the wind is blowing against her so hard that the bike is almost moving backwards. and she just keeps riding. we were waiting for her at the bench, guessing (wrongly) that she would need a rest or at least to wipe the sweat of her face. but she didn’t. she doesn’t. she just turns (briefly) and smiles a wide, crazy, tooth-filled grin and keeps on going right past us to the end.
she fights so instinctively that it’s not even fighting, more of a natural resistance. to her mom, me, and the wind. it doesn’t matter. she just keeps going until she falls asleep like she wakes up; immediately and with great purpose.