Wanted: Tandem stoker recruitment suggestions

[Mike Ayling]

An interesting cross posting from a visually impaired rider.

Mike


Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:49:53 -0500
From: Ron Burzese <rrburzese@gmail.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <tandem@hobbes.ucsd.edu>
Subject: Thanks for Thinking of Me
Message-ID: <FDE10644-A0A6-4474-A1F6-73961C304B1F@gmail.com>

It is a constant effort to find opportunities to ride outdoors when you are blind. So visiting Largo, FL has been no different. In years gone by, I've linked up with old and new friends, who owned tandems and shared rides with me. This time around, none have been available. That's okay, since I've brought along my Bike Friday. I'm, to some degree, a self-contained blind guy. I've been on four rides in the past two weeks, three of them, on my bike.

The fourth ride came as a surprise. I received an email invitation from Jordan, a longtime lurker on T@H. He lives in Tampa and was willing to make the drive out my way for a ride. He brought along his wife, Catalina, and son, Little Jordan, to be my pilot.

Jordan, is 24, 5'11", and about 180 pounds. I was curious to see how he'd fit the Friday, a medium, an equivalent to  56 cm. With the saddle at the same height as the bars, it was a good fit. In no time, the four of us were on our way up to Tarpon Springs, on the Pinellas Trail.

As we rode, I could feel the youthful enthusiasm and power from my young, strong motor. Blind tandem racers humorously compare our pilots to just another bicycle component. We want them newer, stronger, and lighter! Yet, since I saw this as more of a social ride, I did not tach it up. After the fact, I realize that Little Jordan probably would have enjoyed it. It would have been fun to show him the performance side of riding a tandem. Still, 42 miles was a long way, not knowing my first-time captain's endurance limits. In addition, years of experience have taught me that a multi-use trail is not the ideal place for excessive horse-power.

We stayed together, mostly, cruising at maybe 12-14 mph, in a big gear. I enjoyed getting to know my new friends. Little Jordan is in medical school and mature for his age. His parents, Jordan and Catalina, rode a Trek hybrid, with noseless saddles, originating from Oldsmar, just north of this area. Notable features from this ride were passing by the orangoutang preserve and hearing a solo, by a one-armed drummer, at a commons area, in Dunedin. I was also treated to a wonderfully leisure, Greek lunch, across from the sponge docks. Big Jordan noticed that the tandems, locked up nearby were drawing a lot of attention. I really enjoy being a spokesman for our niche of cycling, but this time, it was a silent witness.

Next thing we know, the sun is beginning to set. The temp had dropped and it was time to focus on the return trip. Thankfully, we had a tailwind. It was a little chilly in short sleeves, but manageable, with the motors at operating temperature. We needed lights for the last two miles.

I mentioned to Little Jordan how his newly acquired skill could contribute to a delightful source of entertainment while on a date. He seemed to be on the same page. He did very well, for his first time as captain.

So, to Big Jordan, the lurker, thanks for thinking of me and sharing your family and a bike ride with me. It was an honor to meet you.
Ron Burzese, NOMC
Sacramento, CA, via Largo, FL

[Danneaux]

Hi Mike!

Thanks very much for your suggestion and for your cross-posting. As it happens, I was a member of tandem@hobbes waaaaay back in the listerv days, but have not been around more than a handful of times since. Seeing the address again brought back some pleasant memories from the days when I was selecting my own tandem, was deeply involved with the i-BOB list, and loved reading about the latest tandem adventures of the "Blayleys" (John Bayley and Pamela Blalock: http://blayleys.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html ). Good stuff.

I think your suggestion is an interesting one, and worth pursuing in time. Some years ago, I met a young vision-impaired woman who expressed a real interest in tandeming with me, but in the end she lost her nerve. I offered to do the usual quiet parking lot test rides as suggested by the US Blind Tandem Cycling Connection at http://bicyclingblind.org , but no-go and I respected her reluctance; even the test ride required too much trust for her to put into a stranger, especially as it would have been her first ride on a bike since losing her sight (she was sighted in childhood, and her condition caused a progressive loss over time; in adulthood, she could just make out text a letter at a time with the help of a large monitor). It didn't work out that time, but might well on another occasion with someone else and is well worth considering.

