On the Road Again

Today being one of the nicest in a long time, sunny and 70, it seemed a wonderful opporunity to take out Racer, Daniel's new tandem bike. After I determined that he still doesn't want to ride, I offered the chance to Anna, who accepted with much more alacrity than I expected. So after lunch we backed Racer out of the garage -- no easy feat with two cars in there and a recycling bin -- helmeted up, and set out. Anna doesn't wear gloves, because, she says, all she has to do is sit there, with holding on optional. And since the front is recumbent, she doesn't need cycling shorts. I, on the other hand, dug out all the accoutrements, including gloves; but not my cycling shoes, since Racer has cages on traditional pedals instead of clips. So I put on an older pair of tie tennis shoes. Also we took water bottles, and I put a handlebar bag on the bar behind her seat, with tools, a map, and a first aid kit.

And off we went, toward downtown, and the Capitol. This required us to begin with the rather long hill up from Island Drive to Science Drive. Tougher than it should have been, but I haven't been riding much. Made me realize that I have a lot of training to do because Daniel's not likely to pedal much, or very hard, or at all, so I'll be pushing nearly 150 pounds uphill (Daniel's 100 and the bike's 40 or so). So I slogged on. Anna mentioned the demand of the hill, too. But we did it, then it was a nice downhill. As we neared Midvale, and another moderately challenging hill, I offered to cut the ride short and stop at the nearby library, but Anna refused, saying we could stop on the way back. So we went on, faster than before, up the hill, then cut through the cemetery, sunlight dappling roadways, headstones of all shapes and colors, primarily white and faded gray, spires reaching up among the trees, more modest blocks of granite, simple crosses. The place was mostly deserted except for one young woman standing near a grave, holding a bouquet of red flowers, and one older couple getting out of their white Oldsmobile. We recited some of the names and dates as we rode by; Anna, in a demonstration of worldliness, commented that it reminded her of Arlington National Cemetary, except that this one was much smaller.

I couldn't say much, having never seen Arlington.

Then we were back among the living, down Regent Street, past the stadium and Mickey's Dairy Bar, and onto the flat of Regent Street, full of shabby storefront restaurants and the like. We stopped at Budget Bicycle's tandem center. I had a couple questions about Racer, and we both partook of our water bottles, already the ice water was warm, but still welcome. I again offered to cut the ride short, but Anna again demurred. So on we went, up West Washington, toward the Capitol. We made one quick, unplanned stop when my shoelace got caught in my pedal and locked up my foot. Good thing we were plodding uphill instead of flying down among traffic. Anna scolded me about being careless, I tied it better and tucked it into my shoe, and off again.

We circled the Capitol building, watching the Farmers Market folks packing up their wares; Anna said how much she appreciated the building, I said, me too, except that right now it's occupied territory. She agreed, and we recollected briefly about the time we crowded in among the thousands of people protesting in the square last spring, thicker than summer dandelions in an untended yard. For all the good it did.

From there we did something I've always wanted to do, rode a bike down State Street (closed to cars, except police cars and delivery vehicles -- and buses and taxis, all of which were scarce this afternoon). I felt so, well, Madison, and so did Anna -- plus we were getting lots of looks and waves from people because of Racer's relatively unique appearance. I almost wished I had a gray beard, tie-dyed shirt, and bandana -- and maybe a tattered tatoo of a peace symbol. Anna looked good, thrust out in front like a figurehead; which she says she felt like, without the power to steer or stop, only the right to pedal or not, and smile, and to pray, perhaps, that my shoelaces stay tied.

From there we rode down Johnson Street, past the University, back again past the stadium, and up the bike trail; amazing how much easier a climb can be when the grade is gentle, as on this former railroad bed. And on to the library, Anna went in to catch up on mangas, I went into the EVP coffee shop and scored a tall glass of ice water.

I thought to myself, it might be a good for Anna to experience the surprising way that remounting a bike can feel so tiring, when you've been off and relaxing, forgetting that there are still miles to go -- though only a couple in this case. I mentioned to Anna we had two choices -- we could return to the bike trail and take the long way home, or accept the challenge of one more relatively long and steep hill (I had found it challenging anyway the spring of last year, when I was first riding after my 10-year hiatus). She opted for the straight shot, up the hill. I shrugged and we headed out, me with visions of walking the bike up that hill. But we got a long rolling start, the light at the bottom of the hill was green, and we worked our way up. It was hard, but not that hard. As we topped it, I mentioned to Anna that I hadn't thought we would make it; she was surprised I had doubted us. I was surprised, too, that we made it -- I guess there are some nuances to tandem riding that I don't understand yet, what's hard and what's easier.

So we rolled home, past one of our neighbors moving her lawn; she waved at us and smiled, giving us one of those looks we had gotten used, admiring Racer and maybe Anna. And home. Tired and content, 15 or so miles down, by far Anna's longest ride. She went in with a show of tired pride, and I showered.

One small step

Daniel and I talked again about the bike, mostly me talking. One thing about him, he is more likely to go along with a new idea if he gets to negotiate the terms; so we talked about riding soon; I'll narrow it down to a specific date and time when everything seems in optimal alignment. the last thing I want is to make it a frustrating or traumatic first experience.

I understand his caution. For one thing, he tends to process things more slowly, probably because his frame of reference is narrower. Also, most of his life is beyond his control. Teachers, therapists, surgeons, and parents all tell him what to do, often things that, and the reasons for, that make no real sense to him and are certainly not things he would freely choose to do. And there are few places so powerless as this stoker's seat, in which all one can do is hold on. So when he has power, even the power to say no, he tends to exercise it. He knows he can always change his mind later, but it's hard to go back. As for trauma, if he has a seriously bad experience he'll really dig in his heels. Like when I pinched Anna's neck once while fastening her bike helmet -- it was really hard to get her to let me approach her neck again, much less put the helmet on her again.

