9/1/10
In the summer of 2005, I was working with a group of people who organized a three day bike ride through northern Kentucky, and south western Ohio. They were not experienced riders and I was driving the van with their camping supplies. While going through Brown County, one of the riders had a flat tire, and had no spare, so I located the one bike shop that we knew was in the area- Mycles Cycles. Michael repaired the tire for the cost of the new tube, no labor charges. Not only was Michael a helpful and gracious person, he was very supportive of this group ( Public Allies Cincinnati)- staying in touch with me over the next year as we planned the next summer ride. He provided tips and information to help the planning process.
I was impressed with Michael’s generosity and sincerity. He provided help and direction to make the ride a wonderful experience for these inexperienced riders.
After several conversations and emails, I took him up on his offers to join him and others on a few rides in Brown County, despite living over an hour from his shop. Not only did he promote his community and the beauty of the gentle hills, but Michael was also insistent on following the law. He would not allow the riders to ride through stop signs or red lights, he was firm that cyclists needed to follow the rules of the road and set good examples.
Michael’s graciousness was especially evident once when I arrived one Sunday only to realize that the ride had taken place on Saturday. Michael saw me at his shop and immediately offered to take me on an hour long ride. He went out of his way to ensure that I took a good ride in his community that day!
In the summer of 2006, it was time to get my daughter a bike to take to college. She wanted a bike that had a lot of “pink”, though we could not invest much money in the bike. Michael took her request to heart, assembling the perfect “pink” bike, within our budget. We made three trips to Mike’s shop, each time making sure the bike met her needs, fit her perfectly and operated to perfection, before sending her off to school.
While I had ridden a lot in my youth, I was now a working mother with two growing daughters and had had little time to ride. The rides with Michael reignited my love of this sport. He acted like a coach, served as a guide and gave tons of encouragement.
Because of Michael’s encouragement, I began riding more and more. This past weekend I reached a personal goal of riding over 55 miles in one day. For some, this may not be much, but for me this was a real accomplishment. Over 25 years ago I severely injured my right knee, faced extensive surgery and reduced motion abilities. Michael provided me with the support that I needed to begin cycling again, and I kept going.
Do the people of Brown County know what a gem they have in Michael Hart?
Why on earth would anyone want to prevent him from providing his supportive, gentle , uplifting guidance to athletes of all abilities? His absence is a true loss for the region and for the cyclists whom he assists. No , I won’t be back until Michael is back in his shop.
Dayle D. Deardurff
Cincinnati
The “dog law” is somewhat loosey goosey. I wrote about dogs on my blog here –>