27 Speeds. No Waiting

Jerry and I took our first real ride on our new tandem on Sunday. To say we sailed up Camino Alto and White's Hill would be, well, that would be an exaggeration. But the new bike-- especially without the trunk-- really is a lot lighter and Jerry, who does the vast majority of the steering, says it handles easier and is more responsive.
It was a beautiful day for a ride. We started off at Mike's Bikes in Sausalito and headed up to Lagunitas.

Most of the route was the same as the Seismic Challenge "Day on the Ride," so we stopped at their rest stop in Fairfax to say hi to roadies and see how it was going. Sounds like Seismic Challenge is going to be a fairly intimate ride in October. But it is the first year, so it will probably pick up some momentum for next year.

But back to the ride. The weather was perfect. The temperature was moderate, the sun was shining, and the wind was not too strong. Considering we hadn't done any serious riding in weeks, the 40 miles we put in felt like we could have done quite a few more. But it was enough for a nice morning's ride, and we will probably ride one afternoon this week.

I wish I could get this enthusiastic about riding my single bike. Maybe some day. But I think tandem riding will always be my first love. I love that I can spend the day riding with Jerry and that I'm really part of a team. It keeps me honest; it keeps me working hard.

And speaking of teams, we have formed our AIDS Lifecycle team. We are Team Tandemonium. Corny, I guess, but I liked it better than the "blues" themed names that I got as suggestions. I guess I'm too happy these days to be singing the blues.

I'd be happier if I could find some work I could get passionate about. But, everything in its time and place.