Do Not Stop Pedaling

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DO NOT STOP PEDALING


What? Why? You know that you could drive across America....right? These and many others were the remarks made when I announced I would be riding my bicycle across America.

 I never thought it would be easy, but I always thought it would be fun. As a kid I loved riding my Sears bike everywhere. I made my ten speed road bike into a cross bike long before the mountain bike was born. I left for college in the Fall of 1982, but before I did I bought my first "real bike". I went to a real bike store and bought a real performance bike. It was a blue Nishiki "mens" frame, meaning there was a top tube. This was opposed to the step through bike that was known as the womens bike.  It was a slightly used bike and a bit too big for me, but it was mine.

I attended school at Humboldt State University on the North Coast of California. This is not a warm place and I lived 15 miles north of the University. I would bring my bike with me to school and ride in between or after classes. One day, much to my surprise a nice young man in one of my classes asked me if  I would like to ride with him after class. I will qualify my acceptance for the ride by saying yes, he was cute, but really it was about a bike ride. As we set out on our first ride I quickly learned what I did not know about bike riding. Suffice it to say that I saw a lot of his backside that day. It was then that the lessons began. The second ride he rode behind me and suddenly shouted what are you doing? What do you mean? I am riding my bike. Well DO NOT STOP PEDALING he says. What do not stop pedaling? I had never thought about constantly pedaling. I was just riding like I did when I was a kid. Pedal some, coast some. I had never really thought about just pedaling all the time. It took me a while to get over that kid in me pedal and coast routine. My new found riding friend would ride behind me and yell DO NOT STOP PEDALING. Eventually he broke me of my bad habits. Little would he know or ever learn how much those words four words would shape my life.

       

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 12, 2021 at 9:13 AM

    Terry you are so lucky to find this wonderful man who is the best teacher I know & totally conditioned to fulfill this wonderful journey that the both of you are accomplishing. As his patient he taught me how to heal myself but it took lots of work & dedication on my part along with his support.
    He is family as far as I am concerned, he has helped all of my children, Grandchildren & Great Grandchildren. Royce is & always will be my Hero.
    May God continue to be with you on a daily basis as you travel the World we live in. Stay safe &

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