It started as almost a whim back in 1998. My then-14-year-old youngest son, Drew, said the two seaters on a rally in Arizona:
“That looks like fun, Dad,” he said.
So when I returned home, I found my first adult tandem in the basement of my LBS. The 1994 Trek T-50 hybrid, steel-framed beast was our first two-seater. Purchased in 1998 for $450, I had that bike in my garage for years and watched as it passed through several seasons of life—its and mine.
What started as a father and son ride has, over time, became other things. There are at least three seasons for these bikes (I’ve had two). This first season with Drew was a great way to bond with my second son. From the time he was a 14-year-old on the back until his senior year of high school—when he became my turbo power—it was our way of spending time together outdoors.
The Trek became the a date and relationship bike when I was single and using bikes as a social device. From one-time rides to a big part of a serious relationship with Pam, the Trek, and then the Co-Motion Periscope I now own, taught me (and at times, us) how a relationship can work or fail on a tandem. You can read more about my personal experience during this season here. And if you want to read about the book my friends wrote about how a tandem mirrors a relationship, check that out here.
Needless to say, as the relationship with Pam fell apart and I was disconsolate over the loss, I contemplated selling the bike. On the morning I was getting ready to market the bike, I got a text from a friend who manages special programs.
“Would you consider being a pilot for a blind stoker?”
I couldn’t say no to Cheyenne. Besides, this might be the ticket to heal the scars that the bike reminded me of.
And with that, the Co-Motion became a public service vehicle. I took my first ride with my blind stoker, Josselyn, a few weeks ago. It was an awakening for me and she was a natural on the back of the bike. I learned so much about her world and the bike found a new purpose.
It’s been said things come in threes. Is this the last chapter for this bike? And, if not, how long will it last?
If I can redirect myself to service, fund raising, bike adventures and hiking, perhaps my next chapter will unfold. God willing.
Relentless