There is another thing to keep in mind...it isn't a stopper by any means, but does bear pondering even if people are sometimes uncomfortable talking about it. When one engages in activities with someone who is other-abled -- and their participation is dependent on you in whole or part -- it can lead to social complications. One of several examples come to mind: For a number of years, a tandem-owning friend (we'll call him "Tom") met "Sandy", a girl friend (as opposed to "girlfriend") who was blind. They had a grand time riding together, and she became more engaged in life and grew enormously as a result. It opened up a new world to her that became her world to a very large degree and she fell in love with the bike and cycling. Things changed as they do, and Life intervened. Tom met someone he was romantically attracted to, they rode the tandem together, and it didn't work for Sandy to go. When Tom moved on, so did the tandem, and a good chunk of Sandy's world crumbled. He used to call me and tell me how bad he felt about how things turned out, but there wasn't much he could do about the circumstances, and often opined he wished he hadn't gotten involved tandem-partnering with someone who was so dependent on him in that way. While the outcome isn't that different than it might have been if Sandy was a former girlfriend and sighted, the impact was greater because there was no handy means for Sandy to ride even singly.

That caveat aside, I think ("know") it is a worthwhile way to go riding with someone who really wishes to, and I may well give it a try. Even if it was a one-shot thing, it could be a fun experience (as it was for Ron and Little Jordan) and if the personalities were compatible, might make for enjoyable future riding as well. Thanks for the suggestion, Mike; it's been years since that last attempt, and I kind of forgot about the possibility.

All the best,

Dan.

[Znook]

Dan, just wondering what's the latest re your hunt for a stoker? Did you eventually find one, end up selling the tandem, or is the quest still ongoing?

My best,
Robbie.

[Danneaux]

Hi Robbie!

The search for a stoker continues here in Danneauxville, with no immediate prospects on the horizon. The tandem remains well (but not so happy) and in a good state of repair, awaiting the day. I was reminded of this just the other day when I inspected the tires and found they are succumbing to ozone degradation/time. I received a new pair from my LBS order a week ago, and will soon mount them on the Big Red Bike (I simply have to come up with better names for my bikes than "The" <descriptive whatever>).

As soon as the new tires are on, I'll take the bike out for another spin, as it is tremendous fun with partner or alone. I've ridden it a half-dozen times to the State Capitol and back -- a 260km/160mi round-trip with hills on my route - and found it to be a pretty passable solo touring bike so long as I respect the uneven weight distribution that comes from riding it alone (with road slicks, it is pretty easy to spin-out the waaaay-back-there rear tire when accelerating hard on loose surfaces).

Yes, I wish I could find a tandem partner and a touring partner, but I have concluded it is better to seize the opportunity to take trips and have fun than defer and miss out on some wonderful experiences even if they might be better shared with a companion. I do miss being able to point to new eagle hatchlings and say, "Oh!", for example.

With summer approaching, I have put up a fresh set of adverts at the LBS offering "fun rides" to tandem beginners, figuring I might be able to introduce riding double in a nice way for those who might not have tried it. Low-intensity, short-duration riverside bike path rides might appeal to those who would otherwise feel intimidated or reluctant to jump in on a longer ride experience.

Thanks for asking, Robbie! Suggestions always welcome.

Best,

Dan.

[NZPeterG]

Hi All,
Have you all looked at being a Volunteer/ Captain with your local Foundation of the Blind?

They are always looking for someone to Help out? As its hard work riding solo when your Blind! I do know of two Blind Solo Cyclists in the World.

One rides Bike Trials! and The second on the road!

I hope this may be off help, I asked the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind if they was a need for Captain's and got a big Yes! But there is only one Blind Cyclist in Taupo and She has a Captain to ride with.

Pete... 

Note: this is a Bike Trials Bicycle