Project Pedicab provides experiences with the most joyful, effecient, earth friendly, smile inducing way to travel.
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June 14th, 2023
THIS POST
The Positive Pedicab has been out for 7 days in Portsmouth, 3 days in Durham. A high point of the the evening:
An older woman was walking and I offered a ride. She was walking towards city hall/police department that used to be the local hospital. She did not want a ride, but we got talking. It was the anniversary of her daughter’s death, she died from cancer 4 years ago and she wanted to look at the window of the former room where her daughter was born.
I finally convinced her to get in the cab and I rode her up the hill. We parked outside the window and she told me stories of her daughter. We had some laughs, she had great stories. Then she said “Let’s go for a longer ride.” I took her for a ride all around Portsmouth, up and down the strip, around the park and she told stories the whole time. We rode for a hour. All I had to do was listen. At the end of the ride she said “I am so grateful God sent you, you lifted my spirit and answered my prayer on a difficult day.”
I was gifted to be with someone who was vulnerable and honest/real.
I had some great passengers. I enjoy the discussions, and always love the “oh wow, this is great” once people get in the pedicab, the best is when a ride lifts a spirit.
May 29th, 2023
13 Hours of cycling. What a great day/evening in Portsmouth.
A highlight was meeting Jen S., an instant friend, shared a long ride talking about the many ways she infuses the world with positivity.
Later discussed the history of Prescott Park, the different characters in history in a rough and tumble seaport town with a lovely woman who’s dissertation on Portsmouth history is on this weeks reading list.
Had fun driving Greg, a local busker. Who played guitar and sang as I peddled him through Portsmouth.
Todd Rundgren was opening for Daryl Hall. Reviews were mixed, but I have always loved TR. I tried to hang out to hear “Hello it’s me” that led to meeting some more new friends.
I’m reminded how much I just enjoy being out in the world.
June 16th
Thursday 4-11pm. Both Michael & I rode. Great to have two pedicabs and see each other during the night.
I am learning the power of social media. I shared a story about giving a ride to an older woman grieving the passing of her daughter. Yesterday as I rode through the neighborhoods I was met with a lot of “hey, It’s you from Facebook.” Not something I ever expected to hear. It is nice to be so welcomed and hear of peoples enthusiasm for the The Positive Pedicab Project. A lot of enthusiasm. We need a cheer aka Roy Kent. Let me know if anyone has an idea.
The ride of the day was bringing a young man to Sagamore Ave past the cemetery. A long ride. At one point I miscalculated shifting and did not make the hill by the tennis courts, he quickly jumped out and pushed me. Yes, pushed me up a hill. I was grateful for the assist, he kept telling me that he could not believe I would take him all the way home, but we were a team. Maybe this is a new model of operation—I bring the pedcab and people can pedal me???
I reunited with some old friends last night. It is so great to reconnect with Scott, Maggie, Joan and others who are shocked and want to know “what the hell are you doing?” What I say is “what I’m not doing is buying a sports car.” This is my cyclist mid-life crisis.
I thank everyone for supporting the project. This week we expect to have a sponsor who will wrap the pedicabs. We hope this will defray our costs and we know we will provide excellent advertising for a local business. I can’t wait to share who we eventually partner with, but yesterday the feeling of partnering with the community was evident-thank you all for the waves, the nods, the high fives and especially those who jumped into Phillup (the name of my pedicab).
Next week you will get to hear directly from Phillup. Let’s do this!
June 20th
Meet Phillup the Pedicab: Phil’s parents Main St. Pedicabs are from Colorado. Phil is a 18 speed, 3 wheeled human powered machine. Phillup does not like electrical assists, but he does ride with a heavy, non-working, noncompliant front wheel. He is looking to get that removed soon. Phil lived in Plymouth, MA before coming to Portsmouth.
What you need to know about Phil is that happiness is when all seats are filled, or Philled. When Phil is empty, Phil is a sad ride. Phillup rattles, shakes, vibrates and is just annoyed and angry, but when passengers are in the seat, Phil is smooth, quiet, and geared perfectly. The way to make Phil happy is to take a ride. Soon we will share more about Phillup, like favorite music (classic rock) and favorite hobbies (long rides on smooth paths along the beach). Come and meet Phillup.
June 21st
I love introducing people to Portsmouth. Last night two young women from Utah, here for a summer internship, jumped in Phillup the pedicab—a perfect way to see the city.