Or more broadly, like her elevator experience when she was about five years old. I was getting on an elevator in the condo we lived in at the time, with both kids. Just as the doors were about to close on the three of us, Daniel dashed out; I stepped out to get him, the doors closed behind me and Daniel, and off Anna went, alone. I could hear her screaming from two stories up. It was years before we could get her to willingly ride an elevator again, and she still prefers the stairs. And has not quite yet forgiven me.

So I counted it as a big step forward when I got Daniel to let me adjust his helmet and have him wear it around the house for a bit. One small step toward a ride, one giant leap toward a shared century.

Madcatting

Took another spin on Racer yesterday afternoon, a beautiful June Sunday. I first tried to get Daniel onboard, his reply was a definite "No-ho-ho." So we still have a long way to go on that one. But at least he's sort of taking ownership of it -- he knows the number of gears and he calls it "my bike." That's a start. We also noticed a potential problem to be addressed: The captain (me) has to get on first, then steady the bike while the front rider/stoker (Daniel) gets on -- or is helped on. Unless and until Daniel gets fully comfortable and capable of mounting alone -- and fastening the belt if possible -- we'll always need a 3d person around. Perhaps I can find some sort of kickstand that is wide enough to steady the bike while I help him on, then easily released when I get on.

Always a complication. But always, ultimately, manageable. I still have visions of Daniel and I on the open road.

In the meantime I went out with Anna. We've worked out a sort of barter -- she gets to go where she wants (yesterday it was Madcat's Pet Store) and I get to try out the bike a bit more. Actually, I think -- no, I know -- she enjoyed the ride. My legs felt it, but primarily because I simply haven't ridden much for so long. I did notice that her pedaling really makes a difference; we flew up inclines atfaster speeds and in higher gears than I do on Rocinante. A couple issues to get used to; the first is the shifters, which are smooth but are not yet intuitive for me; the second the old-fashioned cages on the pedals -- I have trouble concentrating on getting up to speed while looking down to turn the cage over and inserting my foot --the intermittent wobbling this induces tends to concern Anna (I'm not sure why on a bike like this, with all the bells and whistels, didn't have clipless pedals as default -- though it is nice not having to always wear cycling shoes). Also, I have remember to tell Anna that I'm going to coast awhile, since if she keeps pedaling I have to also do so -- and also, at stops, as long as her feet are on the pedals I can't freely turn the crank backwards to line up my startoff foot on top.

Still I love the bike. It seems awfully effortless and efficient, and I find steering a breeze, once I realized that the front wheel is about the same place as on Rocinante, that the stoker seat simply extends out front, but the bike turns from beneath the stoker; I kept expecting a much wider turning radius. Another nice thing -- always before when I was able to coax Anna out on her bike, I found myself watching for her, and waiting for her, and encouraging her, and wincing as she got her shifter caught between gears. Now we simply cruise along, and have conversations; sort of the way teenagers have to talk to a parent when trapped in a car. Also, because she's not always clear on right and left, I can just tap her appropriate shoulder.

She seems to enjoy the sensation of being in front, with no responsibilities (albeit no control, either). Someday I'll try it. In the meantime, I'd settle for taking Daniel on a ride.

Back in the saddle(s) again

Someone else's Bilenky -- but you get the idea.



A couple hours back Anna, Mei, Daniel, and I stopped at the Budget Bike specialty shop to pick up Daniel's Bilenky Viewpoint tandem, a cherry red, 27-speed, machine with a recumbent front stoker seat and an upright rear captain seat (the captain also steers) We had carefully searched out this bike with the criteria that Daniel ride in front -- so he can't unilaterally decided to dismount -- and that it be recumbent so that he can pedal with his bad hip. The next step, of course, is to get him to ride the thing. Not easy, especially at first, since his first reaction to anything new is "I'm not doing it." Has happened with everything from his laptop computer to a bathtub support, both of which he happily uses now. I have visions of he and I someday going on an organized ride.

Not today, though. My big concern was getting it home, since even the folks at Budget, nice as they truly are, were getting tired of having to trip over it on their showroom floor. We're getting a roof-mounted tandem rack next week (which, unfortunately, will cost more than Rocinante), but in the meantime I had to talk Anna, sometimes a bit surly, into riding the bike home with me. After spending about 45 minutes at the shop while the mechanics, drooling over the fine technical details of the bike (which Daniel has named "Racer"), Anna and I set out to ride home.

Took a bit of getting used to, the front sticks out so far, and all that weight on front made me wobble a bit, to Anna's great annoyance and minor concern. But then we rolled along nicely, up the Southwest Bike Trail, onto Odana Road, and home, avoiding any major hills -- though we did climb nicely up the gradual bike trail ascents. Got a lot of stares and some comments, too. I've never before owned a bike that many hardcore types admire (even though most of the specs are lost on me, I just know it's a delight to ride, and, as of now, unmarked and clean). Anna even admitted it was fun. Tiring, too, since it was my first time on a bike this calendar year. Anna's pedaling made a lot of difference; one attribute of Racer is that the Stoker can pedal or not, independently -- though the Captain must pedal whenever the Stoker does, which sometimes interfered with my coasting decisions. But we worked it out, as we did the shared techniques of mounting and dismounting without tipping over.