[Sportsandrec] finding guides

Thu Nov 13 00:49:40 UTC 2008

Hi. I want to add a few comments to what Ron has said. While I am nowhere 
near as experienced or skilled as he is at finding pilots or at cycling, I 
need to agree with him. It can be a pain sometimes to try to find pilots or 
"guides", as you say. The best way to find them is to ask. There's a verse 
in the Bible which I think applies here: "You have not because you ask not." 
While it's talking about asking God for things, I think it applies to 
people, as well. I have not paid people to ride with me, although I do treat 
them to dinner at times or try to help them in other ways. I've met some 
great people through tandem cycling. A lot of them just want to bike and 
want to make it possible for me to bike, too. One person I've biked with 
some in the past year was in the market for atandem and wanted me to show 
him some tips for being a captain to his girlfriend. He wanted to try a 
tandem out first before buying one. I rode with him for about two hours and 
he bought a tandem a week later. (Hey, I'll take what I can get.)

The main things I would say are ask and don't give up. I don't mean that you 
should keep pestering the same person, but I do mean that you just need to 
keep asking different people. Finding a cycling club can really help. I have 
Ron to thank for getting me hooked up with the bicycling club in the twin 
cities. Try going on google and seeing if there is a club in your area.

I'm just sad that it's under 30 degrees today in Minnesota and my main 
biking season is over. I do have a pilot who bikes all winter though and 
wants to try it some with me, so maybe I'll stop being a wimp and try the 
under 30 degrees stuff one of these days.

Hope that helps.

Kathy McGillivray
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron & the bears" <rockthebike at usfamily.net>
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List" 
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] finding guides

> Ashley Bramlett wrote, "Hi all,
> :
> : I'm impressed with the recent bike stories and hearing about past
> accomplishments. I am glad  I am active, or try to be, for recreation
> purposes.
>
> Hi Ashley, I am happy to hear that we purked up your ears. That is one of 
> my
> hopes when I go off on one of my long, explanational e-mails.:) I want to
> share the fun and the notion of how to get started, or pursue whatever 
> goals
> you may have. You mention "recreation purposes", that is really what it is
> all about. After years of riding tandems for fun, fitness, and other
> personal goals, , I eventually got into competitive cycling as a natural
> progression. In fact, it is that competition that helps keep me motivated 
> to
> stay in shape. If I skip a workout, I may lose some fitness, but when I
> think of how I might pay the price when racing, or let down my teammate,
> then, I have more of a reason to train. The goal of fitness is more secure
> at that point.
>
> Ashley wrote...You all seem to have it all covered wich is impressive.  A
> big barrier from my experience, and I'm sure many blind people, is finding
> people to assist you outdoors.  It takes coordination of schedules and a
> commitment from the other person.
>
> Ron...Well, actually, it may seem that way at times, but it is a lot of
> work. I am promoting myself for tandem pilots all the time. Sometimes, I 
> am
> subtle, other times, I need to be more direct and just ask. It is a feast 
> or
> famine venture. Some of my best support actually comes from Lori, from 
> this
> list. Sometimes, I get pretty discouraged and complain to her. I cry on 
> her
> shoulder and she sends me back out there, inspired to ride again. However,
> when it comes together, it is all worth it. That is what I need to focus 
> on
> to keep training.
>
> Ashley...It would be nice to run or power walk outdoors or bike, weather
> permitting.  But I settle for the gym only because I don't have help.  I'm
> sure most blind people are in my position and you all are the minority. 
> As
> anecdotal evidence, as I ask blind people what they like to do they 
> mention
> sedentary activities like computers, tv or reading.  Blind children tell 
> me
> reading or singing or a musical instrument.  Rare do I hear of an active
> activity.  I think there is one runner out of perhaps twenty people in my
> nfb chapter, one member.
>
> Ron...Much of what you just said, I think, is as much an American epidemic
> in general. There is not as much interest in physical exercise and
> therefore, there is not the infrastructure of role models to mentor
> potential participants. Perhaps blind people have one more excuse. One
> reason I, myself, am on this list is to gain motivation from learning 
> about
> the athletic pursuits of others here.
> :
> Ashley...So my question.  How did you find guides to assist you in 
> running,
> biking swimming, etc?
>
> It is an ongoing thing for me. However, I have to give credit to God for 
> my
> first tandem pilot. It took me over a year to buy my first tandem. The one 
> I
> wanted cost over $4,000. With my partial eyesight, I actually rode it
> myself, down to the bike shop for some speed parts. As I was leaving, a 
> man
> tapped me on the shoulder to ask me about my new machine. He and his wife
> were planning to buy that exact model. I confessed that I was blind and
> planned to be on the back seat. He gave me his card and became my first
> pilot. On my first ride with him, I met my second pilot at a gas station.
>
> Ashley...Are your guides paid?  If not what motivates them?  In the 
> activity
> do you feel you can set the pace and own the workout or does your guide 
> say
> something?
>
> I cannot bring myself to pay a pilot, though it probably would help me 
> find
> more. I do take them out to lunch or dinner, buy gas or entry fees, or
> contribute to the friendship other ways. I think what motivates them is 
> the
> whole tandem idea. Remember, sighted people buy tandems for that 
> experience
> of togetherness and teamwork. It is fun to ride the tandem for many of 
> them,
> because it is generally faster. I have had some riders want to ride with 
> me
> in order to keep up with their friends, or beat their husbands for a 
> change.
> I think my pilot for Saturday's epic ride feels that she has a better 
> chance
> of completing the entire ride with me on the tandem. Without her, I may 
> not
> be riding it at all, so it is a fair deal. Some of my best pilots are so
> experienced with their single bike that they want a new challenge, or to
> simply give back to the community.
>
> As far as owning the workout, I think the tandem has an advantage here. If
> you two are just out for fun, then either one of you can ride as hard or
> easy as you like. The only thing that needs to be the same is your 
> cadence,
> or the speed of your pedalling. As for the effort, it can be 50/50, or
> 75/25, or whatever.
>
> It also depends on what rides you do. When I was getting ready for a 
> recent
> time-trial, Tom, my pilot for our regular training ride asked me what my
> goals were for the ride. Though he was not in as good of shape as me, he 
> put
> us in front of the group and told me to hammer for a while. That was the
> race workout I needed. Other times, I will work hard on some hills, while 
> my
> pilots do their own comfortable pace. If I am tapering for an event, I may
> become the slacker, but I try to set the expectations before we ride. With 
> a
> tandem, at least you are always together.
>
> Ashley...Thanks.
>
> Ron...Thanks for asking!
>
>
>
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