Doubling

(via Cycle Chic)

Doubling. I've been wanting to try this for ages.

Last night, I finally got to. Eden came by after work for some supper and some mutual drooling over my new mandolin (seriously - this thing is sexy), and she was without a bike because of some timing issues in the morning. Anyway, she decided to head home fairly late in the evening, and I suggested that I give her a ride home on my bike. We got a cushion from the couch to go on the pannier rack, and she rested her feet one on the frame and the other on the pannier strap like a stirrup.

Starting was..... difficult. Riding with fully double my normal body weight was a little disorienting for balance, to say the least. Took us a little ways to get started, with a lot of wobbling (and equal amount of laughing); thank God the back of my house is on an honest-to-God ALLEY. Then we had to go up a little hill to curve around down to cross Cook for Haultain - it felt like the back tire was flat. Fortunately, we didn't have to stop to cross Cook so we kept the momentum going, and once we were on Haultain it was just wonderful. I more or less was used to the balance, so we just rode along at a nice, leisurely pace, laughing and chatting. It's even eaiser to talk while doubling than when riding seperately, because your partner is always just right behind you. The wobbling and teetering about just adds hilarity and laughter too, once you get used to it (a little terrifying at first, but in reality no less safe than driving a car down the road). There was one moment where we had to stop to cross Bay, and we almost fell over trying to start with two cars behind us. Fortunately, it's Victoria: cars are already used to dealing with cyclists, and they were even more careful since they very rarely see TWO people on a bicycle that isn't built for two.

In a nutshell, it was the most fun I've had in a long time and I never want to give someone a ride in a car again. It was a pure delight to just ride and chat with someone right behind me, and it was just so FUN - we were laughing and yelling in mock (and not-so-mock)terror the whole time. As Eden said too, it's really a huge trust-building thing too. I think it took no small amount for her to ride on the back and trust me to keep the bike upright and moving forward.

And also, now I can truthfully tell my old roommate Jin that, actually, you CAN pick up chicks on a bicycle. Suck it, Jin. (Just kidding. We need to go to the pub sometime.)

"Hey Eden, what's better than driving a car?"
"Biking"
"And what's better than BIKING"
"...."
"BIKEPOOLING"
"YES"