Who on this here forum has an idea...an Idea that's really rather silly because it's something that you haven't done before? What if that idea doesn't go away no matter how much you scare yourself with what you want to do? I worry about failing at some ideas I have, but is failing such a bad thing?

There's events I feel like I've already done, because I think about them so much, despite not even entering them... How many people on here have done something they've been petrified of and are happy they've done it (or have you wished you didn't even bother getting out of bed that day?) , and the same question reversed, how many people haven't done it and wished they had?

I’m a big fan of silly ideas. Some of my fondest memories on a bike have been silly ideas. So silly that the only outcome you can predict is failure. You take the small victories and the unexpected in your stride. I definitely think you have to be in just the right mood for silly ideas to be successful. You have to be able to laugh at your daftness, a sense of defiance of reason, and an ownership of your actions. Due to this I don’t find silly planning or silly daydreaming ever amounts to anything getting done.

Thinking back over silly things I have done, I have selective memory. I remember those glorious sunrises and self affirming monologues, and forget the grim reality of lack of sleep from shivering while having to admit Mum was right.

To put this abstract into a solid example I tried to ride home from York in February with only a vague idea of the national cycle route network, a synthetic sleeping bag, and a mattress protector tarp. I got into bikepacking when I had no money at all, so made do, almost. I had to get my sleep in before it got too cold, 6-10pm, then peddled as hard as I could through the frosty night by petrol station headtorch beam(hadn’t considered it would get dark) and hopefully have enough body heat at the top of a hill to get some more kip.
Opened up from my cocooned sleeping bag to a glowing orange sunrise reflected off the frost licked hills of the Peak District in a quite breathtaking way. It was so fragile, and so powerful It was all mine. Nobody else was daft enough to be out at that ridiculous time in those ridiculous conditions.

Sorry I got a bit carried away in my story but yes. Do it. Ride your bike.

Yes... get ready an enroll for the bb200 as soon as entry doors open

How many people on here have done something they've been petrified of and are happy they've done it

Oh yes. Do it ... you never know where it'll take you. Commit to it too, you get out what you put in (sorry, cheesy platitudes alarm ringing there). One of the great things about cycle touring and racing long-distance is that we can all just step up to race pretty much world level events, or alongside world class riders. Or we can go almost anywhere our ideas take us, visas and war zones permitting.

I still have times when memories of one particular ride just drift in and out, as if I'm still trying to process it in a positive way. It was life-changing in some respects since something like that can give you a new take on what you're made of or how you're motivated etc. Taking on something you really have no idea of whether you can finish is a great experience as you have nothing to lose and all to gain. Fear is a healthy motivator too

.... JFDI

Sorry I got a bit carried away in my story but yes.

.. no, the value of the ride to you is clear, great stuff

Plenty

Cycle round the world being the latest.

I don't think it even need be an entire trip or event that's silly, simply adding a potentially silly idea, detour or whatever to a more 'normal' ride can alter the entire thing. You may look back and remember that you were cold / wet / hungry / tired but there's no pain attached, they're just thoughts, yet the positives will often be quite tangible even years down the road.

As James says, fear can be a great motivator as can anger if it's directed properly.

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 9:42 pm Who on this here forum has an idea...an Idea that's really rather silly because it's something that you haven't done before?

Nothing silly about that. That's how I live. At work and private.

What's not natural about curiosity?

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 9:42 pm something they've been petrified of and are happy they've done it

Or, how to not get bored?
Some need this to even just feel alive, feel like they can function.

I'm absolutely full of more stupid than silly ideas and about once a year give way to a major one.
For me the issues are; to try and stay safe and the more complex; motivation.

If you're clear about how much you want it, feel easy about working towards it for months (depending on how far out you are expecting to push yourself), your heart should be in the right spot to pull it off.
Nature will do the rest.

Always full of them, whether bike related or otherwise.

Most recent one was building a soapbox racer for the Bluebell wood children's hospice event last weekend. Planned on building it with my 6th form engineering students over the course of the spring. Staff and student absence meant we had no time, but a week before the event we decided to give it a go...
Proud to say that between 3 staff and 3 students, working in lunch breaks and free lessons, we built it in 5 days, raced it (and didn't die or come last) and are now planning on doing it properly next time!

Outdoors related, the current one I can't get out of my head is to have a go at the Bob Graham round solo or as a pair & unsupported....

Previous ideas were running a 50 mile race, riding the trans-pennine trail in one go and riding to meet my family in Bridlington (from Sheffield) in time for breakfast

benconnolli wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 11:43 pm You take the small victories and the unexpected in your stride. I definitely think you have to be in just the right mood for silly ideas to be successful. You have to be able to laugh at your daftness, a sense of defiance of reason, and an ownership of your actions.

I can already relate to this when I got to my planned out bivvy spot once, and there was knee deep snow at 10pm in the dark...I then found flat ground with great views 800 ft lower down and couldn't be happier. Great memory!

jameso wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 6:53 am

How many people on here have done something they've been petrified of and are happy they've done it

Taking on something you really have no idea of whether you can finish is a great experience as you have nothing to lose and all to gain.

