Daily Archives: December 28, 2008

’09 will likely bring Glydes to 2 riders I know 5

cycling, cyclist, recumbent • Tags: , ,

Yep, they are Clu4u, a.k.a ~ John and Dipseair, a.k.a. ~ Russ. I knew John from BROL and met both he and Russ [now a BROL member] in person at TOT ’08  in the Idaho Panhandle [near Kellogg] as we rode several challenging routes.

Russ is in the red shirt & John the blue as they attend to my trike.

This photo is courtesy of Gregory ~ The Hipster

BTW, TOT = Trike Only Tour or Trike Optional Tour. Actually, TOT = FUN!

Yesterday [12/27], John announced:

Jim,

I guess that I could say that the Glyde is my Christmas gift to myself. I handed Dana a deposit check on Dec. 6. I’ll have to wait til after Christmas for its delivery, though.

Russ followed up with a deposit to Zach for his Glyde a couple of weeks ago – his Christmas present to himself. Now if Russ and I bring Glydes to TOT, Russ’ wife (Judi) will have a choice of Russ’ GTO or my X5 to ride

To which, I replied:

Your stable is interesting. Two Glydes. I know I’ll never keep up with you and Russ now–unless I tried on a tail-faired NoCom. I love the Glyde and posted a picture on my blog. If I were to make TOT ’09 and see yours and ride it, I’d likely be doomed. I better stay away.

Congrats to each of you and ENJOY…

BROL is such a neat community, we share stores, we ride together, and even get the wonderful hospitality of members as we spend a few days together. I certainly did from Dragonfly a.k.a. Robin and her husband Chris; Doncl, a.k.a. Don and his lovely wife; and hmw46, a.k.a. Hazel, who invited me into their homes.  Thanks guys!  So if you bike, especially recumbents, join us for lively discussions, fun rides, and so many other interesting activities.  Some of my rides from this past summer are in a BROL thread titled: Jim’s ’08 Cycling Odyssey. It takes you from Bike Virgina in mid-June to my Niagara Falls ride in mid-August. In between, there are TOT, STP–a double century, and RAGBRAI.

Again, CONGRATS to John and Russ on the 2 new steeds comming to them and the Dana of Bent up Cycles and Zach of Zach Kaplan Cycles for making the respective sales.

American History Reply

cycling, cyclist, history • Tags:

No doubt you have noted the 2 posts below:

This is what the folk over at BROL are saying.

It is good to learn and to have a greater awareness of this nation’s, and the world’s history. My effort here is educate me and share my discoveries. The same is true, as it relates to my cycling experiences. Thanks for tuning in. -jim

The Bicycle Corps: America’s Black Army on Wheels 5

cycling, cyclist, history • Tags: ,

In 1897, the U.S. Army theorized that the newly developed “safety” bicycle could replace the horse as a means of troop transport. As a result, the 25th Infantry established a Bicycle Corps to test the overall practicality of military cycling.

Twenty African-American soldiers put their bicycles, their bodies, and the Army’s theory to the test with a 2000-mile ride from Montana to St. Louis, Missouri. The Bicycle Corps: American’s Black Army on Wheels chronicles their journey through the eyes of two of the soldiers: the white Lieutenant in command and the Black sergeant who guided and motivated the men.

The Bicycle Corps

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
There are reasons military bicycling never caught on, and this PBS documentary delineates them all. On the theory that bicycles were more efficient than horses (tires don’t need food, water, or rest), the U.S. Army sent the 25th Infantry on a 1,900-mile ride from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis in 1897. This 56-minute video details that ride thanks to the excellent documentation left by unit commander Lt. James Moss, newspaper articles by a ride-along reporter, and numerous photographs of the journey. The fact that the Montana-based battalion happened to be black except for the two officers appears to be coincidental, but the interest shown by the various African American historians, authors, and curators who weigh in on the trip is not. After the failed experiment, some of the soldiers went overseas to fight, doubtless well prepared by biking through mud, rivers, sandstorms, cactus fields, and all-white communities. –Kimberly Heinrichs

Product Description
The Bicycle Corps tells the story of the 25th Infantry’s bicycle trip from Missoula, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri in 1897. The African American infantry took the trip to test a theory that the bicycle would replace the horse in transporting men for the army. With archival film, photographs and interviews with historians, this program also examines the life of the African American soldier at the turn of the century, in particular First Sergeant Mingo Sanders, the main motivator of the enlisted men.