I dropped him a bit when the trail narrowed, but he would catch me again. On closer look I saw he was at least a foot taller than me with massive, shaved racing legs. I know some riders like to take on a challenge when they see another rider, but that’s more on the road bikes than in the woods. I ducked down Pine Tree to see if I could lose him on the rhododendron roots and rocks, but he stayed pretty close or would catch back up quickly.
Then I realized that it was kind of fun being chased when I was feeling somewhat smooth. It was navigating tight turns into rocky climbs where I saw how much the pump track helped me. I was sad to see the trail end, so I made sure to catch air on the final hump, flying out into the road to skid my rear wheel out…giggling.
