Connecting With Nature Through Cycling
Author
A keen runner, skier and nuts about cycling. Karl lives in Cumbria, where he loves encouraging his two children to follow in his outdoor lifestyle. Whilst out and about keeping active, Karl keeps a diary and shares it with Outdoor Look.
During my first big existential crisis, I wondered what led to the creation of “things.” It was so intense that for days afterwards, my mind felt like one big empty space for days. I was on this farm in Central America, where they grew coffee beans by hand. Every step of the process is done with love and care- from tending the bushes to picking delicious berries that will eventually become some yummy roasted delicacies!
It's so impressive how these people do everything themselves - picking those fruits right off their vineyards, then washing them before drying again anytime someone comes around wanting fresh ground espresso blends or black teas; making sure every package gets sealed up tight until you need your next morning fix (or afternoon pick me up).
Later that night, thoughts of coffee I had drunk in the past without knowing their origin crossed my mind. Most certainly not from small family farms, as they say in commercials- where do these beans come from?
There are so many things that can't be explained, but it's important not to worry about them. Just keep on going, and you'll come across something or someone who will make everything seem less confusing! Back then, I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of my relationship-oriented lifestyle. Everything that entered into my life and everything it touched left behind some sort or other trace - whether good or bad didn't matter because we're all connected in one way or another!
I had been feeling a bit lost lately, so when this existential crisis hit, it felt like I needed a long bike ride to clear my head and come up with a solution for the problem at hand. As I pedalled away from the city behind my house, Scott and Simon rode bikes alongside me. We had chosen to take an adventurous journey through Costa Rica's lush jungle-clad mountains on our way towards visiting small farms along this country’s beautiful coastline - all in hopes that by experiencing life at ground level, we might better understand how people here rely not just upon each other but also their land for sustenance.
The journey was both exciting and arduous, but we found beauty in every turn of the trail. We saw pristine beaches overlooked by coconut palms, endless stretches where only sky could be seen for miles upon end as it met vast reaches below us on rolling hillsides or jagged mountainside cliffs perfect with their wildness - all this before even reaching our destination!
Biking across the country was never easy, but it didn't make any of life’s complexities simpler. We ate food with our trash every day- plastic from a full bag of cheese and metal canister beans. As I glanced down at my handlebars, where they were spinning fast on an uncharted origin for bikes themselves: Metal frame wrapped around rubber tubes which gave way to plastic shifters, all compounding relevance together in one object that became more than just its parts when you consider what these things represent or mean.
The long, dusty miles of pedalling did not answer all my questions, but it helped me come to terms with the reality that I am a part of. Deep breaths and slow-motion cycling enabled me to shift from one disaster compound into another, where each decision has its own set consequences, which create new realities for yourself as well!
Bikes are an efficient and fun way of travelling that also have the ability to reduce carbon emissions. They allow us access to different parts of our communities as well! I love how bikes bring people together in various ways - from exploring new places on foot to sharing laughs with friends while riding side by side through scenic areas.
The world is changing at an amazing pace. New solutions are always emerging, and with them come new stories to tell! I am optimistic about this because it means everyone can find something they enjoy, even if they don't know what it is yet.
Author
A keen runner, skier and nuts about cycling. Karl lives in Cumbria, where he loves encouraging his two children to follow in his outdoor lifestyle. Whilst out and about keeping active, Karl keeps a diary and shares it with Outdoor Look.
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