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Dale complete his first 50 mile when he was 13 years old, using the brakes on his two speed bike to change gears. After that, he completed a 75 mile journey, and the rest is history.
Kathi always had a bike, but "never what [Dale] did," in fact, Dale was the one that encouraged Kathi to begin riding. When Kathi began riding, however, she did have one large obstacle to overcome: "The bikes just weren't built for women. My bike was bigger than I was.
I almost quit. The sizing was poor, there were no specific bikes for women.
So in the mid-90s when they began to fit better, I just took off when women were finally catered for."
However, that wouldn't be the last obstacle that Kathi, and Dale for that matter, would face.
Dale chuckles as he says, "On our first tour, we almost killed each other."
Fortunately, they both made it through intact, and now, they've toured almost 30 states together. "The midwest is good," Kathi notes, and Dale adds: "Touring is a frat.
You start meeting people, and then you keep running into them. You talk and trade stories and you grow to develop bonds with these people. It is an interesting society, but we love it."
Sadly, the time to interview Dale and Kathi was cut short by the allure of great beer and delicious cheese on this August's BREW Tour, but one thing was clear during the time that I did have with these two:
Bicycle tours start out as a new adventure in fresh territory.
But they grow to become something so much more touching and profound. The camaraderie between riders is heartwarming, the bonds that are forged are lasting, and the memories made are priceless.
Domestique Tours by Shuttleguy thanks Kathi and Dale, and wishes them well!
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