I just finished updating myself on Mike Curiak's adventure in Alaska. (Read it here) It's a great read, and I highly recommend it for anybody thinking about adventures and cycling. While it may seem that there are no comparisons to be drawn to our own meager attempts at adventure and life when reading about Mike's "off the charts" challenges, I think that there is.
Mike Curiak, for all the words written about him, all the myths surrounding him, and for all the misconceptions about him, is just a guy that really likes to push himself and see if "it" can be done. (You put your own challenge in place of "it" and you are much the same.) The difference in scale and complexity, well.....yeah. But really, we all are challenged and like Mike, I think we can all relate to this quote of his from his blog:
"How will I respond to this looming challenge?
Frankly, I wish I knew."
And there is only one way to find out..................you go try!
So we do our things that push us, challenge us. In the end, it may all seem like a crazy undertaking to those outside the sphere of challenges that to them seem unnecessary, dangerous, or perhaps suicidal. They "don't get it", and really, I'm not sure I or anyone else could 'splain it in a way that would make much sense. I do get a sense from reading Mike's blog entries that there is a something, a similarity to others I have met at Trans Iowa, and in the cycling industry. Something either odd or intriguing.......or both at the same time. I'm not sure what it is, but I find it inspiring, and I enjoy being around it. I imagine myself being in Mike's place, however futile that thought may be, and think about the "looming challenge". I suppose I do some of the "crazy" things I do because of this.
At any rate, I look forward to the next big ride, or getting over that next big hill to go flying down the other side, and I know a lot of you folks out there "get that" too.
Ride On!
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