My 350 km Birthday Ride : Age is Just a Number, and Cycling is a Choice

 

March 14th, 2022. Late at night, alone in Bekasi. The clock pointed to 11:45 pm. It was high time I got some sleep. But I still couldn't close my eyes for even a minute. I had no idea why. 

Since my wife had left home to stay in Bandung and help our daughter give birth, I had been living alone. And being lonely is another story. 

What came to my mind was, "Tomorrow I have to do something! Something different, not just a usual day! It must be something special that will last forever in my memories, that I can proudly tell my grandsons someday." I thought about it more than twice: Could I cycle about 200 km to Bandung alone? But why? And for what? To prove myself? No, of course not.

That’s what came and fought in my mind. Early the next morning, I took my old 'Trek' and started slowly, heading outside.

Yes, I had decided to take a long ride. An adventure tour. Unsupported. Just me, alone!  

It’s not only nice to hear, but it was also truly a challenging trip! Time was on my side; yes, it was. March 15th, the day I was born. I had reached sixty years old!  

But what had I done? What proud achievements have I had until now?

Even though I had done many things, in this personal historic moment, I needed a mark to remember. There was no reason not to do it.

Because I still had strong hands and legs, good health and mind, and a proportional body shape. That spirit kept me pedaling far away from home. I had to push myself beyond the boundaries. The road was relatively flat, sometimes hilly, and rolling. I saw so many things along the way.

At the pit stops, there were vendors selling everything: meals, food, drinks, or just a place to relax with coffee. Whenever the speedometer on my handlebar showed a certain number of kilometers, I pulled aside to take a break. I felt very tired when I had to pass through 'Hutan Pinus' with its steep and winding road.

It drained all my power and energy. I felt exhausted. Should I go back and enjoy precious time with a few good friends? The feeling of tiredness really made me want to return home. Every time my resolve wavered, I pictured myself and spurred myself onward. I had promised myself: no matter what challenges lay ahead, I would face them head-on. After climbing such a steep hill at Hutan Pinus, I got my reward.

                                packing

Yes, there’s always a gift when you succeed. It was the beautiful scenery.

I lay down on the grass under a big tree. I felt tired and needed to recover, and it had been worth it.

So, once I hit the flat road again, I took a break every 20–30 km. Then, after more than 5 breaks, I finally reached Bandung, my homeland.

My family looked surprised. They didn’t even believe I had arrived there... by bike!  

Even I couldn't believe myself. How could such a tiny vehicle carry me hundreds of kilometers from home? They knew this was a precious moment, so we had a simple celebration together.

We hugged and laughed. Now, I am going to be 65. The next morning, I returned to Bekasi via Purwakarta. If I had a chance to do it again, I would.

But I would prefer going to other destinations rather than the same place I’ve seen before. Bali, Lombok, Labuan Bajo... they’re all on my mind. Every touring experience has taught me one thing:

No big problem or great obstacle can beat you or define you, unless you make your mind as big as the obstacle.

If you think you can, then you will. I believe it. Now, at 65, I prefer to be one of the sprightly seniors rather than lying bedridden in a hospital bed. Age is just a number. And cycling is just a choice!

Gowess...Hobby Baruku

Setelah 'berjuang' susah payah mendaki jalan terjal
menanjak sepanjang 11 km, akhirnya kami mendarat
 di sebuah tonggak patok bertuliskan Km 0
di kawasan Sentul, Bogor, medio Mei 2015 

Suatu ketika, saya mendapat telepon dari seberang sana. '' Hey bro....lagi ngapai? Loe mau gak kalo gua kirim sepeda ke rumah?''

"Maksudnya?  Dikirim Sepeda??" jawab saya spontan.
setelah dia ulangi lagi tawarannya.
Saya pun kembali terkejut.
Whaaat...? Buat apa sepeda? Saya juga punya Polygon yang dulu kira-kira dibeli sebagai hadiah ulang tahun anak saya, tapi sekarang teronggok saja di gudang. Hampir tak pernah saya sentuh! begitu juga dengan anak saya, cuma pernah dipakai anak saya ketika sepeda itu baru datang. ya, dipakai sebentar, setelah itu tak pernah lagi saya liha dia bersepeda.

Begitulah saya bergumam dalam hati.

''Ini sepeda (dulu ketika masih baru) sengaja dipesan dari seberang laut, lebih dari 12,000 mil jaraknya dari rumahmu,''. Owww...terbayang betapa berharganya barang satu ini, kupikir. Maka, tanpa berpikir panjang, segera saya meluncur menemuinya. Dan benar saja, sebuah sepeda bernama GT Avalanche Seri 3, sudah nongkrong di sana, menunggu saya menjajalnya.

Lantas kenapa diberikan pada saya? Pertama, dia sudah membeli yang baru, dan tentu saja barang lama gak akan dipakai lagi malah hanya akan mempersempit gudangnya saja. Alasan kedua, dia ingin 'menularkan' hobby bersepedanya kepadaku. Dan di atas segalanya, ada hidden agenda yang tidak diucapkan, dia punya teman yang bisa diajaknya gobar (gowes bareng) serta tentu saja ingin menularkan gaya hidup sehatnya, karena saya tampak selalu loyo...hehehe.