The acronym JRA has been around the cycling world for decades. Just Riding Along can mean any number of things: a pleasant mindless spin, a ride that doesn’t mean anything at all, minding your own business until something comes along…

So there I was last week JRAing on a lovely gravel rail trail outside of town. Fall colors, dry leaves; you get the idea. I came upon a church school group headed the other way. An adult leader mentioned a school marathon. Cool. Get them away from devices. Most of the kids behaved themselves, keeping to the right and paying attention. JRAing. Down the path I saw six young boys stretched completely across the path. I called out several times ‘Heads Up’. Nothing. At the very last moment the kid on the end panicked and came to a complete stop right in front of me. I had three choices, hit him, hit the kid next to him or head for a ditch. I chose the one who was causing the problem and hit him head on in a skid. A twelve year old boy in panic mode sounds a lot like a twelve year old girl in panic mode.

No harm no foul. After picking ourselves up along with some choice words and shouting, I was once again, JRAing. Keep to the right and Fucking pay attention.