Do a Wheelie on a Bike

“My first big breakthrough comes with Wheelie No. 681. I enter the sweet spot—and stay there, for 12 pedal strokes. My gleeful cackle is a noise I haven’t heard in a while. [...] On the edge of a frozen lake, with a light post as my target, I keep Wheelie No. 1,086 in the float zone for what feels like an eternity. After, I pace off the distance, counting each stride: 17 steps, around 34 feet.”

“On Wheelie No. 1, I execute the technique I’ve been taught in the past: I punch the pedal, straighten my arms, and lean back. The front tire rises off the ground two or three inches. After a few more tries, the wheel floats up to eye level, hovers for three or four pedal strokes, then thuds onto the ground. [...] By Wheelie No. 60, my arms and legs feel like overcooked pasta.”