Talking the talk; Podcasting and pushing boundaries!

1 September 2021 by cycling in a skirt 4 Comments

I had a conversation recently about the joys of reflection and of looking back through the tunnel of time, especially in relation to cycle touring.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found many times that it’s near impossible to process an experience when you’re actually involved in it, especially a big experience.

Being on a long, solo cycle tour is a perfect example as it often means that you’re dealing with many, many kinds of things at once, physical, practical, emotional, directional (!) and that’s way too much stimulation to make sense of. So, at the time, to get through, we do what we need to to make it through the day and fulfil our basic needs. Everything else, the small observations, the larger feelings, sort of just get filed on the ‘to think about later’ pile. 

But do we ever take time to fully revisit all those feelings and experiences, to bring them out in to the light again and examine them with the benefit of time and distance and if so, then how?

 

For me, writing about cycling and touring is a way of doing just that, of reliving, enjoying and ultimately processing  the experience in a far more objective way that when you’re living it. But speaking about it, to strangers, now that’s something else.

 

So, when I was asked by the lovely people at Warmshowers to do a podcast for them, for some reason I was exceptionally nervous. Writing is my safe and comfortable medium and, whilst I’m happy giving presentations, I’m much less so when talking to strangers, especially off the cuff and via the medium of zoom!

It’s good to push our boundaries though isn’t it?

 

An initial meeting with Warmshowers host Tahverlee Anglen did much to allay my worst fears and put me at ease however and, on the day of recording, despite the inevitable technology blips, coordinating time differences (Colorado, U.S.A vs the U.K.) and the fact that I was a few hours away from heading off on a cycle tour and frantically packing, it all just seemed to miraculously happen. I spoke and words came out in some semblance of logical order and, it’s surprising how the memories actually flow once you get started.

So, here for your entertainment, or its soporific properties, is my inaugural (and probably only) podcast, talking about travel, touring, being female and alone, meeting strangers and the lightbulb, lifechanging moment when it all began, stuck in a traffic jam.

 

Credits: Preview quote for Facebook by Lisa Congdon

*******************************************************************************************************

If you enjoy reading about adventure, travel, cycling or all 3 why not check out my book: How To Cycle Canada the Wrong Way.

It’s the story of a forty-something woman with no clue in life and no cycle touring experience. What she does have is a sense of adventure, a second hand bicycle and a skirt and the idea of riding across Canada….the wrong way.

Available on Amazon in e-reader and paperback formats.