Just walking along the road in my little beach town village in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica, Central America. Sunny, cloudy and sunny again. Even nature, on this indecisive day, decides if it wants to come out and play. No sooner as the sun peaked out for another Ya… No… Maybe… I run across this amazing human, fully packed and ready to roll, walking her pony on the side of the road. As she passed me I noticed a man slowly following her, 10 ft behind. I laughed and had to ask…
The woman in red is Niki who has been on the saddle for the past 7 months, traveling all the way from Canada. And the loyal tailgater (Barry) has been following this hot tamale on wheels. I asked, “How far have you been riding?” Barry immediately responds, “I’ve been chasing this woman down all the way from Canada. I can only ride for a few weeks at a time. So, I’ve made four trips to her, back and forth from Canada to keep her in my life!” Niki, with a heartfelt humble grin, shrugs her shoulder and says,
“Just doing what I love!”
I oozed absolute reverence for Niki and stated, “This is what my Grandmother and Mother always reinforced in me. If a man truly cares for you he will move mountains to get and have you in his life. For you, precious Niki, a four-time return on bike, to keep you in his life!” I expressed to Niki, her love for her own dreams is awakening my dream, my “Ride for Love” beyond Man– IMagine this?
Look at this beauty!
No better timing to meet the sustainable saddle travelers on their “Ride for Love” Back in Summer 2010 this Bamboo Bike was my Ride for Love. Meet Yoda! Yep, I named my Boo-Boo after my four-legged love (Yoda) who died months before I met and made this darling! So much, I was known in 123 countries as “The Bamboo Bike Chica”. I walked, biked and slept bamboo. Everything that got my attention, wowed my moments and made me lose sleep at night was “All about the Boo!” I truly was made passionate in love with my bike I made in Redhook, NY with my own two hands and feet. I always had this project in the back of my heart, wondering if this would ever come to fruition?
Wanna shout out to a powerhouse sustainable traveler, Paige!!
I met Paige 25 meters left from where I met Niki and Barry. Paige was sitting in a local cafe when I walked in and immediately connected with Paige’s “Pura Vida” passion for life! Been spending the past week talking Boo Bikes and Recycling Component Programs for local farm workers surrounding Palma Tica, with Paige. Even better, yet! After hours and hours of talking with Paige she says, “Hey, my boss Jim (owner of the Bike Biz Paige has worked with for the past four years) has had this shop for over 45 years and he’s actually traveling down to CR in May to surf Pavones!” Hey Paige, the owner and the designer of the Bamboo Bike Studio was surfing Pavones when I sent him ALL the messages, for almost a month, before I flew up to make my own Boo Bike (above image). Got a much-needed collaboration, with Jim (North Carolina), Marty Oldin (not sure where he is right now), Trey Abernathy and Walk Bike Costa Rica, rising, once again! This time where I always dreamed this project would flourish. Here, on the Shores of the Southern Zone, Costa Rica, Latin America!
Team “Bamboo Bike Studio” with your own two hands and feet!!
WHO WANTS TO RIDE FOR LOVE?
My Kababayan’s of Quezon City, Kawayan Tech are pumping out bamboo mountain bikes in the Philippines. Quezon City was the capitol city of the Philipines from 1948-1976. In 2009 Calfee, designer of Bamboo Bikes in California, went to Manilla to train a team of mountaineers from the University of the Philippines.
Walk Bike Costa Rica 