiping out all your ground work? Maybe all those things went wrong… But, the worst days at work when you trace is back are usually related to a person or persons doing shit that is either just fucked up, or makes you want to scream until they resign and get the fuck out of your company/industry. Doesn’t matter if its politics, passive aggressive behaviour, indecision when they’re paid to make decisions or straight out cuntry… Yup, worst days at work:

Its usually because of the people…

Exhibit B) The Bad Ride: Was it the rain? The wind? Perhaps the flat tire? One of those rides where it started out mixed and progressively got worse until the only thought left in your head is “Fuck this“. Its not your bike, unless you’re running SHAM and its not your kit as that’s the same as any other day. No, today is one of those days where perhaps you’ve decided to ride with some new people, or groups have intertwined and the dynamic has changed. Someone has demanded to go down a trail or route you know is shit, someone has ridden like a total cock on purpose or some loud mouthed wannabe PRO know-it-all has decided to pick a fight with a car in traffic when no one cared? You ride along thinking “Why the fuck do we have this guy on the ride FFS?” and it permeates your thoughts and actions to the point you miss the post ride coffee/coke… Yup, worst days on the bike:

Its usually because of the people… (including drivers in that bracket)

x

Nomad’s really enjoy the wetness

Hold on… Its all a bit negative nelly I hear you think… As well as a bit obvious, well, allow me to continue…

Exhibit C) The Great Day at work: Damn if you didn’t just finish the day like a corporate Muhammad Ali. Closed the deal, got the Board approval, had your funding confirmed, passed a major milestone in a project or perhaps got a massive high five for something cool that was done, then went out, got shit faced, felt up a colleague (at their request) and got away without a Personal Grievance being raised. Sure, we bitch out work massively, but some days its GOOD and as uncool as it feels to admit it, you give a little fist pump and as politely as Welsh Gentry you say “Fuck YEAH!“. More than likely, you celebrate all these events with your team or peers that aren’t political cocks. You share the news with the team, dish high fives and thank everyone because the great outcome was a result of you genuinely working as a team. And no, I’m not talking about some cheesy byline like the kind that now flood your LinkedIn feed and make you roll your eyes. No, I’m talking about the real deal when you genuinely enjoy working with an individual or a group. Yup, best days at work:

Its usually because of the people…

Exhibit D) The Great Ride: Yeah… You know it. Legs felt great, weather was awesome, trail/road was banging and you rode like a person that had missed their calling as a PRO. What made it so great? All of these factors perhaps… But, how do you know it was great? Well, probably because at the end of each run or climb there was a fist pump, or perhaps a nod if you’re on the road, an acknowledgement of the fact that this ride was going off like a ferret in a sock. Post ride cringing and shit talking reinforced how awesome it was and then for days afterwards the WhatsApp chatting reflected back to the awesomeness of THAT ride. Yeah, unless you’re into ITT or are a gun collecting loner on a hardtail, that ride was made awesome because of the crew you were with… THEY were the magic ingredient in making it a ride to remember. Perhaps you carved the trail in perfect formation or pace lined the fuck out of that section of road that needed to be smashed, everyone working in unison and that great feeling when you’re rolling with a crew that you know is golden. Yup, best days on the bike:

Its usually because of the people…

If I had a point in all of this, it would be to enjoy the people you ride with, appreciate what they bring to the table, be grateful and make sure you repay the favour. Thank you to all those out there that are golden units to roll with.

That and don’t roll with cunts, they don’t deserve your time…

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