My Pedicab Bucket List

The pedicab has turned out to be a great blessing. I have lost 20 pounds in one month getting the type of vigorous exercise I desire such as pedaling the five miles uphill to Wangum Reservoir and back, once a week. For Cindy the pedicab has brought delightful social benefits.

It started with dropping by the Farmer’s Market near the end of a ride. One of Cindy’s elderly good friends was there, Eve Thew, and I gave her a ride with Cindy. She’s the one pictured in the photo posted on the Farmer’s Market Facebook page. The following Saturday I went directly to the Farmer’s Market, parked the pedicab near the information booth and gave short rides up and down Maple Avenue.

I did not stop with the Farmer’s Market. Our neighbor Kailyn runs the Norfolk Early Learning Center day care, located just a few blocks away. A few times now I’ve given preschoolers and older short rides around their property. Cindy loves this! Even as we simply approach the day care center she lights up. One reason is the normal conversation she has with these kids as they ride next to her on the pedicab. Here are some snippets:

Little girl: “You know what?”
Cindy, with genuine interest: “What?”
(Little girl proceeds to tell a story about her Mom.

Little boy sharing his wisdom: “If you walk on roads you can get boo-boos.”
Cindy, as if she’s just been enlightened: “Oh-h-h-h-h-h!”

Little boy starting a conversation: “My favorite color is yellow.”
Cindy, encouraging further conversation: “Oh, yeah?”
(Little boy shares more of his likes)

Cindy to a little girl: “Do you like?”

In this case Cindy initiated the conversation. Admittedly, the little girl was not sure what Cindy meant, I’m guessing the pedicab ride. Yet that’s not so unusual. Little kids often don’t know what adults are talking about. That’s sort of the point. Cindy essentially was carrying on the same type of mini-conversations with these little people that any adult would. She was having a normal social exchange.

Near the end of one of our Wangum Reservoir runs I stopped at the nearby Wood Creek Bar and Grill and ordered dinner for us. They brought it out to us in the pedicab, parked near their entrance. That got me to thinking up a bucket list of things to achieve with the pedicab, such as:

Stopping at our local Infinity Hall Bistro for dinner.

Riding up to the top of Dennis Hill and back.

Going to Wangum Reservoir, but then swinging back around Windrow Road, a much longer ride that brings us through the heart of Great Mountain Forest.

Giving elderly friends of Cindy that live at nearby Meadowbrook rides.

Riding to the neighboring town of Canaan to eat at the Caddyshack (an outdoor venue).

Giving elderly friends who live at Geer Village in Canaan rides.

Going to Dairy Queen in the town of Winsted.

Then, of course, I have a bucket list wish of giving pedicab rides to all the donors of our Calm the Mind campaign. To date I’ve given rides to Alison, our former renter, and Kim, Cindy’s closest friend. There are more of you out there. Please drop by.