Page 54 of The Summer Request
After a few minutes, Val appeared, slowly pumping her legs and inching her bicycle up the hill. “I did it!” she announced when she stopped next to them, breathless and red-cheeked.
Michelle nodded. “We’ve got a downhill coming up here, and then we’ve got a real climb. I hope you’re ready.”
“All I do is get ready,” Val said flatly.
Michelle ignored her comment and kicked off, enjoying the thrill as her bike picked up speed. Lisa rode alongside her, a grimace on her face. “We’re going too fast!” she yelled, hitting the brakes and slowing down considerably.
Michelle didn’t slow down. She leaned forward, picking up more speed. It felt like she was flying through the trees. It was freeing.
The downhills always went so much more quickly than the uphills, and they reconvened where the trail leveled out.
Val’s mood seemed to have improved. “That was really fun.”
Michelle smiled. “See? I told you you’d like it.”
“This next hill doesn’t look too bad,” Lisa said.
Michelle pulled out her map and counted the elevation lines. “Actually, it might be a little rough. But after that it’ll be smooth sailing. Ready?”
“I’m putting my motor on right now,” Lisa said. “My legs are still tired from yesterday.”
“I’ll see you cheaters at the top,” Val said, taking off.
Michelle held off turning on her motor as long as she could, but a few minutes into the steep hill, she started having trouble. It was the same spot where a young couple was having an extraordinarily bad time.
The guy was still riding on his bike, albeit extremely slowly, while his wife (or girlfriend?) was walking hers, yards behind him. She’d given up, trudging along and glaring at him as he shouted half-hearted encouragements. “Come on! You can do it!”
Michelle heard the woman muttering to herself as she rode past. “Oh yeah, I can do it,” the woman said. “I can get up there and kill you for making me do this.”
It was too hard not to laugh. Michelle put her motor on. “Good luck, Val!” she called out as she puttered away.
“I won’t need it!” Val yelled back.
The hill ended up being even longer than Michelle had expected. It was hard to tell from the map, but when she checked her watch, she saw that they’d been climbing for over a mile.
Lisa was waiting for her at the top. “I don’t know how Val’s going to make it.”
Michelle pulled out her water. “She’ll survive. We should go.”
“Shell…” Lisa crossed her arms.
“What? Now we’re stuck waiting for her. It’s mostly downhill from here. She’ll be fine.”
Lisa refused to budge, and they waited for over fifteen minutes. Val eventually showed up, pushing her bike up the hill, red-faced and drenched in sweat. Her hair was stuck to her forehead.
So much for not letting a helmet mess up her hair. Michelle couldn’t resist. “Piece of cake, huh?”
Val grunted. “Is this awful, stupid bike ride over yet?”
“Nope. We’re just about halfway!” Michelle hopped back on her bike and took off. She didn’t need the motor anymore, and they were finally getting to see Eagle Lake.
It was quiet and peaceful, the clean water framed by hills and mountains. She and Lisa stopped to take a few pictures. Val refused to participate, even though she was no longer behind. The trail was now much easier, but her mood had soured permanently, it seemed.
Michelle didn’t care. It wouldn’t spoil her fun.
After a short hour and a half, the bike ride was over. Michelle and Lisa returned their bikes in good spirits, while Val dragged herself to the car, complaining she felt like she’d been hit by a truck. She sulked the entire drive back to the house.
“We have plenty of time to shower and get ready,” Lisa said warily as they walked inside. “Isn’t that nice?”
