Summer Reflection

I know that riding a tandem bicycle with my husband builds us up both physically and spiritually. So why is the first verse that comes to mind when I think of tandem riding “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14a)? Why not something that sounds more positive like “Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing” (I Thess. 5:11). The reality is both are true.

​When we were dating Maitland and I were riding our bicycles out on the Centennial Trail out of Snohomish. He says, “Look at that. Isn’t it beautiful?” and points to a custom made tandem on the trail. I looked at him and said firmly, “No.” 

---

Now he and I both knew the “no” had nothing to do with the beauty of the tandem. It was “no, we are not going to get one.” 

After seven years of marriage one morning we drove to Seattle to “look” at a tandem I saw on the shop’s website, and we came home 2 with it. Why did it take seven years? It took that long for us to build the trust to work that closely together. Then there is the little matter of who gets to be in control. Tandems are sometimes called divorce bikes. The tandem shop owner reworks that and calls them relationship accelerators. Wherever your relationship is headed when you start riding a tandem, it is going to go there faster than it would have otherwise.

Back in those early days on the Centennial Trail, I was the more experienced bicycle rider. Maitland was and is stronger and faster, but he had to learn bicycle safety and trail etiquette, like moving off the pavement when you are stopped for a few minutes, and announcing when you are coming up behind a walker or another rider you are about to pass. Then there was the challenge of matching our riding styles. Strong as an ox, Maitland turns the pedals more slowly but powerfully. I spin faster in a lower gear and can do so all day, but I do not have much power. On the tandem, he is the captain, the one in front who steers and shifts the gears. I am the stoker, the one in the rear, who provides my share of the power. As we moved to tandem riding, Maitland worked on spinning the pedals faster, and I slowed my cadence down to be in rhythm with him.

We work hard on being matched. One of the great things about tandem riding is we can hear each other well without having to turn our heads or raise our voices. Maitland is constantly telling me what is up ahead as far as hazards go, like other riders, walkers, dogs, stop signs. I also tell him if I spot something, like a deer on the side of the road. Saying it works much better than just screaming, which is my natural reaction to dangers. 

We have been riding the tandem together now five years. We are to the point where we can sense how the other is feeling through the pedals. There are days when we are energetic, and the feeling is crisp. There are days when energy is low, and let’s just tool along and have a relaxing ride. 

​So what does all this have to do with faith? As we work together we are also aware of the beauty of God’s creation around us, the blessing of our own lives and health and the opportunity to be there, and an awareness that God is with us as we navigate the way. Build each other up. Respect what each other brings to the table, or to the bike. Be considerate of each other’s needs. Recognize when the other is having an off day and do not be overly critical. Pull together. Learn together. All good things for us to keep in mind in all of our relationships. May you also have happy trails and happy riding.