…Noodle Salad.
While I was out with my friends tearing up the asphalt in the towns near Cohoctah, Michigan to the tune of 49 miles in two hours and twenty minutes, my wife was prepping for her first ever ride on a tandem with my buddy Brad.
There was a club ride yesterday, where they did our Tuesday night ride in reverse before the Genesee Valley Wanderers banquet. During that banquet, I was voted in as the official El Presidente of the club… I am jumping too far forward though.
Our ride was freaking badass. Nice and easy – smooth and steady. No wind… no, literally no wind. There may be one ride a year where we have a minimal wind but we’ve had three already this year with a breeze less than three miles per hour. This is something to be celebrated and enjoyed in our neck of the woods. While we did average 21 mph, we only broke 25 once without a downhill to push us. There were some excellent (if short) climbs, a few fast descents and plenty of smiles all around… even if a few of us were tiring out toward the end of the ride. It was a perfect way to start a Sunday.
As I was finishing, my wife was heading out to try out a tandem at the club event. This was a significant event in that, if she liked it, there’s a chance we might end up with a tandem of our own… As strong as my wife is on a bike, I think the two of us would make a formidable team. The only hurdles being A) Does she like riding tandem and B) Is she willing to address me as “Oh Captain My Captain” while we are on it… Something tells me we’re going to have a tough time with the latter.
Her ride went excellently, and they even opted for the long route. According to Brad they averaged about 20 mph. I’m quite a bit stronger than Brad and they did it on a hybrid tandem (flat bar road bike). In other words, my suspicion was confirmed… my wife is a badass. We would rock a tandem.
Of course, me being me, there is no way I’m riding a bike with a flat bar. It’s a drop bar road setup or nothing. So we are going to start contemplating a tandem, at least for the time being.
Whether we end up picking one up or not, this past weekend was simply as good as they get. I so missed short sleeves and shorts!
Fit Recovery 
Jim it has often been suggested that Dave and I take up tandem cycling. Unlike your wife I’m not so badass but Dave and i do work really well together. I will look forward to your posts about how it goes for the two of you.
You and me both! 😉
And who says you’re gonna be the Captain?
I am not surprised it was you who asked this question… Either you or Cudworth.
I say, and that’s pretty much the done of that.
I did mean that with a smile on my face – reading it, you may not get that impression. 😉
No, that came across
Excellent.
first of all… wow… just wow…
wow…
that would NEVER happen here… among the cyclists with whom i ride. a wife of one riding with another.
i LOVE this! it’s so right! go mrs. bgddyjim and go you! for not being “weird” about who rides tandem with whom.
true story. i about fell out of my chair when i read that she rode with… not you.
who are you people… and why am i stuck here??? in uber-puritan styx.
*composure regained…*
amen, brutha… nothing but drop bars.
Congratulations, El Presidente! 🙂
Gracias amigo.