Richard Sefkitz, a man seeking to improve his health, finds his solitary routine on a stationary bike increasingly disturbed by a growing paranoia that he is being followed. His goal is to virtually travel from New York to Herkimer, a town on the U.S./Canadian border, by marking miles on a map and painting a road on the wall before him. However, as he nears his destination and achieves peak physical condition, unsettling thoughts begin to intrude, suggesting an unseen presence on his rides, blurring the lines between his imagined journey and a tangible threat.

This story, appearing in collections like Borderlands 5 and Just After Sunset, is noted for its unsettling psychological tension. The narrative effectively uses the mundane setting of a stationary bike to explore themes of isolation and encroaching paranoia. Readers often comment on the effectiveness of King's ability to build suspense from internal anxieties, making the protagonist's perceived threat feel palpable. The story's strength lies in its ambiguous conclusion, leaving the reader to ponder the true nature of Richard's experience.