What Scarab Brings to Us: Friendship, Memorable Rides, and Farewells
Jul 04, 2024
As social beings, oftentimes, we look for opportunities to gather, to share experiences and spend time together. Encounters that make us grow. As a cyclist always seeking for my next adventure, a last-minute invitation to join an overnighter bikepacking route in Colombia was that cherished encounter. After about a year-long hiatus, bikes, friends and the rugged landscapes of this South American country were about to converge once again.
So it made sense that we were doing it again. We were meeting in Bucaramanga, in northwest Colombia to take on a gravel route through the departments of Santander and Norte de Santander. On paper it all looked impressive yet difficult. 278 km with almost 6500 m of elevation gain. Our goal was to tackle all of it in just 2 days of riding. Each of us had a version of the all-mighty Paramo, the steel gravel specialist from Scarab to conquer the challenge.
What brought us together in the first place? What kindled our friendship? Was it the amazing landscapes of Colombia, the friendliness of its people, the commonality of our personalities or bike-related interests that had made it an easy way to connect? To some extent, is probably a combination of all of the above. We met each other through Scarab Cycles, the brand of bicycles that we all ride. Maybe it was Scarab that brought us together? This time it was our friend Kyle. This was his farewell ride as he was moving away from Colombia.
Many times the tales of a bike adventure are centered on the awesomeness of the place, how hard the route was or the gear that we used. But this time I wanted to tell a different story. One where bikes were second to the tale. And don’t get me wrong, I love (my) bikes. But it is what we are allowed to do with them that has become most important. Yes, riding bikes. But it is when we allow ourselves to face challenges among peers that lasting bonds are forged. What matters is that we did it and we walked away with great memories of time well spent, only to look for the next opportunity to repeat.
