Buddies and more

Anna had a friend over this afternoon, who had biked over. When it was time for the friend to leave, Anna and I decided to escort her on the Bilenky. A short, sweet, ride on a humid late afternoon, on quiet residential streets, long shadows beginning to attach themselves to big quiet trees, accompanied by the occasional screech of a bluejay. What struck me the most was not that Anna and I are beginning to get coordinated, but the sensation of teamwork, falling comfortably into place without words. There was also a sense of equality that Anna and I rarely feel, when I'm busy parenting or ordering, or both. This was nice.

That's something I didn't realize earlier about tandem riding; I've shared many rides, of course, with good friends and enjoyed them much -- and hope to do it again -- but that always involves two separate entities, independent beings who share time, but also fall back into each independent world. That don't happen on a tandem; you're together for the long haul. And you're destined to learn a lot about the other, for well or ill.