Thursday 23rd July 2009Day 5

ODO 468 - 553: 85km

But Sherwood forest is haunted my lord; Wild camping. Lovely peaceful towns of Derby and Nottingham. Great weather; Rain forecasts for tomorrow. Whipped, lashed, spiked and stung on narrow trails.

My motivation for writing in the evening is low. In fact my motivation for anything is low. Not because I am overly tired but because I have missed my siesta. Usually when I find a place to camp I have a bit of a snack and then just lay around for a while and enjoy the quiet ambience. Today I stopped much later than usual and yet felt like I made little progress. Although 85km passed now I have a real map to follow I realise how around the houses the cycle route goes. If I took some roads I'd certainly make much better progress. And now here lies today's dilemma: It's about the journey not the destination. So why do I continually refer to and feel like I want to make progress.

The cycle route is by far the more scenic route. However the cycle route often bypasses towns and at times make for more difficult cycling. Some of the trails today were real mountain bike tracks. On one occasion the path was so narrow and rocky and up hill it was difficult to traverse. My nightly dose of insect repellent has highlighted the cuts and scrapes from the long grasses, brambles and nettles. On another occasion I had to dismount and stand still whilst a flighty horse walked past me as every time I pedalled closer the horse backed up. Hills at the end of the day are an absolute killer. I can only imagine hills that last all day, or several days. Steep ones possibly into headwinds in scorching heat. Could I make it up them?

I spent a considerable time just sitting or lying today in both Derby and Nottingham. I chatted to the Derby cycling club who were out on a ride. They offered me a place to join them but I declined knowing I wouldn't keep up their pace. A bench that overlooked the river was my perch for elevenses and the grounds of Nottingham University became my picnic lunch table.

Whilst now on the road only five days the feeling of isolation from the world is immense. Perhaps neither good nor bad it is certainly present. In the last twelve hours I have barely talked to a handful of people and I have seen no one for the last three. The trip thus far has really opened my eyes to how easy our lives are. Electricity, T.V., the Internet, cars, shops, family and friends. They all make our lives run smoothly with the only complications as a result of ourselves. We fill our lives with work, sport and social engagements and it's easy and nice. Like a film. The television, work, the Internet, other people they all appear to be escapes from your own reality. A reality that only exists in your head. When faced with nothing but the world and your thoughts you are tested. How well can you deal with your own reality without the distractions?