by Jeff Stone
“Are you dizzy?” Uncle Tí asked.
“Not at all. I haven’t felt this good in a long time. Seriously.” I looked at Phoenix’s grandfather. “Thank you so much!”
He bowed his head slightly. “It is the least I could do. If I may make a suggestion, you should stop learning kung fu until the dragon bone bond is broken.”
“You were learning kung fu?” my mom said. “I’m going to lock you in your room until summer vacation ends.”
I sighed. “Don’t be so dramatic, Mom. You can’t do that. I have to exercise. Besides, children’s social services will be all over you for child imprisonment.”
“Fine. I’ll drive you to the trail park a couple times a week. Otherwise, you’ll stay locked in your room.”
“Stop embarrassing me. That won’t work, either. The trail is closed because of the rain. It probably won’t reopen for a month.”
“What are you going to do, then?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I thought kung fu would be the answer.”
“Can’t you just wait it out? Maybe a month of rest will be good for you.”
“Mrs. Vanderhausen,” Uncle Tí said, “it is critical that Ryan exercise.”
“I’m sorry,” my mom said. “This has all been very hard on me. I should have known better than to send Ryan off to live with his uncle in the first place. My brother-in-law had a history of experimenting on people without fully disclosing possible side effects. I just never dreamed he’d do it to a child.”
“Is that a fact?” Uncle Tí said. “I looked into Dr. Vanderhausen’s past, but I could find nothing of the sort. No formal complaints were ever filed.”
“It was all handled informally. The victims were paid off in lieu of suing him. A lot of money changed hands. How else do you think we could afford a house like ours?”
My voice caught in my throat. “You mean Dad was tricked by his own brother? Is that how he got cancer?”
“No,” my mom replied. “I was.”
“Huh?”
“Your weight,” Uncle Tí said.
My mother nodded. “I was part of Dr. V’s very first diet drug trial. The concoction he gave me ruined my pituitary gland. No matter how little I eat, I continue to slowly gain weight. I’ve been meaning to tell you for years, Ryan. I suppose I’ve been too embarrassed at my own stupidity for trusting him.”
“Oh, man,” I said, “I had no idea. That stinks!”
My mom took my hand. “Let’s not dwell on the past. We need to figure out how to deal with the present. You have to exercise, but the trail is closed. Can you ride somewhere else?”
“All the mountain bike trails will be affected by the rain, Mrs. Vanderhausen,” Phoenix said.
“Well, do you have to ride a mountain bike, Ryan?” she asked. “What about a cyclocross bike?”
“A cyclocross course would stay open for a day or even a weekend in heavy rain,” I said, “but not any longer. The ground would get too torn up.”
“How about riding a road bike? Like your father?”
I frowned. “I don’t know. Those tires are awful skinny for someone as big as me, especially on wet pavement.”
“Ryan,” Hú Dié said, “your mom might be onto something. Road bikes handle pretty well in the rain. Have you ever ridden one?”
“Not since I tried my dad’s when I was little.”
“You would not have noticed, then, that they are actually quite rugged. I know you’ve watched the Tour de France. Those riders torture their bikes.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Rugged? Torture? As soon as those guys get a speck of dirt on their bike, they swap it out for a new one from their crew following behind in a support vehicle.”
“It is not like that at all,” Hú Dié said. “You should consider giving road biking a try, Ryan.”
I shook my head. “Maybe if the weather was better. And I had a coach. I’ve seen stages of some of the cycling tours on TV and the Internet. Road riding is a lot more involved than mountain biking or cyclocross.”
“That’s what makes it more interesting,” Hú Dié said.
“No, that is what makes it less interesting,” Phoenix countered. “It’s too much work.”
Hú Dié looked at me. “See, I told you he was lazy.”
“What do you mean by that?” Phoenix asked.
“Nothing,” Hú Dié said.
I glanced at my mom. She hadn’t said a word. That wasn’t like her at all.