We began in Market Square, the Music Hall, The African American Burial grounds, discussed the history of Prescott Park where dress rehearsal was also taking place for Little Shop of Horrors (it’s gonna be fantastic), the Gundalow, Strawberry Bank, the Memorial Bridge, Seacoast Rep, tugboats, the 1776 Chestnut tree and back to Market Square. Enthusiasm for Portsmouth increased at each stop. It is so much fun to show off this place, it is so rich with community.
As I ride around in town I’ve either been collecting stories or sharing them. If you have a story to tell, please take a ride and share, and if you want to introduce a friend to Portsmouth, Phillup is an excellent way to see the city.
Lastly, One great use for a pedicab is to give workers rides. It is the “workers are royalty program.” Growing up in a restaurant, I know that end of the night feeling of exhaustion, yet also feeling wired and needing time to decompress. Bringing workers to their cars at the end of a shift is one of Phillups favorite things. Last night I got to bring these two folks pictured for an after work decompression ride getting them off their feet and delivered to their car. If you have someone who could use an end of the shift ride, let us know and we can show up.
June 22nd
Yesterday was a great pedicab day. The weather was great for The Plates for Change fundraiser at Strawbery Banke Museum. Phillup dashed back and forth between different parking lots in Portsmouth to deliver folks to Strawbery Banke.
After the rush settled down I met a high school history teacher and her young daughter near the African American burial ground. They were visiting from MA and wanted a ride to get some ice cream. Phillup gladly volunteered. During the ride We discussed the idea of pay it forward campaigns: How do they start? How long do they continue?
We decided to do an experiment. I bought them ice cream, in exchange they agreed to buy ice cream for someone else. I predicted that it may start a chain reaction. They found a man ordering ice cream and the young girl lept into action “I’m paying!” He told her how nice she was with a big smile, but it did not set in motion a chain reaction. He left and we discussed more about the theory of reciprocity. One emphasis is that it is fun to give gifts. We recognized how fun it is to GIVE a gift, sometimes more fun than receiving a gift.
The moon/stars were perfect. At the end of the night I rode 21 miles/over 30 rides. I used my bike pump to fill a flat tire on a Toyota, helped a few folks get home safely who were not ambulating efficiently, helped two people get to work on time, and connected with some friends.
Those inclined to reciprocate were creative, I was provided pizza from a couple who thought I looked hungry (it was true) and another couple gave me a case of craft beer from a great brewery. I love the conversations and most of all—riding with a full pedicab.
June 24th
They say extroverts get energy from groups of people, introverts get energy from taking breaks from people. Yesterdays rides demonstrated this principle.
I piloted Phillup the Pedicab beginning at 9:30am with a meeting with Stroll Café —(some exciting ideas to be shared soon). I was so tired from the evening before getting home at 2am, but energized by the meeting. Then by 3:30pm I fell asleep eating my early dinner. I literally woke up with a plate in front of me and had to take a minute to orient myself to my surroundings. I figured a short night was at hand, but I wanted to make sure to be at Prescott Park for the opening of Little Shop of Horrors. I have dreamed that bringing people to and from Prescott Park. I have always loved ‘The Play’ it is one of my favorite things—theater for everyone.
The long and short of yesterday:
—no pedicab rides to or from Prescott Park. Somehow people were all happily ambulatory, and Phillup sad. Got to get people to take advantage of Phillup during intermission, on the way to the park, way home.
—I saw the play from my pedicab seat—a great way to watch.
—As I started to go home at 10pm I started getting rides.
The extrovert in me perked up during these late rides. I had multiple that extended down Islington St., but the extrovert in me also felt extreme fatigue when I had to turn around and bike back alone. I would decide I was on my way home, but then the pattern repeated— someone would ask for a ride, I would energize, I would bike back to downtown. My short evening ended in the early morning (2am).
Having ridden a whole day really put into perspective the different rhythms of the city. It feels like three different cities. Three different cultures based on time of day. I’m going to try to define this in my writing, but let me know what you think. Do you see cultural shifts by the time of day?
Positivity highlight from yesterday was interacting with potential sponsors and giving folks rides. I’m so excited to have partners on the project and look forward to announcing these supporters. This extrovert needs the collaboration, but now I’ll sleep.
Do Good, Have Fun
June 25th
OK Portsmouth friends, citizens—we need to finish naming the pedicabs. Michael had the great idea of making our cabs and we could post stories from the pedicabs perspective.
I thought of the name Phillip in honor of one of my favorite students. Phil Kreycik. He passed away 2 summers ago and I want to honor him, remember him, and know he would LOVE this project. The idea that Phillup was a nice play on words, because the pedicab truly rides so much better full than empty.
