There are ‘things’ that happen when you ride. 

You keep these ‘things’ to yourself. 

They would not mean much to anyone else. 

But they mean something to you. 

Nothing life changing. 

Just a ‘thing’ that happens when you ride. 

Kind of satisfying. 

Kind of made the ride all the better. 

Kind of made the ride ‘worth it.’ 

This is a ‘thing.’ 

You are out on your ride, and you are doing well. 

You hear some voices in the distance behind you. 

The next time you hear the voices, they are closer. 

Closer. 

Closer. 

Closer. 

Beside. 

Ahead. 

They are fast. 

The last guy is wearing an orange helmet, and you read his jersey. 

There is a curve, and by the time you round it, they are further ahead. 

You keep at your own pace. 

It is good. 

It will keep you going for a long time. 

You have forgotten about them. 

Then, a little while later, you see an orange helmet ahead of you. 

You think, ‘That was what the last guy in that group was wearing.’ 

After a while, you are not far behind. 

You are getting closer. 

Then, you are directly behind them. 

You can read that jersey again. 

None of them know. 

You hang back. 

You know once you pass them, you cannot let them pass you again. 

You start pulling up right behind. 

The guy in the orange helmet picks up that someone is behind him. 

He takes a quick glance over his shoulder. 

Then he takes another. 

You know there is going to be one more, and there is, but you are now beside him. 

Then you are ahead. 

…And you never see the orange helmet again. 

‘Just a thing.’ 

Insert bank vault emoji here. 

‘There is another way to ride.’