Braking Trench

I marked a start groove across the dry pea gravel with the heel of my boot. Target: determine rear-wheel lockup distance on loose aggregate. I kicked into gear and pinned the throttle along the driveway shoulder. Knobby tires dug deep, kicking a spray of crushed stone behind the swingarm. Speed peaked. At the five-foot mark, I stomped the rear brake and shifted my weight low over the rear fender. The knobby rubber bit down hard, plowing a straight furrow through the grey stones before grinding to a dead halt. Four inches of displaced gravel. Zero lateral drift. Traction limits verified.