Hi, my adventuresome grandson. I wonder if you know how proud I am of you. Well, it's huge!
It seems impossible that doubts wouldn't turn up during those many grinding hours and of course doubt even happened to you. This trek is in many ways probably your most difficult. Maybe doubt now grows partly from boredom and that the end of your arduous journey is finally in sight. For me you already did it. But soon you will bask in a the well earned 'glory' part. Then, on with your life.
Always, your loving grampy. (That's 'loving' with a big L)!
You are truly amazing Ian. You've made it quite accessible to follow you and I appreciate that. Your two futures example is very for so many things in this world. I can't imagine the mental games you're playing out there. Just know we're all here rooting for you.
“remembering that I folded when no one was watching”
Ian ❤️ you have six hundred and twenty three thousand people watching you on Instagram alone, people that you inspire, amaze, entertain and enlighten.
The day I saw you smoking a tab while riding your bike in the rain I thought ’ok this guy is for real, count me in I’m here for this ride’ 😍 honestly I can’t tell you how much your reels lift my spirits. You shine out, like the brightest star in the quagmire of Insta. You kick-ass like no one else I’ve ever seen. Seriously WTF, your daily achievement is incredible!
Listen to Black Dog/White Horse by Big Special…it sums up how to deal with the black dog feeling when it creeps in, and then out on the road give Rock’N Me by Steve Miller Band a listen because it’s an old school banger and perfect for big skies bike riding.
The pain is held away by the grinding day to day effort. I hope you feel that you have created something amazing with your effort and life. It’s wonderful to watch you!!
I follow you. I read your posts. See your stories. And I think…but this is life. Modern day nomad. Explorer. Seeing landscapes. Meeting people. Experiencing different cultures, and food. But yet finding common ground and a smile. You are doing great work. ❤️
I'm at the halfway point of the St George Marathon, trying to qualify for Boston, and I'm going to have to run the second half faster than the first. The chatter in my head says Oh well, you can always try again next time. The other side of my brain says Wait, what? If you miss it, it will only be by a couple of minutes, and then you will really regret it. Once I decided to go for it... the chatter stopped and I qualified in 3:57:52.
When self-doubt whispers in your heart: ignore it and laugh maniacally. Your pertinacity will prevail and you will finish your endeavor. The truly difficult part will be enduring the hiatus between pursuits whilst the banality of daily life gnashes at your soul.
Doing the work vs taking the easy way out, even for the most fleeting relief at the highest cost.
It's like a dance with the devil isn't it.
The path you're on now, pushing through the hard days and sharing about it is fundamentally creating opportunities to choose well. And there's a ripple effect that your documentation about it is extending to everyone that's following. You're awesome.
I had a bike ride far less epic than yours, just tooling around Southeast Asia for a month.
One day I had to push my bike and gear (was a mountain bike, with front shocks - dumb) up a mountain in northern Laos for seven hours. Ran out of water, made it to the top, sunburned and dehydrated. I too asked myself, multiple times, what the hell I was doing there, what was I even gaining.. it was a somewhat impulsive trip designed to escape some pain. There was no other choice but to keep going, there was no glory, just exhaustion. But that's where fortitude builds.
I can imagine asking myself “what the hell am I doing?” Especially if you’re one of us, and many of the things you’ve done seemed impractical and irrational to the people who are not one of us.
Just EXISTING in this linear world with brains like ours is hard.
Please KNOW what you’re doing is so important. For a lot of reasons yet to be revealed, but also because people like us need to see people like YOU living outside the lines. Thank you for sharing your heart and your journey so people like us don’t feel so alone—struggling to find a place for our talents, passions and soft hearts. Not broken—brilliantly and beautifully different.
When I was in the process of opening my first business last year, I used to wake up in a cold sweat, wondering why the hell I was undertaking such a lofty project. Now after 13 months of operations I look back on my persistence with pride and gratitude. Now as I’m embarking on my second location, the same doubt and fears come to mind, but I feel more equipped to manage them. I know I will keep going because this matters to me so deeply. You, too, are on a path that you created and one that is entirely self motivated. Our own drive and desire is enough to give meaning to what we choose to build. So long as your health and safety are in tact, the finish line is worth it. I’m so impressed with your path.
If you're not already listening to Ryan Bingham, listen to the Mescalito album. I'd argue he's the artist that really put good country back on the map. Check out these other modern country artists: Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers. Keep it up, Ian!
Hi, my adventuresome grandson. I wonder if you know how proud I am of you. Well, it's huge!
It seems impossible that doubts wouldn't turn up during those many grinding hours and of course doubt even happened to you. This trek is in many ways probably your most difficult. Maybe doubt now grows partly from boredom and that the end of your arduous journey is finally in sight. For me you already did it. But soon you will bask in a the well earned 'glory' part. Then, on with your life.
