I saw this video of Mike's yesterday. I stumbled across it as I took in some old Kona footage.
I experienced such a rush of sensory overload - it was bizarre and overwhelming. All of a sudden I was transported back to my riding years - the view of Mike's back in front of me - the familiar lean into the curves as he navigated the roads and bike paths on the way to Gatineau park. I felt the tinge of anxiety of the long road ahead of me. The familiar pang of stress and fear that I couldn't keep up or didn't want to keep up. I could smell the damp and musky scent of well-used cycling clothing. I could hear the grinding of my gears and feel the tension in my calves and hamstrings from the circular pedal motion. I felt the sticky salt on my face, the sound the wind made in my helmet. I could feel of the exertion in my throat and lungs; the metallic tang of pushing myself hard. I felt right there, as if all these years hadn't gone by.
I remember reading about our brains and how we store our memories in the moment - searing them into our brain matter like hot iron brands - and that the best way to retrieve information and memories is to recreate the situation that you want to remember. Recreate the location, the sounds, the visuals, the scents and how that experience guide you deeper into your memories.
It must have been the convergence of seeing Kona, watching her over the years, thinking about my past and suddenly being thrust on the back of a bike that triggered these feelings. I was on that road - winding my way deeper into my memories. It reminded me about how powerful and amazing our memories are - especially when they sneak up on you like this.
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