Cycling with a partner brings a different philosophy to the process. Alone I just cruise along at my own rate, doing different things. Sometimes I am looking around, checking out the scenery or thinking about random things. Other times I like to cycle hard and get to the next place to have a break.
Pat, meanwhile, does most of his cycling as training on a road bike. This means it is head down trying to set consistent or improving times.
I, like most tour cyclists, want to be part of the picture and see every pedal of the way. For Pat, and most people who cycle in one place such as London, that picture is the bike and the clock. He is seeing things inside himself by pushing his limits.
The desire to push himself resulted in faster times and longer distances for us as we naturally achieved a default compromise position. That was fine with me as it was good to have a change of motivation, and I wanted to get to Berlin for the weekend.
One section we blasted down towards Miedzychod was a beautiful forested area of about 28km until the town. Miedzychod could have been a good place to stay down by a lake. We, however, didn't have time to check it out and were fairly tired by this point, 94km in.
There were a couple of fairly poor sandy sections, which were frustrating as the R1 is mostly brilliant in Poland. The one just west of Miedzychod is almost impossible to ride on, though it is just part of the challenge and experience. I guess I found it is easier for this reason than pat, who struggled on a city bike, but also with the lost pace.
Then again, I could be completely wrong about the philosophy of it all and just struggling as Pat is fitter. Either way, it is what I was thinking as we flew down that lovely wooded section.
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