Zen and the Art of Randonneuring - Part 2

This is Gav - Man Motorcycle - Rouler Deluxe.

 

Perched inside a ( rather incongruous ) mountainside Budist shrine on the lower slopes of Mt Wellington ( Tasmania ! ? ) there is a sereness in his face that I feel compelled to share. 

I took this image with my 'phone as we began the first leg of our planned 200Km PBP Super Randonneur ( so very French ) qualifier in December last year.   It was the inspiration and starting point for the last post, but somehow I got a little side-tracked from the original thought and managed to go somewhere else entirely - something I am hoping to do regularly by undertaking to work up content for this site.   It is the rough and ready back roads of my mind that I am looking to enjoy exploring, as much as the riding, that motivates me.


What I am most proud of in the image above is that I have fluked the capture of Gav's inner soul.  Posing for me with ease of mind on his mind, my camera has managed to catch the faintest curve of humour at the corners of his mouth and eyes.  This is the true Man.  A joke, a laugh, enjoyment of life is never far away.  Gav is a pretty emotional sort of being - entirely a glass is half full sort of person, and always great company.

What you don't see in the imagery is just how strong he naturally is.  He is rolling a 46x18 single speed in the ( Brooks  Professional ) saddle on a 7Km, 6% grade.  I don't think he's exactly smiling at this point nearing the summit, but I know he relished rounding up carbon frames by the dozen on a bike made some time in the 1930's.  This is actually a pretty rare shot - Steve was alongside our friendly Rouler ...


I, on the other hand, seem always to be tucked into Gav's slipstream as he powers on over the nearest hill or into the wind ( the wind being his favourite and seemingly ever-present companion on the road ). 

This is the view permanently etched into memories of our rides, and I always seem to be asking him to ease up a bit just so that I can sit in.  Just a little bit of piano, piano.

We also always seem to naturally force Gav into starting off rolling turns.  He doesn't seem to mind.  His work ethic means he is happy to throw himself into the task at hand.  At the off, after lunch, or following a brief stop, I must admit that I really enjoy falling in behind Gav as he brings us up to speed and sets a pace for Craig and I to hold. 

We are going to have to do something about some extra text on the back of our jerseys.  With the length of ride beginning to ramp up, there is plenty of blank space for some fresh reading.

Thanks Gav.