Bike Touring
My favorite pastime is bicycling. My first real bicycle was a Sears English
touring bike that my folks gave me when I was around 12 or 13 years old. We
lived on a gravel road near Francesville, Indiana. I became pretty skilled at
finding the hardest track on that road. It wasn't very long before I was riding
around the block. Our block was a one mile square (four miles around). Like
most boys I lost interest in cycling when I got my driver's license. When I was
about 30 my interest in bicycling was rekindled and I bought a real 10 speed
touring bike. I was living in northwest Indianapolis, not too far from Eagle
Creek Park. Back in those days riding in that area easy and pleasant. Somehow I
learned about Bikecentennial, an organization that promoted loaded bicycle
touring, and became encouraged to try it. I took a few bicycle camping trips
around Indiana as well longer trips in Virginia and France. My interest in
cycling waned again but I started cycling again about 1995. I started riding
longer organized tours such as the Hilly Hundred and the Touring Ride in Rural
Indiana (TRIRI).