Still slammed, but took most of the day off for an excursion in Capital City with Mr. X*. Gorgeous, unseasonably warm winter day was not to be wasted, so the plan was to bike downtown for lunch, then hit a theatrical production at the local university.
But my knee remains somewhat gimpy** after the latest injury. i’ve been biking through the warm winter, but not pushing myself hard.
Mr. X: Do you want to try my tandem?
daisyfae: Ummm…. Do you think i can manage it?
Mr. X: Well, you’ll need to be completely submissive, and that goes against your nature…
daisyfae: Hey! i can sub – i just have to pick the right dom! i don’t trust just anyone!
And so we went.
To ride on the back seat of a tandem bicycle requires some serious concessions. There is no steering. With my feet in ‘cages’ on the pedals, when we stop? He holds the bike upright. When he pedals? i pedal. Whether i feel like it or not…
The view is a bit different, too. Mostly, i’m staring at his ass back, trying to stay centered, and not toss the balance out of whack.
This was something new for him as well. The only other person who rides on the back of that bike is his son. The kid has been riding back seat since he was about seven years old. Now that he’s fifteen? He’s pretty comfortable back there.
So Mr. X had to communicate a little more than usual. To keep from dragging pedals on the pavement, right turns require keeping the right foot up through the corner. Similar process for left turns.
It took a few minutes, but i sort of got the hang of it. The physical part was easy. The psychological part? Whoa…
Mr. X: Keep pedaling back there! You don’t have any brakes, honey! If you stop pedaling, it won’t stop the bike!
Lunch, two beers and the first half of a reasonably decent show later, we were headed back to his place. Almost twenty miles covered. It was getting more comfortable, but giving up control was still causing me headaches.
Some advantages, though. Conversation was easy, and we didn’t have to worry about running into each other.
Mr. X: You’re doing great for your first time out!
daisyfae: It’s still weird, but i’m enjoying it! It’s different…
Mr. X: It’s up to the Captain to keep you on the bike! Front seat is called “Captain” and back seat is either “Stoker” or “Rear Admiral”.
daisyfae: “Rear Admiral”. i like that…
And i continued to enjoy the view… staring at his fine, spandex-covered ass, nestled nicely between my hands on the seat in front of me…
* In case you need a scorecard to keep track, Mr. X is the extremely fit bicycle commuter, with a body that’s built for two the physique of a gymnast.
** Basketball. Turns out, 49 1/2-year-old women may not be cut out for this game. Landed hard from a lay-up and jammed the knee. Hurts like a motherfucker sometimes. Worst part? Missed an easy shot.
Trailer Park Refugee 
well, if you’re staring at that, it’s a damn fine thing you weren’t driving. do you have to ride in front when you’re on separate bikes, just to avoid accidents? and, you? sub? even with the right dom? bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! glad you were able to get outside on such a gorgeous day!
i like to ride parallel, on the right side – unless there’s oncoming traffic, or some show off passing… less distractions that way! whether it’s legs or butt!
i am technically ‘switch’. i just have to audition my doms. and the bar is high. so stop laughing. ok? seriously, STOP! damn it…. [hate it when you’re right…]
My mother reckoned I was a “lone wolf.” Took me years to admit she was right. I’d be rubbish on a tandem!
i’m a socialized wolf. i need to be on my own, but like people. and not just for dinner…
Nope. No playing tandem here either unless I could be Captain And my butt really, really isn’t worth looking at. Unless you have a week or two to take in the complete panoramic view.
i had asked if he would ever be willing to train me up as Captain. a measured “hmmm…. maybe” in reply. Probably because my ass would smash his hands…
This sounds like great fun to me! And I’m not the sporting type – give me books, dvds, craft stuff etc and I’m happy to spend hours on my own in my sedentary pursuits.
However, one of the most exciting things I know is to ride pillion on a motor bike with someone who’s riding skills I am sure of. Arms around the driver or holding on to the thingy on the back, I love becoming one with the driver, moving with them, leaning always as they lean. The wind. The speed. The controlled risk. I swear it’s almost meditative for me. Calm and excitement. Damn shame I know no such bike rider these days, I’m hanging out for another go!
it IS about trust. i used to ride on the back of a very fast motorbike with a friend i trusted. and he would go over 100 miles/hour sometimes. and i had to hold on tight just to keep from being blown off the back. but i wanted to drive…
well, i’m going to have to come down there and take you for a ride. i can learn to take passengers, and will NOT go very fast. but i’d be thrilled to have you on my motorcycle…
I wager not as thrilled as I would be. 😀
i’m just gonna have to do that! i adore you! let’s ride!
Actually, it’s still sedentary really isn’t it? Ha ha!
