Midnight Rider

I wish y'all could go with me on a midnight ride.  It's so black, it's almost like flying.  My headlight cuts a small slice through the darkness.  The day's heat has melted away and a cool breeze hits my face and quietly roars by my ears.  My legs quickly find their tempo and the chain whirs through the front chain ring and the rear cassette:  WHIR-WHIR-WHIR-WHIR.  My heart joins in:  THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP.  The miles begin to pass by quickly ... WHIR-WHIR-THUMP-THUMP.  The moon and stars are bright and clear over my left shoulder ... WHIR-WHIR-THUMP-THUMP.  Not a soul in sight; not even a car ... WHIR-WHIR-THUMP-THUMP.   My whole world a single purpose - relentless forward motion ...

WHIR-WHIR-THUMP-THUMP.  JINGLE-JINGLE-GROWL-GROWL.

WHIR-WHIR-WHIR-WHIR-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!!!

CAPTAIN'S LOG: StarDate 4.14.13.  The Starship Enterprise is on a routine training mission.  All systems operating normally.  Everything is quiet -- too quiet.

"Captain," shouts the normally stoic first officer, Mr. Spock.  "Unidentified intruder at our 5 o'clock position closing rapidly.  Appears to be an unknown breed of the canine species.  Intentions seem to be hostile."

"Mr. Checkoff, shields to full power.  O'Hura, prepare to open a hailing frequency.  Mr. Sulu, all ahead full, warp factor 4.  RED ALERT!  RED ALERT!  All hands, battle stations.  Checkoff, prepare to launch photon torpedoes!  Scotty!  We need more power!"

"Aye, Captain," replied Scotty, the engineer.  "I'm giving her all I got; she can't take much more of this.  Those beta blockers have clamped down on my power."

"I don't want excuses, Scotty!  Get the dilithium crystals and get me more power now!"

"Update, Mr. Spock."

"Captain, it appears we are beginning to pull away from the canine.  Further analysis indicates the intruder is an over-friendly labrador retriever.  I took the liberty of jettisoning a couple of tennis balls and they have distracted him for the moment.  I believe this crisis is over."

"Very well, Mr. Spock.  All hands, secure from battle stations.  Return to normal operations.  Mr. Sulu, plot a course for Claire's Casita; we're heading home."

OK, well a dog was chasing me.  I also had to dodge a deer and outrun a skunk (successfully).  Perhaps my imagination gets a little carried away sometimes out in the dark all alone.  Maybe I should just do these night rides by myself after all.