Dena suggested we skip shul today (having been there on Thursday morning for Minyan, Thursday evening for Tikun Layl Shavuot, and Friday morning for Shavuot), I wasn't at all averse to the suggestion. Then she went so far as to suggest I go get some exercise before lunch at the Mirchin's. (I must be getting fat or something.) Hey, what a great idea. I hopped on my bike and set out for Hod Hasharon and Kfar Saba. Pretty much my standard route. As I approached Kfar Saba, I had to figure out what to do. I really didn't have enough time to go all the way to Kochav Yair, so I decided to try something new. I took a right in to Neve Yamin. My bike leader, Yaniv, from the Arava ride has a bike shop in Neve Yamin, and I thought I might go past it to see what it looks like. It was shabbas, so I didn't expect it to be open.
As I start into Neve Yamin, I think to myself, hmmm, nice roads, very quite, flat, I should take Alan or Dani on a ride here someday. Then, I think, well, Alan, he's afraid of dogs. I bet this place has dogs. So wouldn't you know, I turn the corner and there is a dog barking at me. He's fenced in, or so I think, so not to fear. As I pass his yard though, another dog starts running after me from the right. A pretty sizable dog. No big deal, I growl and scream at the top my lungs and he stops. I'm feeling pretty smug for a few seconds, until I hear, and then see, 3 smaller dogs barking, and running towards me from the left. Argh. Now I really feel under siege.
I yell at the three dogs, but they are in a pack, and do not seem to care. Well, I've got a bike and so I start pedaling. I know I can go pretty fast downhill, but even on the flat I can get up some good speed. I'm pedaling, and they're running. I look back, they're still running. And I'm pedaling, and they're running and barking. And I'm going all out, full speed ahead, and I look back, and there is still one dog, and he's gaining on me. And I am pedaling as fast as I can, and that dog is gaining on me.
I just finished reading the book Blink! by Malcolm Gladwell. In the book he talks about how people make quick decisions -- especially under pressure. He talks a lot about the Diallo case in New York (my friend Sam Schwartz has a post on the webpage for the book). Anyway, one of the things he talks about is training people for stressfull situations so that you don't actually have to think when a crisis arises. If you've already rehersed the situation, you'll know what to do. (Perhaps I'm taking a little license here).
So back to the story, I'm pedaling, and the dog is running, and gaining on me. In my mind I quickly review --- my heartbeat is through the roof -- I've tried screaming, it hasn't worked, what's next? Alan and I have discussed dogs and biking more than enough times for me to have reheresed everything. I reach for my water bottle -- luckily a large biking bottle with lots of water and a small opening. If you squeeze the bottle, it makes for a pretty damn good squirt gun. Ready, fire, aim. (Ooops, that's Cheney.) Ready, aim, fire. I couldn't really tell if I had a direct hit, but the dog stopped. Only at that point did I realize I was totally out of breath. My spedometer says my max speed was 27mph. I don't think I could have kept pedaling at that speed for much longer. Wow, that dog was fast!
I guess I won't take Alan or Dani to Neve Yamin -- and believe me, you'll not catch me there alone!
