Udit Jain

AP English Composition
Period 4
Mrs. Moyer
Vanquishing a Mountain
I woke up early that Sunday morning and made a solid cup of Starbucks French Roast.
Typically, Id put two spoons of beans in, but that day I added an extra scoop, reckoning that the
additional caffeine would assist me in the event that was going to unfold. I glimpsed over at the
shut shades to see the suns rays sifting through. With my hot cup of coffee in grip, I trudged
across the living room floor towards the window. As I pulled the blinds up, I felt the sun hit my
face with the heat and luster of its morning summertime rays. I had a feeling that this was going
to be the perfect day to do this.
It was the day to mountain bike to the summit of the Bukit Timah Mountain Biking Trail, the
toughest in Singapore. The Bukit Timah trail is in the two highest difficulty ratings in the
International Mountain Bicycling Associations five-point rating system: Black Diamond and
Double Black Diamond. It was not going to be a simple challenge, but I was certain that if I
pushed myself, I would be successful. This was the mountain that my peers and family said I was
unwise for wanting to bike up. To be honest, that was one of the reasons I was yearning to
summit it. Insane or sane, there was no looking behind now because I had the idea in my
cognizance, and I wasnt going to be content with myself until I was on the top of that mountain.
I hurriedly gulped down my cup of coffee and began to kit up for my next great escapade. As I
put on my shorts and T-shirt, thoughts of how awesome it was going to feel to ultimately
accomplish this goal of mine revolved around my head. I was like a kid craving to play with his

new toy. The eagerness and exhilaration of this forthcoming challenge created a surge of
adrenaline rush throughout my body. I buckled my helmet and stepped out of my house as if I
was going to climb Mount Everest.
The morning air felt like a misty and cold washcloth stuck on my skin as I traveled towards the
base of the mountain. Although the sun was gradually ascending, it had not had ample time to
warm the gusts of wind yet. As I glanced towards the top of the mountain, I had nothing but
unbridled enthusiasm. I was like a kid riding his new BMX bike that he got for his birthday,
pedaling as fast as his legs possibly could. My muscles felt strong and powerful, and I was ready
for the hustle up.
I approached the first inclination like Lance Armstrong cycling in Tour de France. My speed
rapidly slackened to a crawl as I rode myself up the first ascent. The bicycle chain made a
smooth and soothing sound as it steadily shifted from 7th gear to the 3rd, making it easier to turn
the pedals. My legs were working relentlessly, moving up and down on the pedals to create a
force that moved my bike meter by meter and brought me closer to conquering this challenge.
I toiled to complete the first few kilometers and my legs were already beginning to feel as heavy
as lead. All I could do was ignore this feeling by imagining how wonderful it was going to feel
when I touched the peak. Sweat now started to beat up on my forehead, and I could feel it trickle
down my face onto my upper body drenching my shirt. It felt like hours until I reached a sign
that indicated I had reached the halfway point, but in reality, it was more like minutes. As I
continued to pedal, my legs started to become numb. The only way I knew they didnt fall off
was by watching them work the pedals underneath me. My shorts and jersey were so soaked with
sweat that it felt like I had just come out of the swimming pool. The taste buds on my tongue
could taste the saline liquid seeping into my mouth as I pushed myself upward.

I realized I was almost at the top when I saw the 1 km to summit sign board. My heart was
beating out of my chest, working as hard as it could to pump blood throughout my body, and I
felt more fatigued than ever. Soon, I was able to see the peak of the mountain, which meant that I
was almost there. My body had almost ran out of energy just like a car running out of fuel, but I
knew that I couldnt give up. I quested my body to utilize all the energy I had left. Quitting
wasnt an option now and going all the way became more of a mental feat. I was like a marathon
runner striving to complete the last 2 kilometers of the run.
Pedaling as hard as I could, I saw the summit flag through the trees. I recognized that this was
my finishing leg. This was definitely the most challenging part of the whole ride, but it was also
the part that was going to yield the ending results. It was mind above body. After going across
the last uneven and rocky, the trail began to level out. My legs were now pedaling faster than
when I had started. Ultimately, I reached the top, achieving out what I was set to do.
A feeling of accomplishment and pride came over me as I peeked down on the trail I just rode
through. I felt as though I just summited Mount Everest. I stood there for a few minutes like a
statue, reflecting on the hustle and how ecstatic I was because of overcoming this challenge. This
one hour bike ride was definitely one of the most significant learning experiences in my life due
to the fact that it influenced how I view challenges in life. It made me realize that having
determination, resolution and perseverance can conquer mountains in life (pun intended). The
difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a persons determination.