There are times when, while riding a bike, we reach the easiest gear, yet the terrain tests our ability to proceed. We can commit to the gearing we have and do our best to ride on, perhaps adopting a very low cadence or swerving across the road to dampen the grade. Or we might accept that we are unable to proceed and walk our bike until the slope softens. We might note that our equipment is not ideally suited to the route and adjust the gear ratios or even upgrade our bike for future attempts.

Sometimes we encounter the unanticipated, and we challenge ourselves to commit our resources and energy to navigate the impediment. Often, these moments lead to our best stories.