cycleventures

[cycleventures]

Partner and mother, on a bike!

The other weekend, my mom came in to town for a visit.  She had previously ‘joked’ about wanting to ride the tandem.  I think part of her was joking, but the rest of her really wanted to.  So, we thought, why not now?  We would do something different, go on a bike ride with her, and have her ride as stoker.

Not only did she really enjoy it, it was a lot of fun to ride along side of her and D!

[cycleventures]

Prepping the Santana for camping

[cycleventures]

Blue Mounds Tandemonium

One of the most surprising, yet amazing, things I realized when on our tour last fall was that people have the best reactions when they see you traveling via bike, all loaded up.

Reactions on a tandem: Kid riding with his friend: DUDE!  LOOK, it’s a fricken tandem! Man riding past the other way: WOOOOOOOOOWWWW...... Man on top of the tower at Blue Mounds: We saw the first tandem, that was cool-you don’t see tandems too often.  Then came two more!

We took the trail the whole way with a few stops along the way.  We got a pizza and a growler in Verona, WI.  We stopped in Mount Horeb for groceries, where D and I proceeded to get a flat!  Along the way we saw a few cranes and stopped at a natural spring to fill our water bottles.  We pulled into camp just past dark, to find the 7th in our party, a single rider with a bob trailer, already with the fire blazing.  

The following day, we biked up the tower to the top overlook at Blue Mounds, which was exhausting to do!  But biking down was fantastic.  We braked a lot since we didn’t know what was to come, but still hit 38.1 mph.  The ride home was a lot faster than the ride there, as it was mostly downhill.  We saw a turkey, 2 turtles, and plenty of cranes.  Entering Madison, we circled the bike round-about saying goodbyes, as one tandem and the single with the bob split, and D and I and another couple took the Capitol City Trail to add some views and mileage onto our day.  There we passed a huge red tailed hawk right next the the trail in a tree, cut curves maybe a bit faster than we should have (but it was fun!) and flew the rest of the way home.

After a fun tandemonium camping adventure, we now know what we would be looking for in a future touring tandem, but we also know that our current bike could tackle a week long tour without trouble.

[cycleventures]

Tandemonium

A three tandem camping trip.

I wanted to call it Tri-Tandem, but D said Tri was too triathalon-esque in name.  So Tandemonium it is.

After many hours of fixing up our Santana and the debacle of attaching our front rack when our fork doesn’t have rack eyelets, we finally got it all set for the ride.

I went to work early on Friday, D stayed at home packing up the bike.  Plan was he would pick me up on the tandem and we would head out to meet the others.  Surprise!  All three tandems came to get me.  The kids at the school were very surprised!  Their reactions - look at that bike!  Whooaa there’s 2 more!  What are they doing here?!?!!

It feels pretty cool riding in a group of three tandems.  

[cycleventures]

Overnighting with the Tandem

Yes, I fully realize that is not a picture of the tandem all packed up ready to go on an overnight trip.  (This one was taken near Charlevoix, MI)

We have yet to take the tandem overnight.  But we are ... next weekend.  With a couple other tandems!  It’ll be a tri-tandem overnighter.

I am especially looking forward to next weekend because 1) it should be a great break in normal life - biking, camping, trails, etc.  But also 2) it will be a test run to see how well we can fit all of our gear on one bike.  IF we can get everything to fit nicely, we may be able to take it out on a tour sometime soon.

Sidenote - a beautiful hawk just flew by our window.

[cycleventures]

It’s fun on a single bike when you are pushing hard and are almost going the speed limit on a 20mph road.  It’s really fun on a tandem bike when we are pushing just a bit more than normal and are almost going the speed limit on a 30 mph road.

[cycleventures]

Bike trip around Lake Michigan

Milwaukee, WI October 2015

[cycleventures]

Bike trip around Lake Michigan

Germfask, MI October 2015

Among the beautiful views, sand dunes, sunsets, and trails, we came across many sites and places that were ... less than desirable.  On a day full of high winds that almost halted our bikes, cold air, and constant rain, we sought shelter in a near abandoned town in the middle of nowhere in the upper peninsula of Michigan.  Riding into ‘town’, we were stopped by a man in his front yard, who proceeded to tell us of his dog who was hit by a car last week, then about the meth heads and drugs in town.  As we rode off, he raised his hands after us, the wind catching his words.  We found shelter at the old abandoned convenience / gas station store.  Though desolate, falling apart, and very littered --- it did what we needed it to do; block the wind and cover us from the rain.  Welcome to Germfask, MI.

[cycleventures]

Sunset over Lake Mendota Madison, WI

[cycleventures]

Downhill Fright

I love hills; going down them at least.

Last year we took a bike tour around Lake Michigan.  Living in the Midwest has me spoiled with hills - they are not mountains, so they are not huge! (I hate climbing them)  However, the Kettle Morraine hills on that trip seemed big.  Going up was exhausting, but riding down was amazing!  Flying at close to 40 miles per hour, the wind in your face, and the best part - I always pass D.  He is a great hill rider.  He climbs them like they are nothing; minimal effort as I am chugging and panting away.  But at least I can always pass him on the way down ...

Except now.  Because we are on the same bike.  And I realized this weekend when we went on one of our sunset rides - hills now terrify me.  We rode a route that had some major climbs and major downhills. Fun, right?  

