The Florida Tandem Rally -- or -- Why Am I Here?

Tandem riders saying their "good mornings" prior to the
start of the 6th Annual Florida Tandem Rally.

This weekend finds us willingly riding with countless other tandem riders in the 6^thAnnual Florida Tandem Rally, which hubs from The Villages in central Florida.  The rides start at 9:00 AM, and there are a few different mileage options to pick from: 33, 43 and 55 miles.  We opted for the 43 miler because once we ride to the starting point and then back home again, we’ll have 50 miles in for the day.

Florida is rumored to be flat.  As far as I know this is generally true, but the joker in charge of the routes knows where every hill in the area is located and made sure we got to experience them ALL.  One of my iPhone apps claims that we climbed 940 feet today; my legs say that we climbed much more than that.  We won’t even listen to what my butt is telling me…

So why are we here?  As with most cycling events, be it the “normal” single bike riders who come together for event rides or us tandem “crazies” – we pay a fee for the privilege of riding together.  In the event of a charity ride, most of the proceeds go toward the cause; with a tandem rally most of the proceeds go right into social events surrounding the ride weekend, or into the ride organization itself.

When it comes to a tandem rally, some of the allure is to be around other tandem riders.  In fact, it’s usually a LOT of other tandem riders.  Earlier this year we rode in the Northwest Tandem Rally over the 4^th of July weekend in Bellingham, Washington; there were nearly 400 tandems there.  In the cycling world where a tandem seems to be a bit of an oddity, suddenly for an extended weekend you’re immersed in a culture where tandem riding is the “norm” – and you’re surrounded by people who not only love to ride these long bikes, but they understand why you love to ride them.

An over-the-shoulder view of my stoker
and some tandems behind us.

The Florida Tandem Rally doesn’t have the kind of drawing power that the bigger regional rallies have, but it still pulls in several tandem teams from within the state and beyond.  Some of these people are meeting others at the rally for the first time; others are old friends and acquaintances that have met at past rallies, and this is a way of reconnecting and sharing riding stories.  (Sometime they seem as grand as fish stories, but they’re always more believable!)

But all this aside, the question still looms:  why are we here?  We can ride any day we choose back home for free, yet we choose the expense involved to come congregate with other tandem riders for just a brief weekend of sharing the road together.  And it’s not like we’re actually riding in a pack the whole day – everybody tends to spread out after a while and only the best of friends seem to stay in contact with each other for the whole ride. 

There’s often an ice-cream social to kick a tandem rally off, and usually a large banquet at some point during the rally weekend, so there’s fraternization off the bike as well.  And then there’s the final day’s ride after which people pack up and go back home to their normal, every day lives.  So why arewe here?

Perhaps it’s because a tandem rally is much like an extended family reunion, where we once again touch base with people we’ve met before and meet new members of the tandem community for the first time.  Maybe it’s because we like being with other people who understand why riding a tandem is so… well, right.  Maybe the bottom line is that we’re here because it’s fun, and if it’s not fun, why do it?  We plan to keep doing things like this for as many years as we can.  Why?  Because it’s fun!