I am happy to report that I was able to ride to Carrollton from Newell this morning with no problem. I'm a little out of shape after the brief hiatus but hope to be back up to speed soon. Chris Corson gave me some old bicycles just before the accident and I had also been given an old bike at a recycling center just before the accident so I am beginning to work on them now. I'm learning alot. Thanks to all the people who have advised me on bicycle repair, especially Allen Griffin at Perpetual Motion, Matthew Currie in Vermont and Hector at Bookends Bikes. I keep learning more and more. Soon I hope to either build or buy a good bicycle trailer so I can haul five gallon containers of kerosene for use in my cookstove and heater. A full container weighs at least 30 pounds, I think.
I have a new idea regarding encouraging bicycling in east Alabama. Maybe you have ideas, too. It would be good to coalesce our energy and enthusiasm. The more bikes on the roads of Randolph County and east Alabama the safer conditions will become for all bicyclists, I believe. We can have an positive impact on our polluted and sedentary society if we think we can and if we work together. Perhaps getting church youth groups together to organize periodic (maybe monthly?) rides or even races with prizes would be fun and useful. Let me know what you are thinking. Allen sponsors a ride every Tuesday in the Carrollton area.
Steve Sedberry