Motivation: why ride?

[pickupel]

Hey Guys and Gals,

It may seem a really obvious question to ask, but it's one that I'm really interested. Why do you race / ride long distances? What motivates you to get out there? I ride thousands of miles a year and got my first taste of ultra racing in the Transcontinental this summer — one of the questions I'm asked the most is "why are you out here" often followed by "you're crazy."

Your reasons might be personal, or you might not have thought about it before, but if you have a second write a few words and let me know why you get out there. I think it'll be interesting to see the range of reasons people have / the different things people hope to get out of their riding.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

[Area54]

Love bikes. Literally they are my life. Long as I can remember, a bike was taking me on an adventure, either solo, with mates or family.
Love the outdoors, solitude and going to wild places, using a bike to get there.
Love gear, gear junkie, DIY stuff.
Love life, and using my body to full potential while it is still functioning.
I'm not a gifted or talented athlete, but like to challenge myself in ways that combine all the above.

[Briansong]

Great Topic,

Me, personally, I find solace. The pressure from a tough week fades through every pedal stroke. The pain of big days and even bigger climbs are strictly physical. There is no pressure, except the pressure I apply to myself. The destination (to me) is really of little importance . It is all about the journey.

I stopped the "normal" routine races because I felt the vibe changed with the advent of social media. The races became too "Facebook" to me.

Adventure cycling has become my safe place.

Steve

 

[Mini Bear]

Mostly because deep down I'm a masochistic Scrooge-y loner asshole who prefers to be alone in the middle of the woods. On a bike.

[james-o]

Escapism. It's not really about the distance, just about doing whatever 'enough' feels like at the time, or a bit more than enough. Maybe a bit of testing yourself, ego or proving something for a dumb reason. That and being an anti-social avoider of team sports or large groups of people )

[Done]

Riding my bike through beautiful places, while experiencing soul-searching moments of discovery, is pretty damn rewarding.

[pickupel]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I think it's interesting to see what motivates people to do what we do, particularly when so many people in today's instant-gratification obsessed world can't fathom why anyone would be out on a bike in the middle of nowhere. I wrote down my thoughts here: http://bit.ly/19meVFE

[Cosmo K]

I've described long distance riding to friends as Moving Meditation.  Some understand and others stare blankly back at me.