THE PEDOUINS ARE IN TOWN

CYCLING PEDOUINS

The Harrison family from Kentucky left home a few months ago on an around-North-American and up to Alaska cycling trip. Since they consider themselves to be nomadic cyclists, they have adopted the descriptive term the “Pedouins”.  Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and their three young girls are travelling on a specially built quintuplet, towing a trailer with their gear. The total rig, together with riders, weighs in at around 440 kilograms!  The quint. has extra sets of cranks and pedals, specially placed so that the kids can help out with propulsion, although the youngest doesn’t have to worry about pedalling as their is no chain connecting her crank set to the rest of the drive train. The rig is equipped with an extra low range of gears so that it can be pedalled up fairly steep hills, even with that entire payload.

Most of the media reporters who have interviewed the Pedouins have been searching for grand, altruistic reasons why the family is undertaking this long and strenuous trip,  “Are you focusing attention on ‘Save our planet’, global warming, or alternative transportation?” they are asked. Bill Harrison replies, “No, we are doing this trip because we can and we think it’s a great way to give our young family a different view of this world that will stay with them all their lives.”

The family crossed from the mainland to Victoria just over a week ago and has been making their way up island to Nanaimo. The last few days have been spent with friends on Gabriola Island and Yesterday, they arrived in Nanaimo and promptly headed for Pirates Fish and Chips for a mid day meal. After that, they headed up Albert Street and, after waiting for the Dayliner to cross the tracks on its way back down to Victoria, they continued on to 433 Fourth Street, where they are staying while in the city

They will be staying in Nanaimo for a few days before heading up towards Courtney, so local cyclists watch out for them on their unique bicycle and say hello if you see them.

Follow the Pedouins’ progress at  www.pedouins.org