To:        hpv@zippy.sonoma.edu
From: an332@freenet.carleton.ca (Kathy Bilton)
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 1994 19:42:50 -0400
Subject: New 'Bent Owner's Comments Log

       I finally got a 'bent on 12 July 94 and already can't imagine
how I could have lived so long without one!  I only learned of the
existence of recumbents this past January - and took my first ride
on one on 11 June - and knew from that moment that I would end up
getting one.  Anyway - I decided to keep track - initially at least
- - of the comments that I have heard - shall we say - en passant - and
thought I would post them to the list.
......................................................................
Eight Days of the Week

   Day 1:

A couple of kids of about 11 years of age up on a hill overlooking
the road near the bike shop:  "Stupid bike!"

Along C&O Canal Towpath (Mile 70 region):

Woman walking dog: "That looks like fun!"

Two cyclists riding in the opposite direction: "You're doing it the
easy way!"

Man standing with fishing rod: "That's a different wrinkle!"

One of three guys with bows and arrows: "Man, I like that bike!"

A mixed group of adults and kids. One guy said: "Where can I get
one of those?"

Two little kids: "Look at that bike!"

   Day 2: (also along towpath)

Two deer and a snake: No comments heard. (However, can I interpret
the fact that I actually *saw* deer along the towpath for the first
time after having lived along the path for the last seventeen years
to mean that they were aware of the difference between a 'bent and
an upright and stuck around to get a closer glimpse? ;)  )

Though I think I rode past pretty near the same number of people on this,
the second day, the only folks who said anything were people I knew.

   Day 3:  (at campground along towpath)

Little boy on a bike: "A no-hands bike!"

   Day 4:

Rode old upright.   "Hi." "Hello."

   Day 5:  WHIRL Picnic (and Glider-fest!)

Washington's Happily Independent Recumbent Lovers
First Annual Picnic - Lovettesville, Virginia

"Looks like you went and got yourself a bike!"

Richard, after test riding it averred:  "It's lively!"

   Day 6

Back road near Antietam Battlefield.  Some country folks hanging
out in their front yard and looking a bit uncertain.  I decided to
be friendly and wave, after which one of them said: "I never saw anything like
that before!"  "How do you steer it going downhill?"  ("Well - pretty much
like you steer it going uphill.")

Main Street and Dog Street Road, Keedysville, Maryland - Three
kids about 12 years of age walking down the street - the one with
the lollipop hanging out of his mouth shouted:  "Cool bike!"

Side street, Shepherdstown, West Virginia - A guy doing some
stone work:  "Is that comfortable?"

Farmers' Market - Shepherdstown

Woman selling non-Czech baked goodies: "How do you like your bike?"  ("Love
it!")  Turned out she was trying to convince her husband to get a
'bent - but he was a bit reluctant.

Woman customer: "Do you like your recumbent?"  ("Sure do!")

Several people asked: "Is it comfortable?"

German Street, Shepherdstown, WV (street name was changed to Main
Street during both World Wars)  One woman seemed particularly
interested - as she had just bought a bike.  She seemed as if she
wished she had known about the 'bent option while shopping for a
bike - but said that actually she "could never have a bike that
was that unconventional."

   Day 7:

Woman weeding garden along Limekiln Rd.: "That looks exhausting!"
("No, just the opposite!")

   Day 8:

One of same guys from day #1 - only this time on a bike - and without the
bow and arrows.  Shaking his fist at me, he said: "I'm gonna get
me one of those!"

Couple with fishing gear along towpath.  The woman said: "That
looks easy!" ("It is!")

Another couple walking along towpath who came to a total stop, with mouths
agape, the man saying: "Love it!"  The woman: "That's what I need!"

And then, whadyaknow?  An eleven year old Tour Easy arrived to visit my
neighbors across the street, that AND a tandem which had been rigged so
that a little three year old could be the rear pedaler.  (The bikes, along
with their owners, will be at GEAR at Salisbury this weekend - so maybe
some of you will be seeing them there.)

.......................................................................
For any who have made it down to the bottom of this message - I guess I
ought to add that the bike I got is a SWB USS Haluzak.  I had been tempted
to get a Vision - as I really liked the convertability aspect of it - but
that would have entailed a wait of some weeks - and I couldn't quite
envision what would have to happen for me to want to get the conversion
kit and convert it to a LWB - though it would be nice to know that it was
always an option.

- --Kathy

- --
       _/_/_/_/  Kathy Bilton an332@freenet.carleton.ca  \_\_\_\_
     kbilton@cap.gwu.edu   PO Box 886, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, USA