On a Wing and a Prayer
20/07/18 17:40
One of these days I'm going to come down the hill and into the intersection riding my bicycle like a bat out of hell and I will miss seeing a car rapidly approaching from my left while looking to the right. I may miss seeing one or more pedestrians on foot walking or running in the deep shadows of the many ancient elms that straddle the intersection. I will perhaps miss seeing a bicyclist coming pell mell from my left or right. I may even miss that which is totally unforeseen, and that will be that.
It's that funky little voice in my head telling me that all bets are off and, if nothing else, life is a collection of opportunities where you go for the gusto or you go home. Looking both ways as I near the intersection in real time is a given. Processing what I see traveling at the speed of light is part wishful thinking and part reality. Separating the two is a matter of life and death and therein lies the thrill.
I've mapped out the landscape in my brain so I know and can instantly recognize patterns or objects at a glance that do not otherwise belong within microseconds of entering the intersection while traveling at near warp speed. I similarly make appropriate adjustments on the fly for seasonal changes where acorns or debris from the trees might lie in or across my path. Whether I see any of them in time to apply my hand brakes is an altogether different matter. There is barely time to care about such things much less act in such a way as to prevent an accident or minimize the impact of same.
My apparent death wish notwithstanding, getting up a head of steam by barreling down the hill at breakneck speed gives me something of a running head start as I round the corner and head up the slight incline in the final stretch of my ride. As unfortunate as it is, from time to time there are cars ahead of me coming down the hill and we are forced to approach the intersection in tandem exercising as we do the appropriate due diligence. As annoying as that can be, divine intervention is always welcome.
The incline that lies ahead then becomes a slog of sorts and one that could have been avoided had the intersection not been clogged with local traffic. The setting is more akin to a country back road than a busy city intersection so it works out to my benefit more often than not. That is to say, I'm able to fly down the hill and around the corner without incident. I'm halfway up the incline before my momentum breaks and then my only remaining concern is traffic coming up behind and aside me.
Truth be told, I'm forever mindful as I should be of senior citizens, trucks with swing out mirrors, inattentive drivers, texters, and people who would not have my best interests in mind. But I am in the final stretch now so it's all good. The bicycle path along the highway is well defined and there is a sufficient space just off the path on which to travel if necessary. Most drivers appear to honor the "share the road" mindset and move over or slow down in order to accommodate bicyclists. With any luck I will see those who don't in good time. God willing.
It's that funky little voice in my head telling me that all bets are off and, if nothing else, life is a collection of opportunities where you go for the gusto or you go home. Looking both ways as I near the intersection in real time is a given. Processing what I see traveling at the speed of light is part wishful thinking and part reality. Separating the two is a matter of life and death and therein lies the thrill.
I've mapped out the landscape in my brain so I know and can instantly recognize patterns or objects at a glance that do not otherwise belong within microseconds of entering the intersection while traveling at near warp speed. I similarly make appropriate adjustments on the fly for seasonal changes where acorns or debris from the trees might lie in or across my path. Whether I see any of them in time to apply my hand brakes is an altogether different matter. There is barely time to care about such things much less act in such a way as to prevent an accident or minimize the impact of same.
My apparent death wish notwithstanding, getting up a head of steam by barreling down the hill at breakneck speed gives me something of a running head start as I round the corner and head up the slight incline in the final stretch of my ride. As unfortunate as it is, from time to time there are cars ahead of me coming down the hill and we are forced to approach the intersection in tandem exercising as we do the appropriate due diligence. As annoying as that can be, divine intervention is always welcome.
The incline that lies ahead then becomes a slog of sorts and one that could have been avoided had the intersection not been clogged with local traffic. The setting is more akin to a country back road than a busy city intersection so it works out to my benefit more often than not. That is to say, I'm able to fly down the hill and around the corner without incident. I'm halfway up the incline before my momentum breaks and then my only remaining concern is traffic coming up behind and aside me.
Truth be told, I'm forever mindful as I should be of senior citizens, trucks with swing out mirrors, inattentive drivers, texters, and people who would not have my best interests in mind. But I am in the final stretch now so it's all good. The bicycle path along the highway is well defined and there is a sufficient space just off the path on which to travel if necessary. Most drivers appear to honor the "share the road" mindset and move over or slow down in order to accommodate bicyclists. With any luck I will see those who don't in good time. God willing.