It starts with bad weather.
Detours through unicorns.
Ends with a road worth riding.
Trust me.
Well, I don’t live my life by this quote:
“There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes
I hate this expression.
Yes, there is definitely such a thing as bad weather: hurricanes, typhoons, lightning, sideways rain that slaps you in the soul.
But what it’s really saying, IMHO, is that you’re not allowed to say something negative—even when it’s obviously true.
Acknowledging that it’s raining makes you a “Negative Nancy.”
“Hey honey, what’s the weather like?”
“We will require appropriate clothing.”
The thing about a good saying is that it can be seamlessly applied to other situations.
Like these?
“There’s no such thing as bad food—only inappropriate seasoning.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes
“There’s no such thing as bad shoes—only inappropriate feet.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes
It’s also not:
“Follow your dreams.”
Because… what if you’re lying in hospital with a shattered pelvis, dosed up on morphine, dreaming you’re riding a unicorn through space?
Just… asking for a friend.
A quote I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is this:
“I have ridden through the darkness.
Into the dawn.
Now the sun is rising—
soft, golden, and full of promise.
It will reach into me,
to fill my heart with light.
The road ahead is mine.
And I will ride it!”
This quote resonates with me because cycling—my love for it—has carried me through the darkest times.
When things get hard, cycling gives me a reason to keep going.
This isn’t about roads, or riding. It’s about resilience.
Not just toughness, but hope and determination.
Because resilience isn’t about avoiding failure.
It’s about not giving up.
It acknowledges there have been dark times.
It’s not saying everything will be okay or easy.
Just that it’s a new day—with all the hope and possibility that brings.
The light will provide warmth and energy.
What I do with my future is up to me.
And I will make it count.
“I have ridden through the darkness.
Into the dawn.
Now the sun is rising—
soft, golden, and full of promise.
It will reach into me,
to fill my heart with light.
The road ahead is mine.
And I will ride it!”
—David McGaw
Davide la Locomotive 
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