Bicycle Trips and Skinny Dips

I am simultaneously reading Ernest Hemingway's Garden of Eden (published in 1986) and Around The World On A Bicycle by Thomas Stevens (published in 1889). A total of thirteen hundred pages about a handful of my favorite subjects. The glorious challenges of being a self-propelled adventurer, writer, lover and the irresistable total immersions in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans that happen along the way. These are the activities that constitute 'The Good Life". I should add eating and drinking, sex and breathing here. What more is there? Both of these stories are able to pull me right into the locales. I can easily relate to hanging out in the south of France (Hemingway) and riding bicycles around the world. We love riding and camping in France and have invested several months in doing so. Twenty years ago we completed an around the world bicycle adventure with our twelve year old boy. Due to his and my combined navagational skills, we were able to complete the journey in six months. I've been skinny-dipping since I was born and find it a great way to stay clean and add a little danger to my days. Keeping the riding shorts dry is an added benefit of the clothesfree swim. Making the time to reflect and get it all down on paper is what I hope to accomplish here in my later years.

Angry Merchants

We like supporting small merchants, especially when they carry items that we are most interested in. Instead of falling back on the internet or big box stores. We seek out small merchants. We want to encourage real downhome people to continue their pursuit and we milk them for their expertise. Face to face, human to human. honesty and sincerity can be seen in their eyes...felt in our handshake. This is how we conduct our business. Lately we have felt their stress and disappointment..."Even our friends don't shop with us first. They buy something through their computer and then come in to show us how clever they were. And we often stock the same item." We often visit bicycle shops when we travel. We started writing, publishing, promoting and selling bicycle guides over forty years ago and therefore sold them door to door at bicycle shops throughout the Western U.S. Shop owners have evolved from excited purveyors of outdoor tools and exploration into sad or even disgusted prisoners of their quiet stores. Most bicycle shops in America do not own the building out of which they conduct their business. Their leases were agreed to back when times were good...five, ten even twenty years ago. Ebikes have accentuated the difficulties between merchants and potential customers. At least 90% of electric assist bicycles are sold online. The buyers are often surprised with the realities of their purchase..."The damn thing arrived in a box." Most of these are produced in China, Malaysia or Vietnam...which results in cheap components and disappointing performance, possibly even dangerous electronics. So, bicycle shop owners are hearing all of the retorts and anger (even though the customer didn't ask for advice or try to support their local business). I walked into the GoGreen Bicycle shop in Burbank, California last month only to hear an angry merchant hollering, "Retail Sucks!"

From Scratch

A friend recently commented, "Chuck, you should be real proud. You built a business from scratch that lasted thirty years." This person did not know that I also built a house 'from scratch' that has been home for well over thirty years. In fact, my whole life could fit under the 'from scratch' theme. As a five year old my mother told me that my father had "flown away" and "flew the coup." No further explanation. On the playground at Woodrow Wilson Elementary school, my kindergarten teacher...Mrs. Dixon, asked me why I waved at airplanes that flew over our school ocassionally. I'm waving to my father, I answered. "Is he a pilot?" she asked. I didn't know and... probably didn't answer. When it came to fathers I had to start from scratch. I had four uncles that helped fill the void. Obtaining a College degree was a goal when I graduated from high school. Neither of my parents had finished high school. We built a community college from scratch...I and eleven other students from Kalamazoo area high schools comprised the academic affairs commitee responsible for formulating a curriculum and design for KVCC. I cut the ribbon that launched Kalamazoo Valley Community College. We started it from scratch and now 55 years later, KVCC is a pillar of the community. Starting and nurturing a business in small town America has become ridiculously more difficult...loyalty, customer loyalty is a thing of the past. Big Box enticements, Internet enticements and online shopping has eliminated the 'little guy' and crushed Village Shopping in America. However, I do appreciate your patronage.