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A slight breeze ruffled Noah’s wrapper, reminding him that he needed the fuel regardless of its appeal. At least his water was good. He finished off the bar and washed it down, tamping down his pre-ride jitters by focusing on the now-cool air, the low hum of prepping campers, the smell of the trees and last night’s campfires, the feel of the rocks under his shoes, and the water slipping down his throat.
By the time he got back from his walk, his water bottle was empty and everyone was awake.
“Morning!” Chris called, rolling up his hammock. “You ready for this?”
“I’m game,” Noah said more confidently than he felt. He tossed the empty bottle into the Tiguan and grabbed another, taking a long drag to keep his eyes off Grace in her sleeveless riding top and snug-fitting biking shorts. Thank heaven she, too, wore trail shorts over her spandex.
It was still a struggle not to gawk.
“I hope I can do this!” Melissa said, drawing Noah’s attention and gratitude.
“You’ll be great.” Jake buckled the chin strap on his helmet and adjusted his fingerless riding gloves. “Sandstone is different from the terrain we’ve been riding, but you’ll love how grippy it is.”
“Yeah,” Chris said, taking his bike off the rack, “until you land on it.”
Noah caught his eye.
“Nothing like taking a spill on forty-grit sandstone,” Chris said. “Talk about exfoliation!”
Melissa’s eyes widened.
“We’ll be fine,” Noah said with another dose of false confidence. The bulk of the first-aid kit sitting in his pack gave him some reassurance, but there wasn’t anything for increased coordination or endurance in there.
He lifted his bike off the rack, checked the tires and brakes, set the suspension like Matt had shown him, and inventoried the small under-saddle tool kit. Once that was done, he took out Matt’s riding glasses, debating whether to wear them or his regular sunglasses with his contacts. His brother had insisted the yellowish lenses were a necessity.
“High contrast?” Chris asked as he walked by. “Nice!”
Figuring two endorsements were better than his own guessing, he put them on, then shouldered his backpack.
“Does everyone have enough water?” Melissa asked, squinting in the bright sunlight.
“Looks like Noah’s carrying some extra,” Alec said, patting Noah’s pack with a laugh. “What all do you have in there? That’s a big pack for a nine-mile ride!”
Not as big as the ego you’re packing, Noah thought, forcing a chuckle. His packwasa little bulky, but everything except the water was fairly light. If they were lucky, they wouldn’t need the first aid, but he wasn’t about to leave it behind. As Alec turned away, Noah caught Grace watching him, her expression unreadable.
Chris threw a leg over his own bike, slapped his helmet, and rubbed his hands together. “Let’s ride!”
“I’ll lead out,” Alec said, “since none of you have ridden this before.”
“Sounds good to me,” Chris said, right on his heels.
That suited Noah just fine. He motioned the others forward and followed them back to the trailhead parking lot, knowing that if he brought up the rear, he wouldn’t have to hear another word from Alec before the ride was done.
Chapter 61
Falling Flat
Togetherness?
Ha.
I’m stranded in one of the sandy washes tucked into the slickrock, fixing a front-tire pinch flat and holding back a scream of frustration. It’s hot and sandy, and I can hear Alec’s voice in my head, teasing me for not going tubeless like he told me I should. Instead I’m stuck here changing my tube and praying someone with a pump comes along soon because I forgot that my compressed air cartridge is empty.
Alec has air, but he and Chris are long gone. Jake and Melissa passed me right after I stopped—I told them I was fine before I knew I wasn’t—and I haven’t seen Noah since we started. Maybe he passed me when I wasn’t paying attention.
I sigh, summoning positive thoughts as I put the wheel back on and screw the axle into place. All I need is air. It’s a well-traveled trail. Someone with air or a pump should come along soon.
Grinding gears announce the approach of a rider before he crests the ridge and makes the descent into the wash. It’s Noah, though I can’t imagine why he’d be so far behind, judging by the confident way he navigates the ledges coming down the hill. He has skills. And strong quads.
