Had a Friday-night mental health ride, after a week that left me tired and somewhat frazzled. The LHT floated through the darkness on its wide, supple, newish-and-still-raising-a-smile tires. I kept a good pace, didn't stop for much. Temperatures dropped through the 40s, no moon to be seen but there were stars where the clouds weren't, and planes into or out of Logan or Hanscom bringing their transient light and sound.
While climbing the long outbound hill, I was slowly overtaken by a slightly faster rider. Her headlight projected my shadow out ahead of me, and for several minutes I chased my shadow while she chased me. Ultimately, she passed me, my shadow receded to my right side and we rode three abreast for a moment, then my shadow was gone, roles were reversed, and we followed her shadow awhile.
rod