Road to Belonging

Laziel Muchemwa

I had a rough start in life and a lot of setbacks at a very young age.

I didn't come from a family that had it all, and my dad died when I was young, too... For the most part, I moved from place to place and spent nights on different couches of friends. Eventually, I decided to move to Capetown, South Africa, to look for opportunity. I initially started working as a Fibre Technician, opening up trenches and installing internet and stuff like that. I was pretty good at it, but then I got retrenched from that job, covid hit and I was stuck at home.

At that time, I didn't have much to do, so in the meantime, I would borrow a bike from my housemate and ride around just to pass the time. Some of these routes started becoming shorter, and eventually, I met some friends along the way who invited me for group rides and races.

During this phase I was inspired then to choose my own route. I fell in love with gravel riding and picked up an idea of getting lost on my bike. It’s a way of escape and disconnecting for me. Learning to be open to whatever experience that come my way.

Riding is a way of connecting to myself some more and finding comfort in discomfort, l actually don't know what riding is to me. I don't know if it's part of my work or if it's a hobby or a passion. I'm just open to it and the freedom and experience that it gives me, I also appreciate the access it gives me to places that even cars may not take me in a million years. It's something that I can do even on my worst day, and I'm totally ok with that.

I work in a store that sells cycling apparel, and I pretty much ride every day. I commute to work, I do weekly group rides, and I do a few gravel races as well as other adventures. Cycling has become a way of life for me.