“I don’t want to go out for a 200KM ride!”
I can’t be sure, because I can’t see my own face, but I assume it’s twisted into the human version of a “Do Not Compute” ERROR. “But…why?!” I ask Denis, still perplexed by the idea that not everyone finds happiness and bliss in the idea of being cold, miserable and tired all day, and to get little more out of it than sore skin on their buttcheeks.
Sore skin being the best case scenario. I should know.
“I just want to have a good time outside,” he says in response my confusion. “And then I want to have a good time inside again. Besides, not everyone wants to push their limits like you do.”
My plan had perhaps indeed been a bit ambitious, especially considering few daylight hours these days. I wanted to get up at 5AM, cycle 215KM south and set camp wherever I ended up, heading back the next day. All that in the dropping temperatures of the German winter.
But I also really wanted to spend the weekend with Denis. And if for that I had to compromise… well, just this once, maybe I would.
The Treptower Park is aglow in sunset light and golden leaves when we arrive. We’re not the only ones thought of coming here: families with kids and Corona-puppies (I assume), and couples mill through the park along with us. We discover a musician giving an socially-distant outdoor concert to the people passing by. He’s good. We sit listening to the music for half an hour, before it gets too cold to stay. “That was lovely!” I tell him as we pass by to drop a fiver into his collection box. The musician grins and hands us his card so we can follow him on Spotify.
We get home a little after the sun has set. I make some tea and cuddle onto the couch. We warm up together and then Denis continues setting up the shelf he’s building. I continue reading a book I’d started.
I didn’t get to tally any sort of impressive distance numbers – but it was still a stunning afternoon. I didn’t just cycle through the glowong afternoon – I basked in it.
Perhaps I need to try to remember again:
Just because something is short and small, doesn’t mean it’s insignificant.
After all…I should know. 😉