topaz

omegabeth and I rode from Boston to Provincetown on Saturday, on a tandem bike borrowed from

moominmolly and

dilletante.

What happened?

Tandems are way cool. Everyone we rode with seemed to be cheered up just having a tandem on the road. We became known to the rest of the riders, and later, by apparently random people in Provincetown, as "those crazy tandem people."
omegabeth did not keel over and die from biking on her broken ankle.
omegabeth actually finished in way better shape than I did. By the end of the ride, she was doing the bulk of the hard cranking.
omegabeth is clearly a mutant who has supernormal healing powers and possibly an adamantium endoskeleton.
Good bike fit is really important. Really really important. Like, as important as you thought it was, and then more important than that. I did an okay job of sizing the tandem to me, but "okay" is not good enough, especially for a trip like this. I finished the ride with severe numbness in the ring and little fingers of both hands, and profoundly diminished gripping strength. Right now I can barely turn a key in a lock, put on my socks, or write my name. Calling the doctor first thing in the morning.
As important as it is to wear sunscreen, for the love of god remember not to wear it on your face. Because then when you start sweating, it melts and trickles down your forehead into your eyes, and it stings and you can't see and THAT WILL MAKE YOU DIE.