It is that time of year again. 

I am still riding the routes I have been riding all summer. 

Still riding as long. 

Still riding as far. 

Dressing warmer. 

Keeping an eye on the fast-changing weather. 

Seeing fewer people. 

Still the same amount of pleasure. 

Still the same amount of satisfaction. 

As much as the routes are familiar. 

They have changed. 

More barren. 

…and more leaves on the roads. 

The wet leaves that I kind of forgot about. 

It has been a year after all. 

The wet leaves that appear on a corner. 

The wet leaves from the rain last night. 

The wet leaves that are still wet even though it is sunny outside. 

The wet leaves that appear on a ninety-degree corner. 

The corner I arrive upon when I am going too fast. 

‘I am going down,’ I say in my head. 

There is not much I can do. 

It is too late to do anything. 

If I could just go straight, I would, but two trees stand in the way. 

The only thing I can do is prepare for the ‘slide out.’ 

I feel it before it happens. 

It is happening. 

But then it doesn’t. 

For some miraculous reason, I did not go down. 

I did not ‘slide out.’ 

I came out of the corner still riding. 

But things have changed. 

My breathing. 

My heartbeat. 

My grip. 

I say to myself, ‘OMFG, I DID NOT GO DOWN!’ 

But here is what I love. 

If I was tired. 

Not anymore. 

If I was cold. 

Not anymore. 

The ride is brand new again. 

‘I Am Going Down’ 

Insert blowing leaf emoji here. 

‘There is another way to ride.’