“What are you thinking, Mom?” I asked.
“My cousin in California,” she said.
I grinned.
“You mean the one who … you know?” Phoenix asked awkwardly.
She frowned. “Yes, Peter, the one who used to race with Ryan’s father. The one who went on to race at an elite level and coach other riders. Maybe Ryan could spend a little time with him.”
“It sounds great, but do you think he’d do it?” I asked.
“In a heartbeat,” she said. “He adores you. I think you remind him of himself when he was young.”
“He is awesome,” I said. “His arms look like anacondas.”
“Let me make a phone call,” she said. “Excuse me.” She began to totter toward the door.
“Take your shoes off, Mom. It will be easier to walk on the mats.”
She laughed. “Oh, right. Thanks.”
After she had gone, Hú Dié said, “The more I see of your mom, the more I like her.”
“She can be a little embarrassing,” I said, “but I couldn’t ask for a better mom. I had no idea about her … um … condition.”
“It happens,” Uncle Tí said.
“Your mother cares deeply about you,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “Now lie back down. Those needles have been in you long enough.”
I lay down, and Phoenix’s grandfather quickly removed the needles. His hands were fast and steady, the complete opposite of the shakiness I’d seen in him earlier. He must have noticed me watching because he leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “I had a small amount of dragon bone in my acupuncture bag. I took it to steady myself in order to do this properly. I will go back to my previous half dosages tomorrow. I do not condone this behavior. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” I said.
He nodded. A minute later, he was done. “See if you can stand,” he said.
I stood without any problems.
“Dizzy?” Uncle Tí asked.
“Nope,” I said. “I feel great.”
“And look at your side.”
I twisted around and examined my left side. There was no sign of any previous injury. Even the scrapes were gone. I shook my head.
My mother entered from the house. “Ryan! Good news! How would you, Phoenix, and Hú Dié all like to go to California for ten days?”
Hú Dié’s eyes lit up. “California! Sure! To ride?”
“Yes,” my mom said. “Peter said that Ryan would learn better with additional riders. We’ll even invite Jake. The more, the merrier, according to Peter. He’ll be able to free up his schedule. How do you feel about that, Ryan?”
“It sounds like a riot!” I said. “Did you ask what the weather is going to be like?”
“As always in July, dry as a bone.”
“Where exactly does he live?” Hú Dié asked.
“Carmel. Or technically, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Funny, isn’t it? We live in Carmel, Indiana, and he lives in Carmel, California. We pronounce it like the candy, though, and they don’t. I guess we’re sweeter than they are.” She grinned.
Phoenix hadn’t said a word.
“What about you, Phoenix?” my mom asked. “Don’t you want to go, too?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t have a road bike.”
“Ryan doesn’t, either,” my mom said. “I plan to buy road bikes for all of you! Jake, too, if he wants to go. You’d be doing Ryan a tremendous favor. Paying for your expenses is the least I could do.”
“The flights and everythi
ng?” Phoenix asked.
“Of course.”
Phoenix shook his head. “I can’t accept all that from you.”
My mom turned to Phoenix’s grandfather. “The money would come from my settlement with my brother-in-law. In a way, it’s like he’s financing the trip. I should tell you, though, that I won’t be able to go. I have to finalize a few things with his estate. But the kids will be in safe hands with my cousin. He’s a great guy. In fact, I met my husband through him.”
“I will allow Phoenix to go,” he replied, “but the decision is his to make.”
“Please come, Phoenix,” Hú Dié said. “We need a sprinter. You would be the one we would set up to win a race.”
“I’m not sure …,” Phoenix said. “What do you think, Ryan?”
“I think it will be awesome,” I said with a grin. “The more, the merrier. For real.”
“Okay, then,” Phoenix said. “When do we go?”
“Wonderful!” my mother said. She looked at Uncle Tí. “Peter said that he’s busy for the next three days, but he could work with the kids for ten days after that. Do you think Ryan will be okay to ride by then?”
