The Chase

Like a Pavlov dog I can't help but look up to the sound of cyclists riding by. Do I know them? What are they riding? Can I catch them? The list of questions goes on. But this morning, as I sat lazily in my car I looked up to see the SuperFits ride by. "Come on Mo!", they shouted as I gave them my best shrug hello. Luckily these guys don't wait so they kept riding. Today I was going to ride nice and easy, so yes I was avoiding the SuperFits. Busted.

Dreams of an easy ride were shattered when I found my first rabbit to chase on the Mill Valley bike path. With some quick calculations based on the rabbits speed and distance away, I derived that I could catch him on the climb to the bridge. Passing and dropping several riders along the way, I started to sense he was on to me and that he wasn't satisfied with a one-hundred yard lead. 

My light was conveniently dying so I would turn it off when appropriate, which also helps give the rabbit the illusion that he's dropped me. Sure enough, I brought him within twenty yards on the climb.  Then I matched his cadence across the Golden Gate while staying twenty to thirty yards back. Honestly, at that point I was just happy to have some company and motivation to ride a bit harder. 

When we hit Chrissy field he finally relented, if only for a few yards as he coasted. The obvious sign that he was done. So, I geared down a bit, said good morning as I passed him (ugh the dreaded good morning!), and never looked back. I didn't set any records today, but thanks to him I made it to work in only sixty-three minutes. Plenty of

time to sit and relax with a cup of coffee. For when I sit down for work, the chase only begins again.