Cardiac Hill

Legs ache.

Body stiffens.

The bicycle inches

up the hill

with every push

and pull I make.

Switching gears.

Pushing, pushing, pushing

with every fiber in my body screaming

to stop this torture.

But somewhere

A switch in my head

is still on.

It keeps me going.

Pushing, pushing, pushing

One foot after one foot

For one inch after one inch

Making the wheels slowly turn.

I pass the quitters,

the huddled masses of riders

who gave in and now

walking their bikes.

Or they're waiting

for the sag wagon

to pick them up.

I can't do that.

Despite my body's protest

I keep

pushing, pushing, pushing

And I keep

climbing, climbing, climbing

until,

I see the grand California

Black oaks

That mark the peak

A hundred yards away.

And I muster that last strand

of strength left

and pump those pedals

with a mad man's frantic

dash of insanity.

And I finally make it!;

I give in.

Bent over,

catching breath.

Easing the pains

And cramps...a reward for

pushing, pushing, pushing.

But there

on top

of Cardiac Hill

I raise my head

And see the view:

A steep grade looming

above the oak forests

and rolling hills.

It's dark and deep

from where I came

But here,

the sun dances

on the golden grass

on the side of the road.

Down there,

at the start

I knew I had

to keep going.

But I started to doubt.

Now I know,

there was nothing

to doubt.

I made it

and that's

all that counts.