There are lots of us out there, people who prefer moving
more slowly and with greater deliberation. Whether I would do it in a more
challenging climate and geography is something I don’t have to decide or test.
I have great respect for the women who blogs about living a bicycle lifestyle in wintery Alaska
and the staff at Bicycle Times who do
it in Pittsburgh whose snow and hills I experienced five decades ago.
Bicycles as a real transportation mode expose us to
interesting people and unusual opportunities and I identify one of each below.
I feel vulnerable aboard a bike without a mirror, much more
than when I ride sans helmet. Maybe it is a lingering subconscious fear of
rednecks in pickups that was consciously put to rest in August as I safely
traversed the secondary and tertiary roads of coastal Florida, Georgia and
South Carolina. Irrespectively, I like knowing what’s behind me, so I always
don glasses with a mirror attached (Safari) or bike-attached (High Sierra).
The best wearable mirror I have found is the Messenger Mirror, about which I have written previously. It is a winner in price,
flexibility, size and practicality and now in customer service. The small
mirror is attached to an irregular shaped rubbery pentagon which slides onto
the temple piece. When one of the holes split because I had persistently pushed
the piece too far onto the wide temple I contacted the manufacturer who happens
to be the owner, salesperson, web master and customer service department. He
was for some unknown reason off on a bike tour. Maybe he’s into bikes? So, I
get a return email saying that he’ll send me the replacement piece when he gets
back home.
I have purchased several Messenger Mirrors for personal use
and to give to other riders because $5.99 and a shipping cost of $0.92 is . . .
well . . . cool. Until the manufacturer/owner/salesperson . . . ok . . . until
Bruce got back home I simply began using the backup I’d purchased before
setting off on my tour. A few days ago the part arrived. The part and note are
shown below where he seems to suggest that I am doing him a favor! Now, I have another backup. Whata deal and whata guy. Thanks,
Bruce!
