The path to enlightenment

No, I'm not talking about attaining the state of ultimate, transcendental bliss - zen-like beatitude - which, were I to have attained it, would no doubt have rendered this trip... superfluous, surplus to requirements.. probably. No, I'm talking about superfluity of a different kind - an excess of things, weight that I need to 'en-lighten' myself of. After saying I  was 'nearly packed' in my last post, tonight, the eve of departure, has been the repack, trying to decide what to leave out.  I know from experience that when you're moving only by the power of your own legs, the less the weight the happier the movement is!

So the 'path to enlightenment' is this: you've started by packing all the things you think you might need, that will be 'useful', that will provide more convenience or comfort at only a 'small' weight penalty, that 'could come in handy if needed'.  Then you weigh the whole lot and find out all those 'few extra grams' here and there added up to more kg than you want to carry.  So you start cutting back.  Reduce everything to just the essentials.  Which is probably not much more than your credit or debit card, a puncture repair kit, and the clothes you intend to cycle in.  But you know that would be cutting back too far, more than you really need.  So you start adding things back, trying to assess things on a scale from 'pretty vital' to 'I could do the trip without this but...', and decide how far away from 'vital' the 'but' is.  Slowly almost everything goes back in, maybe with a few changes here and there.  Enlightenment comes when you realise that as a percentage of the overall weight you'll be pedalling up hill, those few extra grams won't make much difference. Probably. Not when you're not trying to set records or do a massive amount of daily miles anyway.

Speaking of enlightenment, my friend Nick practices the 'Wim Hof' method. Well, he has never actually claimed it will make him enlightened but he has become a bit of a philosopher and more interested in the esoteric since he started it.  He says it makes him healthier. Google it. Or I'll save you the time and tell you that it involves lots of ice baths.  Here he is, sitting in a wheely bin.. full of icy water.. outside, in the snow.. in January.  And you thought I was the mad one.  :-)