Oh, Father Pedal, please forgive me for I have sinned, I am not worthy of the pulpit or spandex for that matter. It has been 7 days since my last ride in the brooks saddle on this bicycle tour. I am here today to confess of my sin of having taken almost a week off from bicycle touring. The guilt provoked by my sin has consumed my lazy soul. The guilt wallows in my soul for I have spend one day site seeing and the other six lingering around consuming Beer Klang, chilling out with new friends and aimlessly lounging around the overly touristy lake area of Phenom Pehn, Cambodia.
While my sinful liver and pedaling legs chilled out in Phenom Phen, I met some fellow sinners or bicycle tourists who have come from Britain overland by bicycle.
Their sin deeply masked by a tale of unwarranted guilt for having taken the train with bicycle through the center of China due to a short visa. They explained that they had “cheated” on their bicycle tour from Britain through Asia into OZ and New Zealand, unfaithful, adulterous bicycle tourists, rat bastards of the worst pedaling kind, I jokingly assured them.
Another sinner or bicycle tourist I met admitted to having to make up excuses in order to take one day off from his bicycle tour through Africa. For instance excuses such as, unnecessary bicycle check-ups and double checking maps on the internet became prerequisites to getting off the bicycle for even one day. Simply being lazy or not riding for one day just because was not an option for his and many sin cloaked addicted bicycle tourist souls.
Other Issues For Father Pedal To Sort Out Include, Finding Hats on the Road and Wearing Them
Oh Father Pedal, why does bicycle touring involve such addiction, withdraw and guilt? Is it the endorphin high and withdrawal from 4-7 hours of daily exercise? Or perhaps our egos are unaware that there is other less attention getting acts in life. Or maybe, it is the inner child trying to relive our favorite child hood moments of riding a bicycle. Father Pedal please give me the strength to repress my passion for finding great treasures out on the roads of the world. Oh Father Pedal, please forgive me for I have joined the other sinners. Please help me twelve step my way back into the saddle, continue this journey and seek solace amongst other sinners or bicycle tourists along the way. And Father Pedal please forgive me because God Bless The Sinners has become my favorite expression for all acts of joyful blasphemy.
(written shortly before throwing myself and magic bicycle out of Phenom Pehn for a 124km (77 miles)hot and sunny soul redeeming ride north towards the Loa border)