If you trust in your soul, keep your eyes on the goal, then the prize you wont fail, that’s your grail, that’s your grail…

So be strong, keep right on, to the end of your song, do not fail, find your grail, find your grail…

Life is really up to you, you must choose what to pursue, set your mind on what to find, and there’s nothing you can’t do…

So keep right to the end, you’ll find your goal my friend, you wont fail, find your grail, find your grail….

When your life, seems to drift, when we all need a lift, tell yourself you wont fail, find your grail, find your grail…

(Eric Idle)

As I was driving to work today, I was reflecting on the ride that I completed a week ago – knowing I still had a blog to do to finalise the trip.  The blog had not happened as I was feeling a bit bland, in a literary and creative sense.  I had experienced a series of convoluted thoughts that I was processing and waiting for inspiration to hit me!

It hit me in the car as I was listening to songs from Monty Python’s Spamelot.  Hugely hilarious –  I  love Spamelot, the satirical stage show that was adapted from the Monty Python film the Holy Grail.  It is an irreverent parody of the Arthurian legend.  I have been lucky enough to see the stage show twice in London’s West End, in 2007 and again in 2013.

The song ‘Find your grail was playing and as I listened to the words I drew parallels with my ride, and life in a more general sense.

Life is about finding your grail – in this particular case, my goal was to ride from Auckland to Cape Reinga and return, in one piece.  No falls off my bike!

I succeeded.  On this trip to New Zealand I rode 1188 km, and climbed 13,644 metres.  I did not fall off my bike – so no new wounds, and my bike remained intact.

Yes there were challenges – significant at that – most relating to less than favourable weather conditions, but I survived.

There were lessons learned – what I might do differently next time, more with regards to what to carry, what not to carry and how to carry it!

I am mentally tougher and stronger as a  result of this trip.  I can feel it in my bones – I know moving forward that I will benefit from this trip in so many ways on a personal level.  I know now I can do more than I realised that I was capable of – and I can do it on my own, with only me to rely upon.

I can withstand some of the crappy stuff in life better – those few people who choose not to treat me with honour, respect and due consideration .  It has also made me appreciate other things in life more, the majority of positive people who do treat me well and are genuine, kind, caring –  real people!

It has opened my eyes up, in a lateral sense, to further adventures.

I met some really great people on this trip – in fact, all bar one person, were wonderfully kind and friendly, with some going out of their way to help me.  Thankyou!

I had great support and encouragement from some friends, ensuring that I rode on ‘safer’ roads, concerned for me in other ways including hypothermia on the cyclonic rainy day, watching my beacon closely to know where I was – for all those who expressed concern and encouragement, thankyou.

So what is next?

In less than four weeks I head to Prague (Czech Republic) where I will stay with a zwifting family, Miroslav – he thinks I am going to be doing a race on cobblestones – we may be having a chat about that….as I do not want to injure myself or damage my bike, so early in the trip.

Then I head to Switzerland, probably basing myself around Bern – and I have a few rides that I intend to do including the Swiss Alp climb, Grosse Schiedegg (1962m), starting at an altitude to 700m, making is a 1262 metre climb, with views of Jungfrau and the north face of the Eiger.

Then to Zurich where I catch up with an Aussie riding companion Geoff, and we will ride  (carrying our own gear) to Veneto (Italy) via Germany and Austria – then hooking up with a Giro d’Italia tour, for the last 10 days of the Giro, ending up in Rome.

So my grail is to trust in me, be strong, keep setting goals and keep doing what it is that I love and challenges me…as along that journey I get to see awesome sites and meet genuine, beautiful people.