Synchronicity on two wheels ‘Two wheels, two seats, four pedals, two riders equals double the fun’ Story by Linda Reid
When Michelle and Chuck
Carey began looking for a place to relocate for retirement, they knew it had to be a bicyclefriendly place. They were also seeking pleasant weather to help propel them onto the trails and roadways they hoped to explore. To these criteria Michelle added, “I wanted to live in a community, not a resort.” They were also looking for a community that would be welcoming and friendly. They recently decided on Wenatchee and are currently renting a home in East Wenatchee while they build their retirement dream house. When Chuck and Michelle met, she was an avid skier and hiker, while Chuck’s go-to sport was biking. Although they continued to participate in these activities as a couple, Michelle readily admits that when it came to biking, they were very much “separate riders with unequal skills.” Then something serendipitous happened. A little over a decade ago they were visiting their friends Tony and Julie on Whidbey Island, who happen to be tandem bike riders. They had two tandem bikes, so the four of them went for a ride. Chuck and Michelle were immediately smitten by this new bicycling experience. The great advantage turned out to be that Michelle would no longer be left behind to catch up with Chuck, and Chuck would
“Tandem riding is a metaphor for marriage, and not all couples are meant to be on a tandem bike. Riding a tandem takes your relationship to where it’s going, only much faster.” no longer be looking for her in his rear-view mirror and waiting for her. After their introduction to tandem riding, they started looking for the tandem bike that would best satisfy their wants and needs. They found it in Bend, Oregon and traveled south to purchase it. With the tandem bike came new titles for both of them. Chuck became the “captain” (sitting up front), and Michelle became “the stoker.” The stoker’s job is to get the bike started. When they begin from a stopped position, the stoker is clipped in and the captain is not, so the stoker is the power that moves them forward so the captain can clip in. Tandems are fast on the flat and fly going downhill. They do not do as well going uphill, even with two peddling. Michelle says, “My second job as stoker is to be the energizer bunny and give us the boost to get us to the top. Chuck’s job is
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| The Good Life
Chuck and Michelle Carey love wearing their colorful jerseys from their ride in Cambodia. It gives them a worldly look as they ride the local Apple Capital Loop Trail in Wenatchee.
Michelle and Chuck visit Saravoan Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia during a break in their tandem tour of the Asian nation.
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July 2021
