The first to fly? Wilbur and Orville Wright, right? At Kitty Hawk, in 1903. Maybe, maybe not. It depends on your definition of flying. So, let’s stretch the definition a bit, and pay homage to the great Professor Carl Myers. He was the inventor and pilot of the pedal-powered Aerial Bicycle, also known as the … Continue reading Bicycle History: The Sky-Cycle, the World’s First Flying Bicycle
Seguret: Our Favorite French Village
Do you have a favorite French village? Of course you do. Favorite is the key word here, not best. Because, if I'd written "best" French village, it could have set off a never-ending argument and destroyed friendships. Favorite is a personal choice, something you get to decide, and is based on: Sentiment, romance, memories, photographs, … Continue reading Seguret: Our Favorite French Village
Bicycle History: From the Tandem to the Quintet (5), Double Quint (10), Quindecuplet (15), Quadricycle (20) & Sextet (8) on Ice
The need to increase the number of people you could put on a bicycle was extremely important in the 1890s. Vital, it seemed. One, and then two, wasn't nearly enough. How about five, 10, or 15? No, let's make that 20. I'll start with two unusual tandems, and work my way up to the bicycle … Continue reading Bicycle History: From the Tandem to the Quintet (5), Double Quint (10), Quindecuplet (15), Quadricycle (20) & Sextet (8) on Ice
Bicycle History: The Cycling & Racism Connection
The murder of George Floyd (and so many other tragedies) has sparked a call for social justice and an end to racism. With this in mind, in the midst of the trial of Derek Chauvin, I took a look at cycling's historical role in racism and segregation. Sadly, I discovered cycling was part of the … Continue reading Bicycle History: The Cycling & Racism Connection
My Paris Stories … The Great Riot of 1983
My second trip to Paris got a little bit exciting, then quite scary ... and then there were riot police, batons and tear gas. It's 1983: I'm the editor of Vertiflite magazine, a publication of the American Helicopter Society. It's June, I'm in Paris, covering the Paris Air Show, a little in over my head … Continue reading My Paris Stories … The Great Riot of 1983
