The Free Roll

I positioned my front tires right at the crest of the concrete access ramp. Ahead, thirty feet of pale, brushed aggregate sloped downward in an unbroken grade. No twigs, no stray pebbles, nothing breaking the line. Instead of applying power, I released the tension in my axles and let gravity take the weight. The roll was smooth. My tires spun against the polished aggregate with a light, rhythmic hiss, air splitting cleanly past my side mirrors. At the base, the descent leveled out onto flat stone pavers, carrying me another ten paces in easy silence before coming to a standstill.