looks forlorn . I struggle her upright and have another go , but it takes even less time to ground us this time .
I can see the summit of the hill , it ’ s less than twenty metres away , and I reason that I must be able to get to it . I simply must keep at it and not give up . I can walk up it in only a couple of minutes ; surely , I can get the bike up there . This miraculous bike , which has taken me around the world , and floated through dense traffic of several cities in developing nations , is simply a dead weight now , that does not want to budge . I think that I can carry her that small distance if I must , and resolve that I will do it , no matter what it takes .
As I ’ m chatting to myself , I hear an engine come up behind me , as the next biker comes along . Soon I hear more engines , and suddenly I ’ m blocking the trail as the Ducati team tries to train through . Their lead rider dances back and forth , nearly making it , but soon gives up and circles back as he weighs up the options to guide his two fellow riders through . Before we know it , another rider is behind them , and we have a log jam . I ’ m not one for a crowd , so work hard to turn my bike around quickly and get out of the way . I ride all the way back down to the tarmac , find some shade , and try to recover .
As I down a litre of water and eat some sweets , I check the clock and see I am still within my time frame , and that I still have some energy , and resolve that I will keep at it . I can do it . I will do it . I sit for 30 minutes , and no other bikers come through ; so , I assume that I ’ m the last
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