As one who fishes a dream

I woke up feeling excited. I’m not entirely sure if it was because of a dream I had… since I don’t remember it; I only know that, once I managed to catch up on some online tasks, I wrote a message in the Rodando al Límite WhatsApp group about what cycling means to me, and then I thought this could be the starting point for my “super delayed” cycling chitchat post.

Let me give you some context.

Rodando al Límite is one of the cycle‑touring groups I joined for a ride to Las Terrazas. And it truly lived up to its name, because someone ended up having an accident! But that’s water under the bridge now. Better not dwell on those things. Falls teach us lessons, but we don’t need to recall them all the time. Instead, we should aim to go back, live a new experience, and make it so pleasant and memorable that the previous bad memory fades away.

What I want to highlight is that I’ve done several rides with some members of this group. The last one was with Raidel, Gabriel and his girlfriend: we went to La Guayaba dam.

What a lovely place. I’ll tell you more soon.

What I said in the group was that the bike has become my accomplice in discovering places I would never have gone to otherwise. It has also taken me completely on my own to places I could never have imagined visiting with nothing but my will and my courage for company. And the bicycle —it must be said because it matters— is filling me with good energy, the kind that keeps me strong and focused, and that pushes away or softens some of those inevitable sad thoughts.

When I look back and see how I’m progressing in different aspects, I feel happiness, and I also feel that I’m capable of achieving this in any area of my life. It’s not that I didn’t know it before; perhaps I had lost my way… or maybe life simply led me along paths where the knowledge I needed to move forward was waiting.

I’m not really worrying too much about where I’m heading now, although in my mind there’s a place and certain conditions where I’d like to be. I suppose that if I keep moving, if I continue doing what brings me joy and relief, the doors will open one by one in their divine timing. I’ve already been told in various ways to enjoy this moment and to take care of myself, to care for my temple —my body— so that I can arrive whole at that place where I’m sure the best awaits me, what is destined for me. It feels as though I’m fishing, but fishing for a dream, and step by step its different moments are becoming real.

And now, without further delay, here comes the summary of that ride and a few other little things I’d like to share related to my cycling activity last week.

The ride to La Guayaba Dam took place after we spent a while watching the Saturday morning race held there, where athletes from different categories compete.

Note to myself: if you want to use the new cycling shoes, you must remember that you’re clipped to the bike before braking… Look at the photo — see how the cyclists perform the movement that’s already ingrained in their subconscious. Ankle outwards… clack!

You know, you really can’t fall off the bike more than twice because of the clipless pedals — and certainly not out on the street, at a traffic light, or when stopping somewhere… besides being painful, it would be embarrassing. 😂

At La Guayaba Dam, he took the chance to wipe down his bike with a damp cloth, as it had got muddy along the way. He’s laughing in the photo because I told him it was one for the history books — proof of his love for his bike. Before that, I even saw him spraying it with water from his bottle, and I said: “But now you’ll be thirsty!” 🤣. That’s just how he is: he can’t stand seeing his bike dirty.

This fish seemed so small to me, yet for a kitten it might be a feast.

It’s a place where you can spend a wonderful day. Besides riding the route — which adds up to 54 km there and back from home — being there in direct contact with nature, with the chance to have a picnic and even to go fishing, makes it an ideal destination for cycle touring.

I took the chance to capture a sequence.

This is a cyclist who races at La Guayaba, and he was there with other fellow riders who had brought along a portable barbecue and were cooking pasta. Sitting in their camping chairs, they shared stories, smiles, and even did some fishing.

I’ve had a very active week in terms of rides, training, and getting around by bike in general. I also continued with my strength training at the CrossFit gym and I’m now up to 8 sessions. In six months, or perhaps longer, there should be visible changes in my body if I don’t give up. And I’m sure there will also be changes in my stats.

I’ve got it into my head to race on that La Guayaba circuit, though to be honest, the day I rode it I found it rather daunting. By the way, we also passed another dam called El Cacao and stopped to admire the beauty of the landscape. It’s another tempting destination and I’m sure we’ll visit it at some point. I can imagine that, given time, I could capture countless bird photos there.

Before I forget, there’s still the Cycling ChitChat topic 😁 — I was just about to wrap it up…

Cycling expenses… well, I’ve spent quite a lot over the past few months. Those shoes and cleats were a hefty blow, plus an extra pair of bib shorts, a cycle computer, the Shimano PD‑RS500 SPD‑SL Road Pedals, and the glasses you see me wearing now — since the ones I had seemed to suffer from the falls and one of the arms broke. Those white photochromic ones were the glasses I gave myself as a birthday present about two years ago, I think. I even wrote a post back then with a little riddle about what looked different in me. At that time I had the mountain bike — the “war tank”, as I used to call it — because it weighed an awful lot.

On top of all that, there were some maintenance costs, a repair after… 🤐 you know what, and then when the quick link of the chain broke I had to buy another one. I could have waited for a better deal, but I ended up doing the repair at the most expensive workshop on the planet hahaha…

As for colours, I prefer white and blue, though it’s true that in cycling it’s better to wear bright, striking colours. I was worried because I’ve got a red helmet and green shoes, but what the heck — better to look like a parrot and be clearly seen, so I can stay safe on the road. 😂

There are already new questions in the pinned post of the community, so I’ll take part in a few days… or perhaps in a few months, once I’ve gained more experience.

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