Hannah goes head over heels… in a good way.
- Words: Hannah
- Doodles: Amanda
Was it an instant thunderclap of ‘this is it’, or a slow burn realisation that you were happy and you couldn’t imagine life without it? Did love hit you, or creep up on you?
The feeling of giggling like a teenager, sneaking about in the woods. That slight edge of naughtiness and ‘what if we’re caught’ feeling. The pumping of blood and brain chemistry as you try something for the first time. Try this, then that, then the next thing. One thing leads to another.
Mountain biking is a lot easier to navigate than love. Eying up a new model is much less socially unacceptable, and fraught with far fewer difficulties. It’s a more one-sided affair, although showing your bike some TLC will definitely reap rewards. Total neglect will surely lead to you getting your just desserts – something will snap. Probably the chain. Probably on a cold hill far from home. Maybe nothing catastrophic happens and you just grow out of each other. Or maybe you need another bike for some occasions, but keep the original for others. This is definitely frowned upon in the world of love.
In both mountain biking and love, effort is probably required, certainly rewarded. Keep pootling along and you can certainly have fun, but when you try a bit harder the experience gets better. New skills, new lines, new routes. It keeps things alive. The tough winter ride makes you appreciate that summer’s evening view all the more. Days of injury or illness make you appreciate the tough winter ride. Take a moment to recall the good feelings, put them foremost in your mind and remember how lucky you are.
When it’s going wrong, both are hard. You may be left sizing up a once loved frame, wondering if what’s there is strong enough to warrant repair or if it’s time to walk away. Uphill struggles, trails with never-ending obstacles. Sometimes you might lose sight of the joy that brought you together. Maybe you need to choose a new route, leave the rut you’re in, and be reminded of how great things can be. It’s not all bog slogs and cold fingers.
But when it’s good… you feel young and alive. Nothing can hold you back. Carefree, you roll along. The sun is warmer, the snow sparklier, the trees leafier. Every lump and bump is an opportunity for joy. Just play, or purposefully ride from A to B. It doesn’t matter – everything feels good. When everything clicks into place, there are few better feelings. Rejuvenated, reinvigorated, you’re ready for whatever life has to throw at you.
Love gives you wings, and so does mountain biking.