And I love the title of the post, ties in perfectly.
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do.
I’m half crazy all for the love of you.
It won’t be a stylish marriage;
I can’t afford a carriage,
but you’ll look sweet upon the seat
of a bicycle built for two.
🙂
riding on the back of a motorbike is physical – works the core, i think. especially that ‘hanging on’ part!
the song didn’t hit me til i was trying to find a title for the post, by the way…
You need to watch his diet very carefully. No tacos for Mr X.
as he gave me instructions – “If I say ‘slowing’, it means reduce speed…” – he also said “If I say “hold your breath”, it means I’m going to fart”. Best i could tell, he didn’t…
I’m afraid I’m with the Gnuman! 🙂
Aw, crap. But i’m a good sub! i can be the best sub ever! i just need practice… (sigh)
I’ll give you some practice
yet another reason to get to australia! [packing suitcase]
I can see I’m going to have to head south…The sight of SE and Diasyfae on a bike, with the Nurse cracking the sub whip…
we’ll need a photographer… if not videographer!
first hundred words had “submissive” and “gimpy”
was surprised to find this be a post about biking
it wasn’t. read it again. 😉
Have you always been this active or is this a phenomena that occurred as the result of the kiddies leaving the nest?
it wasn’t ‘always’. when my spawn got into sports and school things, i got very involved with coaching and chaperoning and room-mothering and all that shit. once they grew up? i was free to do my own thing… the blog was the start of it, actually, as i tried to figure out what to do as an empty nest, divorcee…
the degree of risk in my games has definitely gone up. kids are mostly grown, i’m well insured, and still have a modicum of health and good reflexes… it’s now or never.
I don’t think I could do tandem, but watching I could 😉 That looks like Lulu in the pic, and she is still gorgeous.
definitely a different kind of ride! i think you’re right about Lulu — the refernce sites didn’t say who it was, though…
Rear Admiral …. *snort*
I’m not sure I could “do” tandem …. but it sure sounds like a whole lotta fun!
Especially with a “fine, spandex-covered ass, nestled nicely between my hands on the seat in front of me…” 😀
was tempting to give him the occasional slap – but i couldn’t see where we were going, and an ill-timed swat could have landed us in the river!
A slap eh? Quite cheeky for a sub! 😉
how else am i going to get the discipline i so obviously need?
Ah…I wanna see the pic of you two on that bike! Bet the expression on your face was priceless…did you make faces? Mr X wears the tight suit? 😉
at first, i was craning my neck to see around him. but then my neck started to hurt. so i stared at his back. and butt. helped pass the time, and kept my neck from hurting…
and yes, he wears the glorious muscle-defining, body-hugging spandex. unfortunately, for comfort and warmth, i wear the not-so-glorious lump-highlighting, blob-enhancing spandex…
I miss coming here. But, here I am.
I have a hard time with people behind me. I can’t escape the eerie feeling that they are drawing on my back. I know I should be able to feel the marker as they scribble happy faces or write “kick me” but there are so many new inventions in the field of markers, perhaps they’ve come up with one that you can’t feel…
…and if you really want to feel pain, try playing basketball against a team of 11 and 12 year old boys. That will bring out your submissive and masochistic side.
Hi Burst! I still check out your photos – Don’t always comment. mindblowing, on a regular basis!
Wish i had thought of that “writing on his back” thing. Could add an entirely new dimension to the ride… make him guess what words i’m spelling… When i first started playing basketball (in my 30’s) i played at the local YMCA with a bunch of junior high boys. and they routinely kicked my ass… but i taught them how to swear.
Never rode tandem, but it sounds like fun, especially if the view is good (!)
Knee injuries suck big time.
the knee thing remains random… it comes and goes. hoping that it’s gone for good (the bike ride actually seemed to help!)
You might want to pay a lot of attention to keeping your quadriceps strecthed out. A lot of times that will have a huge impact on the health of the knee joint, for several reasons which I will not go into here as they get very anatomically technical.
yep. i’m awful at stretching and warming up properly. probably contributed to the injury… i play b-ball to warm up a little. not a good plan, methinks…
I’m too lazy to be a dom. Tandem biking might be my sport. Wait. No. I’m too lazy for biking.
you want to be hauled around in a pedi-cab! i have answers for EVERYTHING. occasionally? even good ones…
I could get used to any sport that allowed me to pretend to be exercising while I checked out the posterior of the girl in front of me.
that’s just it – i have to pedal. my feet are stuck to the pedals, and my pedals are hooked to his… it is almost forced exercise. Mr. X has suggested his new callsign can be “Captain Bligh” – as in “Pedal faster, ya lazy wench!”