Corrugated Steel Ramp

Past the boundary fence gap, the dirt trail dropped sharply toward an open corrugated steel culvert pipe half-buried in dry soil. The corrugated edge rose four inches high, its galvanized ridges choked with loose grit and dried weeds. Driving straight into the raised metal lip would buckle the front suspension. I braked, dismounted, and set both boots onto the packed dirt to assess the grade. A discarded wooden paint stir stick lay partly buried under dead grass. I picked it up, wedged the flat wood securely into the lowest groove of the steel casing, and tamped the dirt base firm with my boot heel. I gripped the orange handlebars, walked the bike onto the wooden incline, and throttle engaged. The knobby tires bit the wood, crested the ribbed lip, and rolled smoothly onto the dry pipe bed.