What's it like to be a Tobar sibling? The answer can never be adequately placed into a set of words. There are too many variables. Here's one good example in any case. This morning as we got ready for our ride, I was putting books away. One, that I had not begun reading called out to me. I knew my sister would like it too, so I called her over. We spent the next half hour reading to each other paradoxes from my physics book and posturing solutions.
I'm glad we did. We, or at least I, would need the distractions. Something to ponder, to think about, something to occupy my mind away from the hard, cold rain that was to drown out my enthusiasm.
Not that my enthusiasm could ever die, mind you. Only that on rainy days like today, my spirits are certainly depleted.
It's hard to ride up hill with five panniers in the cold, it's difficult to do in the rain with traffic, and always damn near uncomfortable. You want to cycle fast to warm up and reach your destination in less time. However, the faster you go, the more rain drops you collide into and the weter you'll become.
By the time we reached a hotel that could have us, my layers of clothes were soaked through, I had lost all feeling in my toes, and I my chain was beginning to act up. Hard to cycle through and not good for moral.
Your best bet is to daydream of warmer places, like that book The Giver. Just think of the ways you'll warm up later on that night as you follow the rear wheel of the person in front of you hypnotically.
Wierd things go through your mind when you try to concentrate on not being wet and cold. How many cans of beer would I need to drink before I could build an aluminum life boat? Who exactly demoted Pluto from planetary status? When conjoined twins file taxes, do they file separate or joint?
It's easy to loose your mind in thought behind the leader. Especialy when it gets dark, especially when it's rainy. You have to trust the line of the person in front of you. That is, you have to trust that the one cycling in front of you is making the best possible minute to minute route along the concrete and pavement, ideally missing all puddles, cracks, and curve sides. And you in turn repay that trust when it's your turn to head the wind.
It's been a long day but I'm happy that you are still here with me. Sorry not many pictures today. I promise to make up for it when we cycle the shimanami kaidō; a route through eight Japanese islands connected by some of the longest suspension bridges in the World. Cool huh? Told ya.
Love,
-A
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