Beware the Dog of Hearbreak: Short Ride story

The following story is from my new friend, Jeremy, from North Carolina. Thought you might enjoy it.

What to do when your last client of the day is in Black Mountain, NC and you finish your day at 3pm in the afternoon? Hmmmm. Ride Kitsuma. Na, did that last week during lunch. Ride Heartbreak.

T minus 3 hrs for Sunset. Ah, yea !

Made quick work, at least for me this time of year of the 11 mile climb of the Old Toll. Near the top ice clung to everything in the form stalactites hanging from the rock walls and black ice adhering the rocks covering the road as a fierce wind forced me to duck my head and churn my legs harder.

I haven't ridden Heartbreak in something like 6 months but as with all great love, absence makes the heart grow fonder. This trail just begs to be ridden fast and I happily complied.
I wish I had a camera with me. I arrived at the first overlook, looking out to the west and I was met with the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen. No twinkling lights in the valley or on the mountains suggesting human inhabitation. Just me, my bike, the mountains and a beautiful backdrop of red, pink, and golds in the sky to remind me of why I ride. Finishing Heartbreak I dumped out onto the pavement in my big ring. I looked at my watch saw it was 5:40pm.

I've got 20 mins to make it back to the truck before blackout. I cranked. Luck so had it that I did. As I round the corner to the right to make the Mill Creek gravel Rd climb. I saw a flash of gold to my left. A Lion, A Tiger, A Bear?! What The F%$@! I stood and pushed the arms of my cranks harder as I felt something brush my rear tire and growl menacingly in my ear. "AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” I screamed inside my head. Adrenaline pushing my legs to a point that I thought I would snap my steel frame hardtail into a thousand little pieces and leave me to be mawed by this creature that hell had declared war upon me with. Dare I look back and see what fiend was chasing me. Logic and reason say yes but fear, unreasonable fear pushed me around the next curve without a backwards glance.

As I round the curve I steel my resolve and look. What do I see? A medium sized golden mutt chasing me. He was tiring. His tongue lolled and his gait was ever slowing. Another day, another rider he may have his way with. For me I thank him. As with the adrenaline he infused through me, it helped me push my way to the top and my truck as the sky darkened into a deep obsidian black.