Gray Pride

Being clean is a relatively important concept for me. I try to wash or rinse my riding clothes every day, especially on hot, tough days when sweat was just streaming out of every pore. I take the effort to wash myself either in a body of relatively-clean water (if available) or worst case I can make do with a 1.5 liter bottle of water from a store to sponge off with.

So on the weekly chance I find a campsite/hostel/couchsurfing host and can take a proper shower, it is totally awesome and gratifying experience. All those miles just wash away leaving me stronger and healthier-if nothing more than in the hygienic sense. However, the satisfaction fully completes after leaving the shower. Looking back at the gray stew of soap, sunscreen residue, sweat, road grit and grease slowly emptying from the basin conjures such a strange sense of pride. In my book it's a real accomplishment.