As I continued preparing for my dream adventure during the last few months, I felt something had changed.
I already achieved the physical and mental state you would expect from someone who wants to experience the world on a bicycle.
The trails around my area are getting boring, and I still have almost a year to go before leaving.
Don't get me wrong, I am super excited about my dream adventure, but it's just like it feels so far and so irrelevant at this very moment.
I am ready to leave, but time moves too slowly, and I am bored.
Finding an Inspiration
Being part of a few cycling communities, I had an opportunity to hear stories and to know a few great people who are challenging themselves to achieve their goals and dreams, just like I do.
One of them is Chanoch Redlich, who I have been following for a while, but what impressed me was his dedication to achieving his dream to compete and finish the Tour Divide.
The Tour Divide is an annual mountain biking ride traversing the length of the Rocky Mountains, from Canada to the Mexican border. Following the 4,418 km (2,745 miles) Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, it is an ultra-distance cycling ride that is an extreme test of endurance, self-reliance, and mental toughness.
During last year's race, I closely followed him on social media. I saw him overcoming challenge after challenge - climbing one mountain pass after another, pushing himself to his limits physically and mentally, and eventually, making it to the end within an impressive time of 16 days and 20 hours.
I imagined visiting the same places on my tour, seeing the mesmerizing landscapes, and overcoming the same challenges.
Getting Excited Again
After Chanoch finished the Tour Divide and landed in Israel, he invited his followers to an inspirational talk to share his experiences, and it was great to hear about it from his perspective.
He mentioned that many of us could get in good shape with enough training, but the mental challenge was the hard part.
Sometimes it is loneliness, anxiety, physical exhaustion, or all combined. Because when you are alone in such extreme situations, every feeling will become much more powerful. Sometimes, you are at the top of the world, and a few minutes later, you are at the bottom.
During the talk, my body was itching from excitement. Still, at this point, I didn't know exactly why.
Why Not Try It Myself?
After the talk, I spoke with Dudu (David Emanuel), who Hanoch told me would have many things to share with me as a bikepacker who cycled many countries and trails worldwide.
During our conversation, "So you did part of the HLC just like me. You know what is the next step?" Dudu said, "Keep preparing for the bigger trip?" I answered, "No, race the full HLC" he said without hesitation.
The Holyland Challenge (HLC) crosses Israel in a truly serpentine fashion, connecting over 1400km (850 miles) of singletrack and dirt tracks from the snowy peak of Mt. Hermon in the north to the sun-soaked Red Sea city of Eilat.
After leaving and driving home, I could barely sleep two nights later because of excitement while considering the idea.
"Why not?" I was thinking to myself.
My Experience with the Trail
As part of my training, I was bikepacking for ten days from Metula, the northernmost city in Israel, to Tel Aviv, near where I live.
The trail I was following is based on the HLC trail with some modifications to be shorter and more gravel friendly (it was not).
During many parts, I pushed my loaded bicycle for hours on steep rocky hills, moving a single step at a time, convincing myself that the peek was just after the next hill while it wasn't.
Downhills were also steep, with rough terrain so that I couldn't cycle many of them, and the single tracks were too technical for the loaded bike.
Yet I made it home, after I survived the most powerful thunderstorm of the season in a tent and pushed a broken loaded bicycle 55 kilometers (34 Miles) home.
I chose to do that because I wanted to see the mesmerizing landscapes, meet amazing people along the way and push my body and mind to the limit, and I loved that.
Here I Go Again
It differs from the tour worldwide, but I want to experience it. I may not be able to finish the race, but I want to try. It may be too hard, but I want to push my limits.
Time to keep training hard!
Thanks for reading this post and my other stories on Facebook.
Until next time, Andrey.
