Michael Bradford

Last night I met up with the cycling group. The group was small and they were predominantly people I hadn't seen before. We were to ride hills. There was a British guy who just got back from a week riding in the Alps. We took off from Handschuhsheim, to Schriesheim and then turned right into the odenwald.
The climb was gradual but difficult, with the brit and one other guy in front of me, I couldn't keep up with them. Then we climbed the hill to the top of Ziegelhausen; this was actually easy. We rode down to Ziegelhausen and then to Neckargemund. Then we started the ascent to the Konigstuhl from the 'gemund
side. I told myself that I'd try to keep up with the British guy. I was riding by the side of him and he, on a few occasions, spurted out ahead. I regrouped with him every time. I was feeling good so I took off ahead during the beginning of the climb. I was mostly standing out of the saddle and I approached another
cycling group ahead of us. They were spread out and I pumped quickly by each one, grimacing as I passed. It was painful but somehow exhilarating crashing down on
the pedals while seeing green trees on both sides of me. I would look down to see the wet ground whiz by while sweat dropped off my head and onto my metallic baby blue bike. I kept driving on, with thoughts of Richard Virenque and Lance Armstrong and also thoughts of giving up.

I pondered changing gears to give my legs some change. About two-thirds of the way, I heard the Puerto Rican, Angel (male), behind me. I tried to ride hard but he passed me. I came up to the last leg, which is also ridden in the triathlon. I saw Angel coming closer and I felt good, especially since the grade wasn't as steep. I left the bike in the gear it was in which meant that I'd be spinning faster due to the milder ascent. I quickly approached Angel, came up next to him; he said, "where do you get your energy?" Little did he know that this mountain is my backyard. I passed him with my pedals collecting RPMs and my body moving up and down. I saw a familiar grouping of trees up ahead which told me that the end was near. I made it to the top first! I looked back and I saw the Brit not far behind. He came up to me and he didn't congratulate me, maybe because he saw me as the 'one who got away'. I like the fact that the other riders have multi-thousand dollar, top of the line bikes while I ride my older Italian queen which still has cage pedals opposed to clipless and shifters on the
frame opposed to behind the brakes. Up to now, I've
kept up with them and even, on occassion, I get away
to sniff the wet leaves ahead of the others.

Michael Bradford