Our 47th Wedding Anniversary Gift

Look what  Paul and I have given to each other to mark our FORTY-SEVENTH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!  A nice red and white Burley Tosa tandem bicycle!  We look forward to many more years  “twogether” on a bicycle-built-for-two.  You have seen and heard of the list of traditional anniversary gifts? The list of gifts to which mark the wedding anniversaries?  As the 1^st anniversary you give something Paper, on your second anniversary Cotton, then Leather, Silk and for the 5^th year anniversary, Wood.  The list goes on, 15th anniversary is Crystal, 16^th Porcelain, and of course you know the 25^th is Silver.  Well, we are right between the 45^th year of Sapphire and the Gold, 50^th.  We think the 47^th is the gift of Tandem Bicycle!   

Today is a special day.  Paul and I celebrate each other today on our Forty-Seventh Wedding Anniversary. We look out the window and see all the snow and it reminds us of December 27^th, 1965, in Wahpeton, North Dakota.  There had been a fierce blizzard the day before. Paul and his family had a horrendous time traveling across state from Bismarck to Wahpeton slipping and sliding and into ditches across I-94, trying to arrive in time for rehearsal.  The highway was closed, but somehow they all made it. The next day, our wedding day, the sun shone bright, and the temperature was 32 degrees below zero and the wind chill made it feel like minus 60 degrees.  We North Dakotans are used to winters like that, and it usually doesn't stop us for long. *Just be sure to plug the head bolt heater to the car engine overnight, and the car will start.  It may have been cold outside, but our love for each other warmed us and we had a wonderful day!

As I looked out the window of my kitchen yesterday, it was snowing heavily, and I counted a  flock of 38+ wild turkeys wandering through our yard. They must have felt it was safe to roam, now that Thanksgiving and Christmas Day had passed.  Seeing those turkeys reminded me of something of our wedding day.  My dad was a poultry hatchery owner and he also raised several thousand turkeys every year.  A favorite way of preparing and serving turkey was Smoked Turkey.  I remember when planning the reception foods, he requested his favorite to be included: smoked turkey.  I wonder if that is still popular back home there in Wahpeton, like it was then? 

Back to the tandem: I am just praying we can launch this bike in a couple of weeks when we get to Venice, Florida. Paul is still recovering from November 1st shoulder surgery. So hopefully he will have enough strength to handle this contraption with his Stoker weighing heavy on the back of the bike! He has never Captained a tandem, though I have ridden many miles on about five different tandems. So that experience as a Stoker should help him ease into the learning curve of riding this contraption.

We will also keep in mind when riding this bicycle the memory of a dear person, Carol Kucko, who once rode this tandem with husband, Michael.  Carol passed away this year following a tragic accident at her home. She and Michael shared this tandem for a few years.  I will think of her, as well as the Folks On Spokes Bike Club members who miss her and cherish the memory of her friendship. We thank Michael who was willing to pass the tandem on to us.  And when we shall ride with him on a bike ride, may we all remember fondly the dear heart of Carol.

Can We Ride This Thing??

So Paul and I have become owners of a tandem bicycle!  We look forward to embarking on this adventure of riding with each other on a bicycle built for two.  Paul will be the Captain, steering this contraption and I'll ride along behind as his Stoker, providing pedal power to help propel us forward.

Let me introduce to you Daisy Bell, or as Paul has named it: The Geezer Cruiser.
We are celebrating our forty-seventh wedding anniversary at the end of December 2012, and this tandem was a little gift to each other.  It should keep us close as we ride two-gether off into the sunset years of life and marriage. 

We purchased this Burley Tosa tandem bicycle from an acquaintance, Michael, who we know from one of the bike clubs we belong to, Folks On Spokes.  He doesn't know exactly what year he purchased the bike from Eddy's Bike Shop in Stow, Ohio, but it was new when he bought it there. He thought his wife would enjoy riding a tandem bike, but turned out it wasn't her cup-of-tea.  Thus the tandem with few miles ridden, sat in storage for many years.  Recently his wife passed away, and wanting to find another couple who may enjoy tandeming, he approached us with an offer to sell the bike to us. 

Since he can not remember what year he bought this Burley Tosa tandem, I am posting some photos below and wonder if anyone can tell me what year this model came on the market?
CLICK ON PHOTOS to enlarge for detail ----


We picked up the Burley on Thursday, December 6.

Snapped this photo of Paul and bike just before sliding it into the back of our Town and Country Van. It fit perfectly right down the middle.

The bike came with an attached front handle-bar bag and an attached, heavy combination lock (shown on the seat-tube), and the Stoker pedals were cage type, and the Captain/front had SPD pedals.

 A few days later we added some things, and removed some things. I like Shimano SPD pedals, so I added those to the back, and we removed the heavy combination lock.  We may put it into the trunk bag. We attached a heavy duty trunk rack and added a slide on Topeak MTX Trunk bag EXP.  The sides open out for drop-down panniers that will carry extra 'stuff'.  Like pairs of flip-flops when we bicycle in Florida and end up at Siesta Key Beach! We changed the tires too. On the bike were 32cm tires. We ordered from Tandems East a set of 28cm Continental GatorSkins.

 A label on the seat-tube may help identify what year this Burley Tosa tandem was sold. It says, "Burley Silver Anniversary Edition. Handmade for 25 Years"
Another label in white script lettering says, "Handcrafted in Eugene, Oregon by Burley Design Cooperative" (part of the last word is missing on the photo)

This tandem is made with Veralite, 7000 Series. Aluminum.

SO!  What year do you think this bike is???
UPDATE:   HOLD IT! Search no further.  I did some Googling and found the Burley Story.  In 1978 the company was sold to an employee owned cooperative (see the white lettering on the above photo)  So if you add 25 years to that, it comes to be the year 2003.  So I believe this Burley Tosa Tandem was maufactured in 2003.  You would never know it -- as this tandem is in such great condition, hardly a scratch on it.  We are proud to be owners of it.  I hope we can keep it looking as good as the day we bought it.