Small Differences

I urge anybody and everybody to take the time to go a foreign country. While there, leave the hotel and take the time to go into town and get lost an the local market. Regardless of what continent or country you are in, it will always be interesting and enrich your life in some small way. I always try to ride some sort of bike because you can see so much more of the city or country side. I had the oppertunity to ride my Trek in Belgium for a few days before heading to France for some more miles.

Being on my bike which I'm intimately familier with, I focused on everything else and not the bike. I noticed the small differences. Roads in Belgium are so smooth. The drivers are so considerate. They wait behind you until its safe to pass and when they do pass, they smile and wave. I can count the times this has happened to me in Wisconsin this spring and I can think of exactly 0 - but thats not my point. I watched a guy from Australia go the wrong way into a traffic circle (they drive on the wrong side of the road in Oz) and almost crash head on into a car. Which side of the road you drive on is a small difference but arguably can become a huge difference depending on the situation.

Watching professional cyclists ride up a cobbled climb is interesting. They do it with speed, power and grace and watching from the comfort of a living room or bar it looks easy. Basic though process is "Oh yea. I can ride that". Then you take that trip to Belgium and turn off the paved road onto the cobbles and start pedaling hard to get up the climb. The difference you are not seeing on TV is how steep the climb is and how impossibly bumpy the cobbles are. Riding your bike up a hill inside of a massive paint shaker would probably be easier. 20 seconds in there is the massive realization that there is a significant chance that you may not make it to the top without choking and putting a foot down. You just have to suck it up, keep grinding and listen to your tires squeeking on the cobbles. I made it; the pro's make it with grace, speed and strength and still have enough energy to crush the decent AND the next 60k of roads. My second time up was slightly better than the 1st but not much better. Another small difference; I rode it, the pros ride it for a living.

The world is a cool place. Be perceptive and notice stuff. Watch small things become big things - you'll be amazed what happens.

And yes. I took these pictures of Fabians bike and tomorrow will be cheering for him with beer-fueled energy.