So on today’s ride, in exactly the same spot as last time, I came up behind another rider. This time it was an elderly gentleman, maybe 50 or sixty years old. I wasn’t as cocky as last time, but still I thought I would try to pass him. As I came up behind him suddenly both my calves cramped up and it felt like they were convulsing. Hadn’t had any issues up to that point. I thought, I wasn’t going to let this stop me, I had already my my mind to pursue the chase. I took the left side of the lane, the car coming up behind us was still far back enough. “on your left” I called out to him and gave him a friendly wave as I passed him. The cramps got worse, but I thought to myself, I’m not going to give it up now and slow down right after I passed him and look like a total moron, jerk, or whatever… so I tried my best to keep the pace and not to look back, either. The car passed and I kept going at full tilt for a good ten minutes, or so it seemed. I ventured a glance back…and there he was, right on my rear wheel! Man, was I keeping him back, annoying the hell out of him by passing him and then going to slow? I picked it up another notch, my calves crying out beneath me in silent agony. I waited what felt like another ten minutes before glancing back again, only to find he was gone. Sheesh…chronicles of a lone rider. I need to try a group ride sometime and see if I can just keep from getting dropped in the first five miles.