“I believe he’s fine right now,” Uncle Tí said. He turned to Phoenix’s grandfather. “What do you think?”
“He seems good as new,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “Perhaps better than new. I would be surprised if he has another episode like this. He would benefit greatly from the bicycle training. I believe he should go.”
“What about my dragon bone amounts?” I asked.
“I’ll figure it out and we’ll mail the ten days’ worth to your cousin,” Uncle Tí said. “I’d rather you didn’t try to take it onto an airplane.”
“Maybe we can ship it with the gear,” my mom suggested. “Peter said that I should buy the bikes and other gear here and have it sent to him. It’s going to cost more, but it will save a lot of time, and I want Ryan to spend as much time on the bike as possible out there. Phoenix, Hú Dié—are you available tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Hú Dié said.
“Me too,” Phoenix said.
“Perfect!” my mom said. “Ryan, you should call Jake right now. If he can go on the trip, ask him if he can join us tomorrow. We’re going shopping!”
“This is going to be so rad!” Jake said as we all entered Nebo Ridge Bike Shop the next morning. His folks said that he could go to California, and he seemed to be more excited than any of us, which was saying a lot.
Tim, the owner, walked over with an espresso cup in his hand. He smiled warmly. “Well, well! If it isn’t the Vanderhausens and company. Welcome, Susan, Ryan, Phoenix, Jake, and …”
“Hú Dié,” Hú Dié said. She stuck out her hand. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”
Tim shook her hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Hoo-DEE-ay. I’m Tim.”
She grinned. “You are the second person I have met in Indiana who can say my name properly.”
“I lived overseas for a time,” Tim replied. “Occupational perk of international law. Now I mostly just hang out here.”
Hú Dié glanced around. “Nice place to hang out.”
“Hú Dié and her father own a bike shop in China,” I said.
“Really?” Tim said. “Excellent. Take a look around. Let me know if you see anything I can improve.”
“Okay,” Hú Dié said, “but it all looks great so far. What is that room off to the side, a training space?”
“Exactly. We offer off-season training classes for our customers, as well as for our race team members. During the racing season, we ride outside twice a week. We hold the largest weekly rides in the country. Some days, more than two hundred fifty people show up.”
“That is amazing,” Hú Dié said.
“Join us sometime.”
“I would love to. We have come here to look at road bikes.”
“You’ve come to the right place,” Tim said. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you—all of you.”
“Thanks,” we said.
Tim nodded. “Susan, can I get you an espresso? Cappuccino? On the house.”
“No coffee, thank you,” my mom said, “but we’re going to take lots of your time. I need to outfit all four of these rascals. I’m sending them off to train for ten days with my cousin in California.”
“Peter?” Tim asked.
“That’s the one,” my mom said. “If we find what we need today, how quickly can you get four bikes to Carmel-by-the-Sea?”
“Well, there is an airport in Monterey. We could put everything on a plane and get it there tomorrow. Someone would have to pick it up at the airport, though. If you could wait two days, we could probably get it right to Peter’s door.”
“Two days would be perfect.”
“Let me see what I can do.” Tim headed into a small office. Looking around, I saw a guy I didn’t recognize working alone in the maintenance area. He nodded at me. I nodded back.
“What are you guys waiting for?” my mom asked. “Get to it!”
We spread out, going to the racks of road bikes first. I had no idea where to start, so I just looked for the one with the coolest paint job. I grabbed a bike and began to pull it off the rack.
“Not that one,” Hú Dié said, walking over to me.
“Why not?” I asked.
“The frame is too small. You need one that is fifty-seven centimeters high. That one is fifty-six.”
“Where do you see the label?”
“No label. Trust me. It is a fifty-six and you need a fifty-seven.”
“What difference does a centimeter make on top tube height?”
Hú Dié groaned. “You do not know anything about road bikes, do you?”
“No.”
“Then go pick out some shoes or something and leave the bike to me.”
