(Editor's note: This is a winning essay for the Grades 4-8 category of the 2008 Amgen Tour of California Youth Essay Contest. This year's theme is "choose your own adventure, by bike.")

My eyes open on an early Saturday morning, the room cold from the early morning darkness. My legs fill with the sudden urge to be exhausted by the pounding pulse of muscle to metal. My thoughts race as I plan the only way to remedy this urge, a road ride. I think of my route, the gear that I am going to take, and what the ride will be like. Then my thoughts hit a huge snag, who is going to ride with me?

I have so many different friends that share the same passion for cycling. Even still, they are so different and enjoy separate aspects of the riding. I think of my friend Dill but no, he does not go on road rides. Then I think of my friend Steven, no he is not up this early. Then I think Kyle, perfect.

Kyle is the perfect person for this ride; we both love to get up at 6 am to go on rides. Kyle greatly enjoys staying out the norms such as getting up early like me; he also has a wonderful attitude. He is able to extract the greatness out of everything that we do together. I cannot wait to map out the rest of the ride.

Living in SLO I mindlessly take advantage of the superb environment within which I live. Whether I’m racing through the beautiful downtown head-to-head with cars stuck in traffic. Or, if I am taking a wonderful ride on the gorgeous Pacific Coast, I take for granted the opportunity that not many people like me, get. It seemed so very fitting that I choose Montana de Oro, knowing its natural beauty and splendor. I know how great it will be to look over that gorgeous natural landscape. This ride will be great.

I call Kyle and we meet up at around 6:45am and leaving SLO, heading down Los Osos Valley Road toward Los Osos. As we ride out on the straightaway, we start a very strong steady pace.

We start to push ourselves and then we are in the zone, we stop noticing speed or distance, the number on our speedometers no longer represents true progress, we are consumed on the moment. Cars pass us by, the urge in our muscles demand us to halt the relentless pain, but these are no longer factors. Then as if the last 45 minutes spent riding were a few short seconds, we see the great blue ocean unfold itself before us!

This ecstasy is very short lived an s we ascend the hardest climb of the ride. I slam my tired muscles against the pedals. Sweaty and exhausted we ascend this hill at an unrelenting pace.

Finally, the pain over and we are on top. We take a short break to breathe and absorb the atmosphere. The sun reflecting off the ocean, the rolling hills and jagged cliffs are gorgeous. I smell the strong scent of salt water that is so different from the car exhaust that we have smelled all the way to this point.

Filled with a new energy of success, I look downhill and grin. I start down this well deserved descent and start picking up speed. We really start pushing and fly down the slope. Blazing past Kyle who does not share the same aggression as I do on the downhill, I fly past other riders. In a flash, a blur of cold red metal and rosy red flesh dive down the hill- I am having such a great time!

As I fly down the hill, I think of the trip which I have taken. Think of people that miss so much by not being on their bikes. Although to some taking a bike is too much work, it is truly freedom. I can get out and around all by myself. The bike does not need a license or gas. The only thing my bike needs is an eager rider to test its limits.

Christopher Weltner
San Luis Obispo High School
Grade 9, Age 14