I am not the same person as the one who began the ride. "
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spent long backcountry ski days with a heavy pack, as well as cross-country skiing and snow biking. I also spent time in a sauna for heat training to help my body with heat adaptation. Most of this training was endurance based. The most important factor over the long haul of multiday expeditions is how well your body holds up. What matters is how little you break down, not necessarily how fast you are. The most challenging aspect of preparing for this trip was not the physical training, but the logistical preparation. I had to carefully strategize on what gear to take: clothing for the jungle environment, medical kit for unknown injuries, spare bike parts, lights for night riding, and ultralight camping equipment. And I had never traveled with a film crew. Added to the logistical mix, there would be cameras, lights, and sound equipment – along with people I wasn’t sure had the skills and experience to survive in the wilderness.
Reaching the Crash Site As I started to ride, I focused almost entirely on the crash coordinates. That was the reason I was there, why I made the physical journey. Then slowly, day by day, I started to change. It was almost imperceptible. Only now, two years later looking back, can I see the emotional transformation that I had. But my riding partner could see it, the film crew could see it, and it comes across on screen, too. The pace moved much more slowly than I’m accustomed to as an athlete. Since this was a film production, we formed a different sort of team with a bigger mission than going as fast as possible. Each day we planned to roll out early to avoid the riding in the heat of the day, but that was almost
American Consequences | 77
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