Bicycle tourists thankful for help given by area residents
To the Editor:
My 14 year old son and I had occasion to visit Libby, Montana, this summer while bicycle touring across the United States.
It was the 19th day of our three month trip. We rode 56 miles that day, arriving in Libby around 6:30 pm. We pitched our tent to camp at the Volunteer Fireman's Campground.
My son had been having difficulty with his bicycle chain and cassette for about a week. Although his bike had been serviced a couple of days earlier in Sandpoint, Idaho, the shop in Sandpoint did not have the replacement part needed and recommended that we have the cassette replaced prior to our trip across Glacier National Park on the Going to the Sun Road. Knowing that time was of the essence, as soon as we finished our supper, my son left camp on his bike in search of the bike shop that we hoped to find in Libby.
He returned a short while later, reporting to me that the bike shop was no longer in business, but he met a woman named "Mary" who had given him some phone numbers to call where we might locate a bike mechanic. He assured me that "Mary" would stop by our camp to see if she could help us. Immediately, I began to wonder … "Who is Mary?" My son informed me that Mary was a local shop owner and she wanted to help us.
Bicycle touring across the continent requires a delicate balance of pragmatism and faith. Reviewing our physical and mental preparation for the trip, I hoped that I had instilled in him enough caution to calculate his risks and enough confidence to trust in his own problem solving skills. I waited to meet "Mary" while my son made phone calls to various leads for bicycle mechanics.
About dark, "Mary" pulled up in her van. She introduced herself and stated that she was prepared to take my son, his bicycle and myself to the only bicycle mechanic that was available in the area … Dennis (Hedge) of Troy Bicycle Shop, some 18 miles away. We loaded his bicycle and ourselves into her van. She not only drove us to Dennis' shop in Troy, she waited with us while the part was replaced and drove us back to our camp. It was about 11:30 pm when we returned to our campsite.
I do not know why Mary Devlin of Shoes n Socks, Etc. offered to help us. I do know that there are still "good people" in Libby and Troy, Montana, and in many other small towns across our great nation. I know that on that beautiful June night in Libby, Mary was our "bike angel". Her kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Dennis in Troy was willing to wait for us, to help my son with his bicycle and to offer his encouragement as well.
At this season of Thanksgiving, we want to recognize Mary and Dennis for their contribution to the success of our bicycle trip. We arrived in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Aug. 16, 2005 and raised over $1500 for breast cancer awareness. Thank you Mary! Thank you Dennis! For helping us along the way.
Shirley Rush
Fort Fairfield, Maine