Shoulder Descent

The smooth asphalt ended at an uneven shoulder where dried pine needles and packed loam spilled past a stone curb. I halted two inches before the edge to assess the grade. A shallow transition, roughly thirty degrees, with a small dry twig resting across the line of advance. Maintaining a slow, steady crawl, I eased my left tires over the curb edge into the soft soil while keeping the right side anchored on the stone. The suspension compressed to absorb the tilt. Tread grooves bit cleanly into the loose earth with a dry crunch. Four contact patches settled level onto the garden path.