Lots of great advice here, much of which helped me and my now-fiancee to really enjoy the process of learning how to ride tandem a couple of years ago. It's a different feel in so many respects than riding a single... the pacing, the way the body responds, the pressure in the pedals, the time it takes to spool up to speed. The learning curve was a little steeper at times than anticipated (eg, it took us 1,000's of miles to finally figure out how to stand and punch up hills), but the time we've spent on the bike together has been special. Tandeming is a perfect reminder that life is the journey, not the destination. And the best journey is the one that's shared.

I'll add only one thing to the advice column: The first time you coast into the parking lot at the end of a ride totally spent and ready to collapse, resist the urge to simply unclip one foot, lean over, and start to crawl off the bike like you've done a thousand times on your single. If you do, your still-clipped-in stoker will hit the ground. Do not -- I repeat -- do not forget your stoker. Not that I could imagine ever doing such a thing...