After watching Little Shop of Horrors in Prescott Park, I thought that the other pedicab could be named Seymour, but like Phillup, changed to SeeMore. In a pedicab you really see more.
Anyone else have some name candidates? Someone we should honor? Something Punny?
At the end of the week I will send out a poll.
Thanks for the support.
Here are some of the ideas
Reba McEn-tires,
Al Pedchino,
Bikael Douglas, Bikael J. Fox, Bike Tyson,
Ricksha-shank Redemption, Pedolivia Newton-John,
Cycle Jackson
Cycle Bolton
Roamin the Pecicab
Ryder
Tireah Banks
Happy 4th of July.
Today was a special day for Phillup the Pedicab. We got out early this morning to help deliver neighbors to the citizenship induction ceremony at Strawbery Banke. A celebratory Pedicab ride around Strawbery Banke was in order for many after the ceremony. People waved their flags for the first time as citizens while riding a Pedicab.
Before the event we enjoyed bringing people to the ceremony from distant parking lots. I’m grateful to all those people who chose to travel to the event (including the Mayor) via Pedicab.
If you have not participated in this ceremony before, please put it on your bucket list. Phillup may have been crying a little, I definitely was. It is absolutely the best way to celebrate the 4th of July, welcoming new citizens.
July 6th (part 1)
What a great time in Portsmouth! Had great conversations with so many people and lots of commitments to do surprising acts of kindness. Have you been surprised by an act of kindness lately? At the fireworks a person came up to me and said “ I love what your doing” and gave me $5 to support the next ride.
Someone is getting some free ice cream tomorrow.
July 6th
I love this story.
At Strawbery Banke on July 4th, I gave two young girls a short pedicab ride and asked them if they would be willing to do a random act of kindness to pay it forward. What happened after I left was that they decided to personally thank Linnea Grim, the President of Strawbery Banke for hosting the citizenship event.
While waiting to thank Linnea Grim they got into a conversation with Governor Sununu who wanted to meet them and give support. They had no idea they were talking to the governor, but by setting off to give a kindness they were appreciated and I am guessing brought some joy to all the observers.
Small acts of kindness can make a big difference. I’m smiling thinking of this scene (one of the two sisters in picture below).
July 8th
Yesterday I felt beaten down. I was tired, it was hot, and for the first time I was not looking forward to getting Phillup See More out on the streets. But then I started working on the two pedicabs and realized that the large disc brake on the back of the pedicab was rubbing. Not a little, a lot.
After some adjustments and a little sheepish embarrassment, WOW. Phillup is so much easier to pedal. I felt like I was flying around Portsmouth last night. Phillup is singing. I cannot stop smiling.
I wonder about the life metaphor here. I felt beaten down and tired, and suddenly a friction is released/adjusted and wow the world looks different.
We all face metaphorical friction points in our life. I wonder how we can release them, adjust them, create a space where we sing.
Look forward to riding later today. Phillup is flying.
July 10th
“Isn’t ironic, don’t you think, it’s like raaaain on your pedicab day.” Alanis Morrissette is stuck in my head.
Sunday I parked outside the Unitarian Church and gave rides after the service. Of course this led to all kinds of philosophical discussions which I LOVE. I’m really been taken with the idea that KINDNESS motives are untrustworthy & SELFISH motives are perfectly understandable. Unfortunately we know that sometimes selfish motives hide in behind a kindness, keeping us on guard, but I hope we never get so cynical to believe that Kindness doesn’t exist.
I parked myself at the information booth in Market Square and gave some great, long rides to tourists. I made new friends with two women visiting from Tampa Bay, Florida who fell in love with Portsmouth. We spent 2 hours visiting sites including a stop at the farmers market at Strawbery Banke (where I shopped with them). Lots of laughter and discussion (Why is this ride free? What do you mean your a professor? Are all people in Maine like this? So this is NH? How far to Maine? Yes, I’ll pay it forward and let you know about it). I feel confident my new friends are now leaning Wildcat. Looking forward to helping celebrate at the Stroll Cafe on Wednesday—-come and see Phillup.
July 13th
Great Rides the last few days. I’m meeting a lot of tourists and proud to represent Portsmouth. Tonight I met a couple that needed a quick ride to their hotel room to grab something they forgot and then back to town for dinner. We talked about the pay of forward campaign and they got excited. They had a friend who once paid for a strangers dinner and they always liked the story. Tonight they decided was the night they would try it out. They were off to dinner to find a family and secretly take care of their bill. It was so fun talking about how this might go down.
