Mountain Bike Rider — March 2018

Linking lazy trails with the West Somerset Line proved the perfect way to

escape the rat race and reconnect with the spirit of riding

Words: Julia Hobson Photos: Roo Fowler

FEATURE

40 mbr MARCH 2018

instein famously said:

“Life is like riding

a bicycle. You must

findyourbalance to keep moving

forward.” He was right, of course,

but following this advice

is not that easy when the

world spins at a million

miles an hour. Juggling life’s varied

demands can feel like an impossible

task and staying in control is like a

tightrope walk. Finding

time to slow down or

stop for a while, to escape

from the pressures of modern-day living, is

something we all aspire to, but rarely achieve,

despite its importance to our wellbeing.

For me, and possibly for you too, riding

a bike has long been a way of doing that.

Losing myself in the rhythm of the spinning

wheels, fi nding places and moments of calm.

But somehow, slowly, I’ve lost my balance.

My way to de-stress has become my work;

guiding people day in, day out, individual

rides have started to blur into one. Outside

of work there’s no rest, either. I’ve become

addicted to personal adventures on an epic

scale; the ones that challenge and push you to

your limits, physically and mentally. Because

my personality thrives on the excitement that

surrounds these challenges, I cram as many

into my life as possible. I am always aspiring

to do something bigger, harder, longer, faster

than the last adventure.

But the body has a way of letting you know

when you need to slow down, when it’s time

to redress that balance. For me that time is

now. My good friend Rachael Walker has