Bicycle Built for Two (plus)

By Guest Blogger
Daniel Sherwood

Last month we discovered possibly the best invention in transportation for pregnancy since priority seating on public transit. It sure is nice to have friends around and Claudia has many. Berkeley can feel like a small town, our own little Wasilla, surrounded on all sides like an island in a sea of mega city. It's hard to go to the farmer's market or to see some music without bumping into a few friends.

One of Claudia's long time Berkeley buddies, Kailin, who still lives at his parent's old house behind a huge banana tree in north Berkeley did us the great favor of lending us his tandem cruiser. It's an old school, bright yellow, steel frame, fixed gear ride for two with a large basket on the front handlebars.

I get a sense of what it feels like to be famous when I tow Claudia and her belly around town. We are greeted everywhere by smiles and shouts along the lines of "She's not peddling!" or "That bike fits two and a half!".

It helps of course to have California weather. The Santa Anna winds have been blowing hot desert air out towards the sea for the last several days and consequently the temperature has reached 80 degrees (that's 26 for you folks north of the border).

Yesterday we took advantage, brought the tandem to San Francisco and pedaled through Golden Gate park, past the living roof on the new Academy of Sciences building, past herds of buffalo and the roller skating disco all the way out to Ocean Beach.

I felt spoiled lying on the beach on a beautiful sunny day less than a week from Halloween. Add a couple bloody mary's to the mix, one virgin, one not, and you've got a perfect day that re-affirms the fact that you can still have fun while 8 months pregnant.