I also gave a ride around Prescott Park to a little girl who says she is going to do “two surprising kindnesses” with such conviction I am sure she left an impression on someone at Prescott Park. If anyone receives a surprise let me know.
Two days ago we were sponsored by the Stroll Cafe. They are such great supporters of the project. We gave over 40 people rides for free. If you want to go to Stroll for coffee, maybe think about buying a stranger a coffee and seeing what happens. Report it here if you like.
July 16th
Pedicab Day #23 — The kindness economy.
I’ve been thinking about how the economy works best when money is both earned and spent. If you do a service for someone, then the $$ given represents a marker for the favor that you can then use for a service/favor from another. The more money that circulates, the more services and exchanges take place. The better the economy.
What about the kindness economy? In the kindness economy everyone is rich, insofar that you can generate kindness. The more kindness circulating the more services and exchanges take place.
We should not need to save up our kindness. Financially it is possible to go broke, but I wonder if we can go broke with kindness? I’ve certainly have felt my generosity being taken advantage of and have had to establish clear boundaries, but that is about a specific person not the world, not society, not Portsmouth.
In my research the #1 kindness that you can do for another is to listen to them. LIstening has magical qualities, but a free pedicab ride also is a good thing.
Looking forward to listening.
July 23rd
I want to share a story about this corner in Portsmouth.
This story begins having a great day giving rides sponsored by the BRGR Bar. People exclaimed again and again how much they LOVE the BRGR Bar. Not just the food, also the BRGR Bar commitment to community. So when I got hungry last night had a BRGR Bar burger and it did not disappoint.
I took my burger and stopped Phillup the Pedicab at the corner in the picture and ate at a picnic table. While I was there a young man came by walking in circles and muttering to himself. He went to the green box in the bottom of the photo which contains advertisements for real estate and grabbed a big pile of magazines and threw them into the street. Over 200 magazines. He threw them and yelled angrily and fled.
I observed the occurrence while I ate. I did not get up and respond. I just observed. Some cars tried to drive around the magazines, some drove right through them. Pedestrians walked by and ignored them. I thought about a story about Kurt Hahn the famous educator.
Kurt Hahn says that in life’s “voyage” you are either a “passenger” or “crew.” Passengers focus on their happiness and try to enjoy the ride. Crew members look around and see what they can do to help. I was silently hoping for “crew” members to show up. I watched people pass. I kept hoping like I hope at my TV during a NE Patriots game.
Eventually I finished eating and went into the street to pick up the mess. Then something beautiful occurred. A young women who was walking by stopped to help. Then another person, then people in stopped in the street and asked if they could help. Suddenly help was all around us. It just needed a start. People just needed to see someone trying to help and they were keen to help too. If you have never seen the video about the first follower, I strongly encourage you to watch the video.
This post would be improved with a before picture, but I did not think this was what I would write about until after it occurred. I also would love to find the young woman who was my first follower and celebrate her for joining in and legitimizing someone in the street picking up magazines. For all the cars that stopped, people who offered to help, Thank you for being CREW. That was a beautiful moment in pedicabbing yesterday.
July 24th
The Longest bestest Pedicab Ride
On Saturday evening I gave these two best friends a ride. They were visiting Portsmouth for the weekend. After a little skepticism about riding in Phillup the Pedicab they took to the mission to spread kindness and have fun.
After relinquishing control of the pedicab’s Bluetooth speaker they searched and played 70’s/80’s songs while singing together. This then morphed into my stopping the Pedicab in front of groups of people who would join in with some spontaneous singing, dancing, laughing. It was such a joy to watch these two catalyze fun. We did this for hours.
Our ride included stops to dance on the street to live music at the various outdoor music venues, they engaged with patrons at outdoor restaurant spaces who cheered them on as they belted out another Aretha Franklin/Earth Wind and Fire/Elton John song as the Pedicab passed.
As the evening grew longer I was taken by the people approaching them and thanking them for getting the fun started. One woman shared how no one was dancing at one venue until these two jumped out of the Pedicab and started to dance on the street ( and yes the Pedicab driver joined in too). People were reuniting with them like they were long lost friends when in reality they had shared a song/dance together 30 minutes earlier. They were known that night and the subject of lots of photos, hugs, high fives, and laughs. So many laughs.
I woke up Sunday morning missing my new friends. They were an excellent example of how two individuals can spread positivity.
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