Dad and I didn’t often see eye-to-eye, but I’ll always remember his being there when I rode my bike without training wheels for the first time. Such a classic childhood moment when you first feel that sense of mastery and independence. Riding my bike would become a happy place throughout my childhood and into my teen years. The love affair would fade and return at different times of my life.
You may have heard the term bike-friendly which is used by the League of American Bicyclists in official designations for states, communities, businesses or universities. The new advocacy group we have started here in Greenville, Bike Walk Greenville, is working to make our county both more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.
When it comes to biking around town, I like to bike friendly – meaning I smile and wave a lot. This is actually a conscious decision on my part. I was your typical urban citizen used to rushing through my day without much interaction with those around me. Moving to Greenville, SC I had to get used to how friendly everyone was. It brought back the memory of being in the car with my dad after he moved back to Laurens, SC (he grew up in the area). I was sinking in my seat embarrassed by his waving at everyone we passed by driving down the road. I thought he’d lost his mind in his old age. Now I think back with much kinder thoughts. I’ve come to appreciate the friendliness. So as I ride my bike around town I make a point of smiling and waving, remembering Dad’s example.
Today is my Dad’s 87th birthday. Way back when I first discovered the magic of Googling names for fun, I Googled my Dad’s name: Dr. Burrell L. Wood, Jr. Trying various combinations, I found cool things like this excerpt from 1942 in the Journal of Organic Chemistry (see citation below) located at the American Chemical … Read more