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Scary Things
Riding a tandem bicycle is possibly the SCARIEST thing I have done all year. I mean I knew going in that the balance would be iffy, and that if I rode on the back I would have to trust the steering and speed control to the person in front, but that was the least of it.
(I ended up on the back all afternoon because we couldn't manage at all with me in front, we haven't figured out why yet, I suspect it's because he was even less capable than me of relaxing and letting person in front have full control.)
Anyway, things to note if you have never been a short person riding second seat on a tandem: the scariest part is that you have zero visibility. Not only can you not control where the bike is going, you can't *see* where the bike is going. When were were on the rail trail, it was okay, but on the part of the trip that was on the road, I had no idea obstacles were coming until they were SIX INCHES FROM MY FACE. *And* I didn't dare physically react to being startled, because that might swerve the bike off course and kill us both. (Since the second rider doesn't steer, all the instincts you might have about leaning and balance are completely off kilter.)
I want someone to write fanfic about this now where partners who trust each other with their lives can't ride a tandem together without swerving into ditches. Or, like, pacific rim crossover where it's test #1 for drift compatibility. Because I suspect that's basically what drift compatibility is: ability to ride a tandem bike together first try. (note to fic writers considering this: the second-seat person's visibility is limited because all they can see is close-up view of first-seat person's ass. if that's relevant at all to fic writers' interests.)
Anyway we did about ten miles and by the end were were a lot better? Mostly because our instincts adapted, and because lead rider got better at warning me about things. The lack of visibility on the roads on the last stretch was still REALLY SCARY, though.
And speaking of scary things - National Novel Writing Month! Yes, I'm planning to do it this year. I'm going to go back to my science-fiction setting from, uh, 2010? But instead of attempting to do, like, a plot or a coherent story, I am going to use this thing I just programmed:
I don't see what could possibly go wrong here.
If anybody would like to be my writing buddy on the nano website, here is my mostly-unedited-from-last year profile on the nano site: melannen@nano. I'm basically just adding everybody back. If anybody would like to join me in random-chapter-ing, I am sure it will be delightful. And, as always, I will probably never get around to spamming my original fic filter with excerpts, but if you would like to be on it just in case, just let me know.
Okay, that's done, five minutes to midnight! Time to stare with despair at that three-year-old scrivener file.
(I ended up on the back all afternoon because we couldn't manage at all with me in front, we haven't figured out why yet, I suspect it's because he was even less capable than me of relaxing and letting person in front have full control.)
Anyway, things to note if you have never been a short person riding second seat on a tandem: the scariest part is that you have zero visibility. Not only can you not control where the bike is going, you can't *see* where the bike is going. When were were on the rail trail, it was okay, but on the part of the trip that was on the road, I had no idea obstacles were coming until they were SIX INCHES FROM MY FACE. *And* I didn't dare physically react to being startled, because that might swerve the bike off course and kill us both. (Since the second rider doesn't steer, all the instincts you might have about leaning and balance are completely off kilter.)
I want someone to write fanfic about this now where partners who trust each other with their lives can't ride a tandem together without swerving into ditches. Or, like, pacific rim crossover where it's test #1 for drift compatibility. Because I suspect that's basically what drift compatibility is: ability to ride a tandem bike together first try. (note to fic writers considering this: the second-seat person's visibility is limited because all they can see is close-up view of first-seat person's ass. if that's relevant at all to fic writers' interests.)
Anyway we did about ten miles and by the end were were a lot better? Mostly because our instincts adapted, and because lead rider got better at warning me about things. The lack of visibility on the roads on the last stretch was still REALLY SCARY, though.
And speaking of scary things - National Novel Writing Month! Yes, I'm planning to do it this year. I'm going to go back to my science-fiction setting from, uh, 2010? But instead of attempting to do, like, a plot or a coherent story, I am going to use this thing I just programmed:
The Les Miserables Random Chapter Generator
and let an extremely wordy 19th century French novelist decide what is going to happen in each day's writing, by way of pastiching said random chapter. Into pulp SF setting with characters vaguely based on 21st century European politicians. In plot based around the excitement and pageantry of economics. With bonus Stupid Language Tricks.I don't see what could possibly go wrong here.
If anybody would like to be my writing buddy on the nano website, here is my mostly-unedited-from-last year profile on the nano site: melannen@nano. I'm basically just adding everybody back. If anybody would like to join me in random-chapter-ing, I am sure it will be delightful. And, as always, I will probably never get around to spamming my original fic filter with excerpts, but if you would like to be on it just in case, just let me know.
Okay, that's done, five minutes to midnight! Time to stare with despair at that three-year-old scrivener file.
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