Always, your loving grampy. (That's 'loving' with a big L)!
You are truly amazing Ian. You've made it quite accessible to follow you and I appreciate that. Your two futures example is very for so many things in this world. I can't imagine the mental games you're playing out there. Just know we're all here rooting for you.
very apt*
“remembering that I folded when no one was watching”
Ian ❤️ you have six hundred and twenty three thousand people watching you on Instagram alone, people that you inspire, amaze, entertain and enlighten.
The day I saw you smoking a tab while riding your bike in the rain I thought ’ok this guy is for real, count me in I’m here for this ride’ 😍 honestly I can’t tell you how much your reels lift my spirits. You shine out, like the brightest star in the quagmire of Insta. You kick-ass like no one else I’ve ever seen. Seriously WTF, your daily achievement is incredible!
Listen to Black Dog/White Horse by Big Special…it sums up how to deal with the black dog feeling when it creeps in, and then out on the road give Rock’N Me by Steve Miller Band a listen because it’s an old school banger and perfect for big skies bike riding.
We all love you xx
Mongolia is awesome. If you need a place to stay in Beijing let me know. Shannon - Serk Cycling Beijing.
The pain is held away by the grinding day to day effort. I hope you feel that you have created something amazing with your effort and life. It’s wonderful to watch you!!
You got this. For yourself.
I follow you. I read your posts. See your stories. And I think…but this is life. Modern day nomad. Explorer. Seeing landscapes. Meeting people. Experiencing different cultures, and food. But yet finding common ground and a smile. You are doing great work. ❤️
In Chinese they say "jia you" which means something like keep it up or keep going. Literal translation- add gas.
Re: So I started visualizing two futures
I'm at the halfway point of the St George Marathon, trying to qualify for Boston, and I'm going to have to run the second half faster than the first. The chatter in my head says Oh well, you can always try again next time. The other side of my brain says Wait, what? If you miss it, it will only be by a couple of minutes, and then you will really regret it. Once I decided to go for it... the chatter stopped and I qualified in 3:57:52.
Keep going!
You’re incredible Ian. Keep pushing!!! Love the yurt pics
Don’t. Give. Up.
When self-doubt whispers in your heart: ignore it and laugh maniacally. Your pertinacity will prevail and you will finish your endeavor. The truly difficult part will be enduring the hiatus between pursuits whilst the banality of daily life gnashes at your soul.
Doing the work vs taking the easy way out, even for the most fleeting relief at the highest cost.
It's like a dance with the devil isn't it.
The path you're on now, pushing through the hard days and sharing about it is fundamentally creating opportunities to choose well. And there's a ripple effect that your documentation about it is extending to everyone that's following. You're awesome.
I had a bike ride far less epic than yours, just tooling around Southeast Asia for a month.
One day I had to push my bike and gear (was a mountain bike, with front shocks - dumb) up a mountain in northern Laos for seven hours. Ran out of water, made it to the top, sunburned and dehydrated. I too asked myself, multiple times, what the hell I was doing there, what was I even gaining.. it was a somewhat impulsive trip designed to escape some pain. There was no other choice but to keep going, there was no glory, just exhaustion. But that's where fortitude builds.
Keep going.
I can imagine asking myself “what the hell am I doing?” Especially if you’re one of us, and many of the things you’ve done seemed impractical and irrational to the people who are not one of us.
Just EXISTING in this linear world with brains like ours is hard.
Please KNOW what you’re doing is so important. For a lot of reasons yet to be revealed, but also because people like us need to see people like YOU living outside the lines. Thank you for sharing your heart and your journey so people like us don’t feel so alone—struggling to find a place for our talents, passions and soft hearts. Not broken—brilliantly and beautifully different.
So many reasons Ian. Keep going. ❤️
When I was in the process of opening my first business last year, I used to wake up in a cold sweat, wondering why the hell I was undertaking such a lofty project. Now after 13 months of operations I look back on my persistence with pride and gratitude. Now as I’m embarking on my second location, the same doubt and fears come to mind, but I feel more equipped to manage them. I know I will keep going because this matters to me so deeply. You, too, are on a path that you created and one that is entirely self motivated. Our own drive and desire is enough to give meaning to what we choose to build. So long as your health and safety are in tact, the finish line is worth it. I’m so impressed with your path.
If you're not already listening to Ryan Bingham, listen to the Mescalito album. I'd argue he's the artist that really put good country back on the map. Check out these other modern country artists: Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers. Keep it up, Ian!
I will be keeping an eye out for you in Ulaanbaatar, rooting for you!!!