Welcome to the PANTHERS!
Partners Aboard Neat Tandems Happily Enjoying Riding Simultaneously
We are the PANTHERS —- Florida’s only active tandem bicycle club.
Our first meeting of the tandem teams occurred in early 2009 to begin preparation for our first tandem rally in The Villages. The five couples, Bob and Jan Thompson, Larry and Paula Eby, Ray and Linda Cannarella, Ray and Nancy Murtaugh, Randy and Marty Thumm, Gabe and Diana Mirkin was awarded the bid for the 2009 Southern Tandem Rally. Immediately after the very successful rally with 126 tandem teams in attendance, the newly formed board looked for the name of an animal and took their cue from the Florida Panther, and established the acronym PANTHERS [Partners Aboard Neat Tandems Happily Enjoying Riding Simultaneously]. The paper work was completed in early 2010 and the PANTHERS Tandem Club was incorporated. Later, Bill and Kathy Foster were added to the list of board members.
First, the Board wants to express its appreciation to Diana Mirkin for her time and financial commitment for presenting and maintaining our first website. As Diana retires from her commitment we would like to thank Dave Cardarella for his time and efforts to establish and maintain our new website. Dave is very familiar with webpages and has undertaken the miscellaneous work necessary to complete this job.
Over the past 12 years, the PANTHERS Tandem Club has had over 200 teams that moved in and out of the Club across the Contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada; and invite all tandem teams to join or renew your membership.
The club hosts two major rallies each year: the Florida Tandem Rally (FTR) in The Villages during the fall, and the Sebring Tandem Rally in spring. Weekend rides are organized by members throughout Florida, in tandem-friendly locations such as Vero Beach or Lake Wales.
Any time you are in The Villages you can join a dedicated group of members who ride every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.
If you are not already on our mailing list, use the box on this page to send us your email address so you will receive details as soon as they are available.
We hope you enjoy our rides and our website, and will choose to join the PANTHERS. Fill out the Membership Application and mail it in today! Dues are only $30 per team per year.
For lots of pictures and tandem fun, visit our members-only FACEBOOK PAGE
You must ask to join the group and be a current PANTHERS member.