We scheduled the wedding for late September, indian summer in Northern California. I was the rider, she was late to riding but loved it, and we agreed we'd do a tandem bike tour through the Southwest for our honeymoon. I envisioned warm weather, sudden thunderstorms and a new and wonderful experience riding through CA, AZ and NM. She planned the wedding with her mom and I ordered the bike (Otis Guy) and planned the trip. I even fitted the bike with fenders, for those sudden, romantic thunderstorms.
We were married September 30. The bike was late coming together, and the shop had to substitute a different saddle (Terry instead of S.I. Lady Turbo) at the last minute. Wedding preparations had kept Lauren off the bike. We arrived in San Diego, saw some friends and then we were off.
It did not rain. We missed 125° F in Ocotillo Wells by one day - luckily it was only 110° F when we got there. We were loaded with 100lbs of gear - everything we could possibly need. Peets coffee, white gas, lots of water, tent, bags, etc. We averaged about 50 miles a day, beginning early with the sun to beat the heat and going slow with lots of stops. The saddle was Not Working Out. Lauren cried, she threw up. There was beauty and there were bleak vistas. We saw one other cyclist in ten days, and he was wearing a three-piece suit and a construction hard-hat and a giant beard/hairdo and he did not wave back. Lots of motorhomes!
It was beautiful, but also harrowing. We rode from San Diego to Tucson in ten days, with one day off in the middle. We never made it to NM.
Amazingly, we are still married, and every year we look back on the trip with fonder memories. In fact we (well, I mostly) are talking about doing it again on our 10th anniversary, this time with a fast road tandem and a credit card and some stronger legs. The bike hangs in the garage, but if we can get Grandma to watch our two kids we might just get out on the tandem for a Saturday ride _together_ soon, for the first time in a long time.
We have had better rides together, and fonder memories, but in some ways that honeymoon was the catalyst that would have either spoiled our marriage or made it stronger. We'll be married eight years this year and we still love each other.
Morgan & Lauren Fletcher
Oakland, CA