After several years in existence, this website has recently begun to garner readers whose comments have suggested that it should be continued and expanded. So encouraged, I have decided to add content from time to time, which will be included under “Update”.  Here is the October 2020 version.

My Sunday bike riders, the Kingsbury Bagel and Bicycle Association, is still supportive with our eldest participant having just turned 90 years. We have 4 other members who no longer ride, who are in their 80s but all members save one are at least 75 years old.  We still ride, we still have coffee together, including the nonriders. Over the years, to remember members who have passed, we have sponsored memorials. Thus, in our favorite Tower Grove Park there are now 4 dedicated bicycle racks and the local public library has a shelf of bicycle-themed books dedicated to Danny. But the best one so far, is the bicycle rack in the shape of a grand piano now outside the Washington University Music Building dedicated to Seth, one of our founders and a well-known Professor of Music. The bike rack was designed by another KBBA rider, Allen. There is also an annual Seth Carlin Memorial Concert, which we all enjoy.

There are many ways each of us can further the availability and safety of bicycle travel. Several organizations teach youngsters how to care for bicycles by showing them how to repair older bikes. Respect for a bicycle’s capabilities and shortfalls are key to safer riding. If you have an older bike you no longer need, check to see if there is a nearby organization that will gladly accept your donation and use it to provide a youngster with a means of healthy transportation.

This month’s travel tip: On overnight bicycle trips, I never take shaving cream, especially if it is in a pressurized can. Instead, I use a few drops of shampoo rubbed into my beard. The shaving is smooth, easy, and the razor washes clean much easier than with most shaving creams.

This month’s travel site: If you are near Sacramento, CA you should definitely consider riding on the American River Trail. It meanders parallel to the American River, on both sides, and provides a beautiful, relatively flat day ride.  I recently rode from Sacramento State University to the end of the trail, which is a wonderful 18 miles and then back again for an easy 36 mile round trip. You will see birds, other wildlife, flowing water, and a light mixture of riders and walkers. If you begin closer to downtown Sacramento, you will go through an area that is less scenic.

When it comes to bicycle helmets, the newer models with a moveable internal shell are considered much safer and, according to two of my friends, the most comfortable helmets they have ever used. 

Please keep supporting safe biking. That’s it for now.