Originally Posted by Ken Cox

Bend presently has a series of tournaments in process, collectively called the Cascade Cycling Classic.
We have cyclists from around the world spinning through town; some of them elite riders on very high end bikes.

Yesterday, on my daily training ride, as I approached THE HILL I passed a young woman standing over her bike at a traffic circle, as if deciding which way to go.
She wore the full roadie outfit, colorful and tight, and rode the high end Trek (you know which one).
I flashed past her, uphill in the saddle, sure that I had impressed her with my speed.
I rule on THE HILL, I thought to myself.

About a half mile later the girl from the traffic circle silently pulled up on my left side and slowly passed me, totally focused on her riding.
A girl on a geared bike on THE HILL?
Passing me?
I collected myself and prepared to reclaim my title as King of THE HILL.

I applied every bit of will and technique I had, and yet she continued to pull slowly away from me.
A mile and a half later she had a 100 yard lead.

A road entered from the right and she used it to turn around.
As she rolled 90 degrees to me, in profile, she briefly stood on the pedals and came to a track stand so still she looked like a painting.
She flashed a gorgeous smile, sped back down hill on the other side of the road and disappeared.

Ah, I never knew defeat could smell so sweet as at that moment.