.... JFDI

I am ok with long distance mountain or road....I once set off on a 200 mile bike ride in a day, and done it...6.7 miles more actually...

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 12:11 am Yes... get ready an enroll for the bb200 as soon as entry doors open

the distance doesn't bother me...I'm stubborn and will ride always at my own pace, whatever that is....I guess its the deep river crossings and bogs that I have minimal experience with...riding on not much sleep, I can do.

Asposium wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 7:31 am Plenty

Cycle round the world being the latest.

wow, That makes what I've been thinking about a drop in the ocean....

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 8:25 am You may look back and remember that you were cold / wet / hungry / tired but there's no pain attached, they're just thoughts, yet the positives will often be quite tangible even years down the road.

As James says, fear can be a great motivator as can anger if it's directed properly.

I am a stubborn person when it comes to cycling, this bikepacking stuff has taken my cycling out of my comfort zone. I've been used to riding 100 miles day after day with big climbs and enjoyed it, even if my knee did blow up on the Bealach Na Ba which still gives me issues today. Being off grid is what I'm concerned about, but not as much as i crave it.

Alpinum wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 4:23 pm

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 9:42 pm

.

If you're clear about how much you want it, feel easy about working towards it for months (depending on how far out you are expecting to push yourself), your heart should be in the right spot to pull it off.
Nature will do the rest.

I like that statement...

PaulE wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 6:29 pm Always full of them, whether bike related or otherwise.

Outdoors related, the current one I can't get out of my head is to have a go at the Bob Graham round solo or as a pair & unsupported....

Previous ideas were running a 50 mile race, riding the trans-pennine trail in one go and riding to meet my family in Bridlington (from Sheffield) in time for breakfast

Looks like I'm not the only one with all of these replies whilst I've been at my mums! That itself could have been a silly idea!

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it.

Looks like I'm not the only one with all of these replies whilst I've been at my mums! That itself could have been a silly idea!

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it.

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 11:07 pm Being off grid is what I'm concerned about, but not as much as i crave it.

There are many element in 'being off grid'. Pick it apart, make yourself familiar with the very details. True off grid - multiple days or even weeks without seeing any body or a hut - is a wonderful place. The most magic of places.

And lets face it, there is no true off grid anymore... we can communicate from the remotest places thanks to little gadgets with loved ones or in case of emergency.
Yet, calling or texting home when you feel homesick after a few weeks alone and still have to go for a few more can be hard. I must have shed tears a few times in such situations.

"have to go for a few more"
Depending on your plan, there may be situations where you can't bail. Which is a nice experience of true commitment. That's the meaning behind it.

I'm happy to be old enough to remember a time when there was no 'grid'. I actually have a degree of sympathy, maybe even pity for those who've only ever known modern communication.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2019 9:07 am I'm happy to be old enough to remember a time when there was no 'grid'. I actually have a degree of sympathy, maybe even pity for those who've only ever known modern communication.

As do I. I spent a glorious 18 years without mobiles or the internet. It was grand. Saying that, I've found this world because of the internets...

Right with you there Stu. Spot this, tracker that. As JKJ said, it's all lumber throw it overboard. The less 'remote communications' you have, the more room you'll have in your head for communicating with what's in front of your nose. Let go, and silly things will happen. Although many equate 'silly' with 'mental/physical challenge I'm not sure I can overcome' - fair enough - my definition is 'have no big aims then silly/absurd/unusual things will happen'. I feel mildly guilty even having my phone simply to take a few snaps to bung on here for the sake of friendly interaction.

Kerist I'm in a bad and combative mood today, sorry to drag things down. Article in paper today about the mayhem surrounding NC500. Two 'positives' are people are free to visit and see whatever they like, and businesses get a bit more trade. Negatives abound, and include (literally) crap left all over the place, and businesses get less trade since many tourists bring everything with them and locals just keep away. Plenty will simply tick the Named Route to the exclusion of properly enjoying what's [not] there. When people start talking of being lucky enough to shop at Durness T*sco and 'grab a C0sta to go' on the way out you'll finally notice the whole thing is fooked beyond redemption.

Another, to me, depressing story and photos was of the queues for the summit of Everest. Something is going badly wrong with the concept of 'challenge' or 'silliness' somewhere.

Sorry, end of rather rambling incoherent rant, enjoy the bank hols.

Another, to me, depressing story and photos was of the queues for the summit of Everest. Something is going badly wrong with the concept of 'challenge' somewhere.

I saw that yesterday Reg - I can only think the modern 'bucket list' mentality has gone wild. I always wonder how many people would do things if they were unable to tell anyone about them afterwards? Seems people are less bothered about the actual experience and more interested in the experience of telling people.