Climbing prior hills helped us realize we have some syncing up work to do when approaching hills - so heading into this ride, I was focusing hard on riding with him.  It actually was not too bad.  We were able to make it up a decently large hill without too much work.  Reaching the top, I was relieved that we could now enter the best part of a hill, going down!

But then we started.  I never knew that riding down a hill on a tandem would terrify me.  I have NO control!  I pedal as fast as he pedals, I cannot break if I get nervous, I can’t fully see what is in front of me, and I keep looking down at the bicycle computer as the speed reaches 30mph and keeps going up ...

I am not sure if I love hills anymore.

[cycleventures]

No Longer Riding Solo

Tandems: Fun, carefree, enjoyable means to a ride - - - right?  

Prior to buying the bike, I thought it would a be a fun date ride; take a picnic on the bike, sunset rides, short but fun mini adventures.  And of course, I had heard the common pairing: Tandems = divorce machines.  But I am convinced that that is not true.  Wherever your relationship is headed, a tandem will help you get there exponentially faster.  

My partner, D, is a stronger and more avid biker than I am.  He commutes 10-15 miles a day via bike, has been on multiple bike tours, is a bike mechanic, and our house is basically a private bike shop and bike storage unit.  Need I say more?  His life revolves around the bicycle.  He is more knowledgeable, more proficient, and ultimately, better.  This made riding behind him interesting. 

The first ride was an eye opener.  Having to give up full control is more terrifying than I would have imagined.   Not being in control of the cadence, the shifting, the breaking ... just holding on and pedaling.  I learned, very quickly, that we approach riding a bicycle differently.  The first thing I noticed was that his cadence was different than mine.  I tend to pedal harder, slower, and work more.  D pedals faster and lighter, keeping each stroke consistent.  Supposedly that is better; I have yet to determine the truth in that.  

The second thing I noticed was that I doubted bicycle engineers and designers.  They know what a bike can handle; they designed it to not tip when turning a corner.  But quickly I learned that on a tandem, I did not trust them!  Our bike was destined to tip.   My instinct was to grip tightly and lean the opposite way, trying to force the tandem more upright.  I had convinced myself after that first turn that our bike would no doubt slide out from under us while turning a corner.  I never knew that I would have to relearn how to turn on a bike!  8 or so months later, D has finally convinced me this will not happen, and now I can actually lean with the turn, confident that we will remain intact.  Relief for him, as now he no longer has to fight my lean-resistance when turning!

The third thing I quickly learned - I still have to work!  I had this idea in my head that if my legs get tired, I can just take a break and let him do all the pedaling.  Well, that is not the case.  The fact that my feet are not connected to the pedals somehow did not cross my mind, and that first time I attempted to just relax, I quickly lost my footing and couldn’t get my feet back on the pedals.  Also, D noticed pretty quickly!

Needless to say, riding a tandem was a lot more work than I thought it would be.  In addition to having to adjust from how we ride solo to how we ride together, communication on the saddle has become a must.  He needs to signal to me when he is shifting gears so the quick change in cadence doesn’t throw me off.  We need to be on the same page direction wise, so I can signal as he controls the turning of the bike.  We need to be able to express when we need to take a break, realizing that we do not have the same stamina as the other (or moreso, he can handle doing a whole lot more mileage than me!).

But all in all, I love it.  I love being able to go on a ride, knowing that we are on the same machine and require each other to move.  I love being able to look around and enjoy the view without having to ever look where we are heading.  I love the freedom to close my eyes, take me hands off, and just sit up and breath, listen, and ride.  Riding a tandem is work, but totally worth it.

[cycleventures]

The Acquisition

Last year

N: We should get a tandem D: No

A few weeks later

N: I really want a tandem D: We are not getting a tandem

A few weeks later - a friend is selling a tandem

N: Can we get the tandem???

We now have a tandem

[cycleventures]

The End, or a New Beginning?

Perhaps someday New York's skyscrapers will stand derelict and overgrown with vegetation, like the temples at Angkor Wat and Tikal.   - Jared Diamond,Easter's End

A negative: Without drastic changes in the present, we may end up in the same or a similar position as the Rapa Nui.

A positive: Once there [and nearly extinct], we will finally understand the importance of living in harmony with nature, and can begin to regrow a community that consists of a more sustainable population.

[cycleventures]

Distructive life; in thoughts, actions, and goals

We have an economy where we steal the future, sell it in the present, and call it GDP.   - Paul Hawken

To live in the present while keeping the future in mind; a concept that seems all too difficult for many to fathom.  Being concerned primarily with immediate consequences and rewards will taint looking ahead at the long-term effects. 

If an alteration of behavior is required, or encouraged, focusing on the present will lead to a rejection of change- especially with the requirement of time, money, or effort.  Life of the commoner: if the alteration does not entail effort, than it will be made.  If work must be done, it will be avoided- so much so that some will spend more to evade the much needed change. 

Upon the understanding that sustainability does not need to be tolling on the clock, pocket, or soul, one may begin to make slight alterations that will result in a more wholesome, desirable, and positive life in the long-run. 

Sustainability has just as much to do with population and environmental impact as it does one’s mindset and values.  Without a change to how we view the world and lives around us, no change in the right direction will ensue. 

To educate one; to make a small impact.  To educate many; to change [and save] a world.

[cycleventures]

"An education is not something you can get at a college institution, it is something you get from experiencing life" - Dorian Paskowitz