Carrie Sundahl & Chris Drews

by Mary Mesa

Chris, born in Chicago and reared in the Bay Area, graduated from John F. Kennedy High in Richmond and San Francisco State University with a degree in Accounting/Finance. He moved to Sacramento in 1985 and began work with the out of state district of the Board of Equalization as an Auditor, traveling throughout most of the western U.S. for eight years, spending about two weeks out of the month on the road. It was during this time that his weight climbed to 250 lbs. as a result of the on-the-road diet and drinking routine. It had slowly risen over several years, making it easy for him to ignore. It wasn’t until a friend who hadn’t seem him in a few years made a comment that he began to realize how much he’d gained. When he discovered, on a bet, that his hefty boss actually weighed less than he, it shocked Chris into dieting. He got down to 220 and his friend Tom Vogt motivated him to get a bike by telling him about all the calories he could burn by cycling. So he began riding on the trail and felt accomplishment when he finished his 10-mile rides. It was at this time that he hung up his traveling bags and took on the post of Audit Reviewer, which he continues to hold today. No longer a slave to the road, his eating and exercising habits have changed accordingly, and he has been able to maintain his weight and healthy fitness level.

It was during this period of transition that he and Carrie bumped into each other at the copy machine and began their relationship over a diet brownie recipe that Carrie copied for Chris. The brownies turned out to be dispensable, ("we haven’t made them since," said Chris) but the couple has endured. Carrie was doing 20-mile rides at this point, so Chris saw her as a biking animal. "We really have a pretty good relationship," said Carrie. "We don’t really fight; he says ‘back off’, and I do," she laughed. And unlike many couples’ experience, their tandem adventures have been relatively smooth sailing. They did, however, disagree on what Chris says when Carrie’s stoking slows down. Chris says, "aren’t you pedaling?" according to Carrie. "I do not," said Chris. "I say, ‘are you resting?’ "

The tandem riding has been a nice adjunct since they tend to lose sight of one another on their individual bikes. Chris tends to push himself to see how strong he is, often leaving Carrie behind. (That could be different this year, given Carrie’s time in the saddle.) The first year they put about 7,000 miles on the tandem. They used it on last year’s Cycle Oregon tour and completed this year’s club tour on it.

When they started riding they were too intimidated to join any of the clubs. That first year they did a tour from the Bay Area to Sacramento, starting at Chris’ Mom’s house and ending at Carrie’s Mom’s. It was a two-day credit card tour with a stopover in Rio Vista. They liked it, so the following year they did a three-week self-contained tour from Portland to the coast and down to San Francisco. It was approximately 1,000 miles but a tad more arduous than Chris’ car rides through the area had indicated. Although challenging, this trip is memorable to them because of the beauty and novelty interwoven through it. "The idea that this little bike was going to take me all the way was so new and overwhelming to me," said Chris. But they had a grand time, and Carrie remembers each town as an adventure. "And, I lost weight," added Chris.

Another fun tour began in San Francisco and ended in Mexico. They had tailwinds, a bob trailer and were much better at packing than they were on that first attempt.

They eventually joined the Bike Hikers and when they moved into their current residence two years ago their neighbor, Neil Bos, said, "You’re Bike Hikers? Why aren’t you Wheelmen?" So they acquiesced, feeling more confident after having put thousands of miles on their bikes. Mike Rose led their first ride so they feel they were appropriately initiated.

Although they completed three double centuries in 1999 (Davis Double, Eastern Sierra and Solvang) along with part of the Davis Brevet Series, Chris prefers short and fast rides, saying, "After 120 miles it stops being fun". They did do the Davis Double again this year, which strengthened Chris’ resolve to forego the longer rides. "It was so hot and awful," he said. "Last year we finished in 13 1/2 hours." He declined to give me this year’s time. Carrie, on the other hand, has amply demonstrated her predilection for the endurance rides. This year she completed the Davis Brevet Series, qualifying rides for the ultra-distance Paris Brest Paris. This series consists of a 200, 300, 400 and 600-Kilometer ride, and the Fleche 360K, where riders, working as teams, begin at equidistant points from Davis and attempt to finish there in exactly 24 hours. Carrie gives kudos to Dave Leonard for his support throughout this challenge. "He rode all the rides with me and had words of encouragement before, during and after each ride. I guess you could call him my brevet mentor. I would not have been able to do it without him." For her efforts she receives the super Randonneur’s medal and the confidence to consider doing the Paris ride in August 2003. She also challenges Chris on his goal to ride 5000 miles per year, having herself racked up 1,100 in the April Brevet rides.

They try to do at least one tour every summer, which gives them something to train for and look forward to. The one summer they didn’t tour resulted in much less overall riding, because there were always excuses to abstain. They were on the club tour this year and last and their long-term goal is to ride across the United States.

They’re very much looking forward to Neil’s European tour this fall. Carrie will be riding her new Calfee and Chris will be on his steady Bridgestone steed. "Well, it has a racing frame and it’s light for steel," he interjects.

Carrie does spinning classes and Chris goes on protein diets. He’s discovered that he can lose weight quickly; the downside is that he bonks after about 50 miles. He did a 100-mile ride while on this regimen and limped along at 13 mph for the last 45. Still, he plans to go on it again, having lost 15 lbs. in 3 weeks. Carrie was a vegetarian when Chris met her, but he converted her with beef jerky. So far she’s managed to avoid the all-meat diets. They also like to backpack and have done some kayaking, which they may pursue again. Carrie had a little battle with the river, which left her less than enchanted, but she’s willing to go another round with it.

Friends Mary and Wayne Woodside, Tom Vogt and Lea Brooks were all influential biking advocates. The Woodsides convinced them to get their tandem, even sending Chris and Carrie to Reno to look at one, and also encouraged them to do the Brevet Series. Tom Vogt, the "folding bike ride leader" from the Bay Area, was generous enough to organize several small tours which Chris and Carrie went on early in their biking careers. Lea inspired Carrie years ago when she talked about the touring she did, planting a seed that has now provided harvest upon harvest.

Their club experience has been invaluable. "We were kind of friendless, especially pertaining to biking," said Carrie. In that respect the club has been a positive force in nurturing their social well being as well as their riding. You will continue to see these two as they evolve in their cycling and club membership pursuits.