I’ve forgotten when I first participated in RIDEALIVE...
Time passed, and when I was asked to supervise the Gifu edition—the grand finale of the 2017 RIDEALIVE four-part series—I accepted without a second thought.
As the test rides and preparations dragged on, there were moments I regretted that quick "yes" (I’m sure it was even harder for Taka-chan from Circles and Inocchi from Welldone), but as is the way of the world—and my way—the day arrived before I knew it.
My role that day, under a sky that looked like it was about to burst into tears and despite the approaching typhoon, was to watch over the eccentric "RIDEALIVERs" from the very back—or rather, to act as the "heckler"...
The ancient roads relentlessly repeated their ups and downs, and the wet surfaces made it easy to lose both grip and focus; I could tell even from behind that everyone was on the verge of tears.
However, if you looked around, there were many discoveries unique to a slower pace—the deep green of the forest intensified by the rain, or the "ichirizuka" (mile markers) that have long watched over travelers—allowing you to truly imprint the scenery in your heart.
(If you have the chance, I hope you’ll go out for a hike in the nearby mountains too.) "You haven't been spending enough time with yourself, have you??"
Climbing hills in silence, turning thoughts over in your mind, gripping the brakes hard on the descents, then turning more thoughts over. This repetition matures into a meditative state, completing each person’s "Narrow Road of Mine." I know that sounds like nonsense, but I half-seriously chose that name with those intentions in mind.
In fact, due to the bad weather, we had to shorten the second day of the RIDEALIVE 2017 Gifu edition for the sake of safety. The rain gear that had forgotten how to repel water only served to sap body heat and increase the intensity, making it feel just like RIDE or DIE. That’s why I felt such immense relief when I saw the smiles of everyone who finished the first and second days. Is it a flaw in my character that I grin a little when people tell me with a smile, "That was rough"?
At the finish lines on both days, we were greeted with the best food and warm rooms—an oasis like no other.
We drank while sharing words of appreciation for one another. There was no "fast" or "slow," just a flat relationship that grew into a massive circle.
It’s the best—RIDEALIVE is the best.
To all the tough RIDEALIVERs who participated, thank you so much.
That was the moment the "Narrow Road of Mine" became the "Narrow Road of Ours."
TODAY’S RIDER
| Frame | SALSA | Casseroll |
| Paint | Kyutai Paint | |
| HeadSet | ChrisKing | |
| Rim | H PLUS SON | Archtype |
| Hub | SHIMANO | |
| Handle | SimWorks | Get Around |
| Grip | WTB | Technical Trail Grip |
| Tire | WTB | CrossWolf |
| Stem | Thomson | X2 |
| SeatPost | Thomson | Elite |
| Main Group | Sram | Rival |
| Crank | Sram | Rival |
| Helmet | Poc | Tectal |
| Shoes | Salomon |
TEXT by Motonobu Nakamura ／ PHOTO by Eri Tanaka