I also saw today that there's proposals to make wildcamping 'legal' in England / Wales ... the drawback will be that you can only do it in designated areas and it'll cost you £20. Whoever had that crap idea I don't know but they clearly don't understand the basic principles of wildcamping

'wildcamping in designated areas'! Barmy. One reason that on balance I feel ambivalent at best about 'legalising' it in England/Wales. As said before on Here, we'll just quietly carry on hiding away without fanfare thank you. And yes I realise that my rant about remote communications, and also with reference to your point about 'doing stuff to tell other people about', is terribly hypocritical what with my BaM reports etc etc, but my feeble defence is that This Place is simply the Bearbones Pub and it's fun to share amongst similar souls.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2019 11:24 am

Another, to me, depressing story and photos was of the queues for the summit of Everest. Something is going badly wrong with the concept of 'challenge' somewhere.

I saw that yesterday Reg - I can only think the modern 'bucket list' mentality has gone wild. I always wonder how many people would do things if they were unable to tell anyone about them afterwards? Seems people are less bothered about the actual experience and more interested in the experience of telling people.

I also saw today that there's proposals to make wildcamping 'legal' in England / Wales ... the drawback will be that you can only do it in designated areas and it'll cost you £20. Whoever had that crap idea I don't know but they clearly don't understand the basic principles of wildcamping

Just saw the same stu , "we've got perfect sheltered spots wild enough but close enough to civilization " what makes me a little peeved is it's probably the people paying their £20 what will end up leaving sh1te everywhere and causing more problems for everyone who does tramp about respectively,think that fella with his short rde book has quite a bit to answer for
Edit - nice bit of swear filtering there "bit of a trip"

And yes I realise that my rant about remote communications, and also with reference to your point about 'doing stuff to tell other people about', is terribly hypocritical what with my BaM reports etc etc, but my feeble defence is that This Place is simply the Bearbones Pub and it's fun to share amongst similar souls.

I consider that it's different sharing amongst likeminded and one would think, interested folk and just telling every f*cker who really couldn't give a toss ... look at me, look at me aren't I great. No, you just fit the demographic of an insecure tw@t.

... and I promised myself today that I'd behave, hey ho.

"I'd behave" - and that is when This Place would cease to exist and a little/lot of me would die inside. However, apologies for setting you off on one

Handing things back to poor old mildly-thread-hijacked 'Goat - apologies - 'silly'? Just do it . But leave space for understated micro-silliness (and if that doesn't get swear-filtered out there's summat wrong).

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2019 9:07 am I'm happy to be old enough to remember a time when there was no 'grid'. I actually have a degree of sympathy, maybe even pity for those who've only ever known modern communication.

Being very much in this demographic it took a completely unplanned ride through the night with a dead phone and in totally inappropriate clothing to realise an important thing about this 'grid'. We are in control of it, not the other way around. Don't tell anyone, didn't happen. Don't look at it, it doesn't exist. This realisation may be obvious to those who enjoyed pre grid but it was so liberating for me.

I still sometimes post reports of trips I go on here, or even on facebook, but that is my decision after the event, rather than motivation for it. Interestingly, I have had lots of unsuspecting people say how much they appreciate my bike trips. I try to share things online for the same way you would share things face to face, in a way that is beneficial to everyone involved.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2019 9:07 am I'm happy to be old enough to remember a time when there was no 'grid'. I actually have a degree of sympathy, maybe even pity for those who've only ever known modern communication.

Same, payphones were the grid.. Leaving the phone at home is always an option now, quite like doing that. If it's proper out-there some sort of emergency comms is a good thing though.

I was thinking a bit about this thread when I was riding today (the original premise, not the subsequent "off-grid" ramble). It all sounds very grand and purposeful, but fails to take into account the fact that many of us suffer from terrible anxiety when undertaking trips and activities. Of course, we like to pretend that we enjoy the planning as much as the doing but, in reality, this is just us trying to remove any possible chance of things going awry. That anxiety prevents me from flying with my bike (so restricts my riding venues), handling foreign languages (as before), it even prevents me from entering events and undertaking certain rides, just in case I "fail". You can write/say all the encouragement you want but for some of us it's hard-wired and (next to) impossible to overcome. In effect, all my trips become a slightly-more adventurous version of what has just gone before, pushing myself just a tiny bit further each time and never taking a big leap. I doesn't matter that my mind is full of trips I want to do. In previous years, I'd use work as an excuse not to do many of them. This year, I can't even fall back on that.

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2019 9:20 pm I was thinking a bit about this thread when I was riding today (the original premise, not the subsequent "off-grid" ramble). It all sounds very grand and purposeful, but fails to take into account the fact that many of us suffer from terrible anxiety when undertaking trips and activities. Of course, we like to pretend that we enjoy the planning as much as the doing but, in reality, this is just us trying to remove any possible chance of things going awry. That anxiety prevents me from flying with my bike (so restricts my riding venues), handling foreign languages (as before), it even prevents me from entering events and undertaking certain rides, just in case I "fail". You can write/say all the encouragement you want but for some of us it's hard-wired and (next to) impossible to overcome. In effect, all my trips become a slightly-more adventurous version of what has just gone before, pushing myself just a tiny bit further each time and never taking a big leap. I doesn't matter that my mind is full of trips I want to do. In previous years, I'd use work as an excuse not to do many of them. This year, I can't even fall back on that.

One of the most insightful posts I’ve ever read.

And one salutes your courage for sharing it Colin.