“Hú Dié,” my mom said, “perhaps you should pick out everybody’s bikes.”
“Sure,” Hú Dié replied. “Hey, guys! Pick out shoes, helmets, bibs, jerseys, socks, gloves, and glasses—try to get clothes that match. It will make us look cool. I am going to take care of the bikes.”
“Ah, man,” Jake said. “I want to pick mine.”
“Then come over here,” Hú Dié said. “I will help you.”
Jake ran over to Hú Dié, and I walked over to Phoenix. He was staring at a rack of mountain bikes.
“Are you fine with this?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said.
“You don’t mind Hú Dié picking out your bike?”
“It’s not my bike, Ryan. It’s your mom’s. I’m going to give it back when we’re done.”
I sighed. “Don’t be that way, Phoenix.”
“What way? I appreciate what your mom is doing, but I know Hú Dié. She’s going to pick good ones. I just don’t feel right hanging on to a bike that costs thousands of dollars. If it makes you feel better, I’ll keep the new helmet and other gear, though I don’t know why we need to get new stuff. We all have gear already.”
“It’s different gear, especially the shoes. Roadies have their own style and their own ways of doing things.”
“I’m not a roadie.”
“You will be for ten days.”
“Whatever. I’m not shaving my legs, though.”
I glanced at the peach fuzz on Phoenix’s knees, poking out beneath his cargo shorts. “Shave what?”
Phoenix rolled his eyes.
“Hey, guys!” Jake called out from across the shop. “Check me out!”
I turned and saw him straddling a killer bike. It had a carbon frame and carbon rims.
Phoenix lowered his voice. “That rig has got to be at least five grand. Maybe ten. I’m telling you now, I won’t ride one of those.”
“Suit yourself,” I said. “I think it’s sweet.”
I headed for Jake and shouted, “Hey, bro, where can I get one of those sick rides?”
Before long, the four of us were all geared up and sitting atop our new bikes in the back of the
shop. Hú Dié, Jake, and I had high-end models, while Phoenix’s was a solid entry-level road bike. Hú Dié had convinced Tim to let her have free rein of his maintenance area, and she’d adjusted each of our bikes in record time. Tim was so impressed, he offered her a job on the spot. She declined, to the relief of the new guy.
“Nice choice of bikes,” Tim said as he looked us over one last time. “Great outfits, too. You really look like a team.”
Hú Dié beamed.
“I agree,” I said. “Can we take them for a spin?”
“Sure,” Tim said. “The rain isn’t too bad at the moment, but don’t go too far, especially if you haven’t ridden on the road much. It’s a lot different from a mountain bike trail.”
“I ride through the city in China every day,” Hú Dié said. “I can give them some pointers.”
“Even so,” Tim said, “it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“We understand,” I said. “Where should we go?”
“I suggest our five-mile loop.”
“Five miles!” Jake said. “I thought you said we shouldn’t go too far.”
“Five miles is nothing on a road bike if you’re working hard,” Hú Dié said. “That is less than ten minutes on a sunny day with no traffic.”
Jake’s eyes widened. “That’s like … let me see … thirty miles an hour!”
“Yes,” Hú Dié said. “That is on flat ground. Roadies can easily go faster, especially on downhill runs. They can hit one hundred kilometers per hour on steep downhills, which is more than sixty miles per hour.”
“All right!” Jake exclaimed.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Tim said. “You’ll be going slower than thirty miles per hour today. The rain may have lessened, but it’s still a little treacherous. Be careful out there. Don’t do anything stupid.” He looked at my mom. “Would you like me to ride with them, Susan?”
“Heavens, no,” my mom said. “But thank you for the offer. I’ll follow behind in my car like I used to for my husband and cousin when they raced together. I know how to keep a safe distance.”
“Perfect,” Tim said. “I’d feel better if someone kept an eye on them.”
My mom turned to us. “What do you say, kids? Are you ready to hit the road?”
Hú Dié, Jake, and I said, “Yeah!”