Pamela Murray: Bike Hero

[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

Our very own RivSister Pam Murray was recently featured as a local bike hero in Charlotte, NC. The footage is just beautifully captured, displaying sweeping drone views of the city as well as up close views of Pam’s beloved Rivendell Betty Foy as well as the legend herself.

Pam’s Rivendell was purchased in 2011 and she has ridden it nearly every day since, racking up an impressive 75,000 miles or so. She will be the first and likely only Rivster to ride her steel frame into dust.

Please enjoy and show her some much-deserved recognition!

RivSister Leah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzQ8Z4RjZkQ

[Doug H.]

So cool. Being from Georgia, I must say I love and appreciate Pam's accent. She makes good points about riding on roads being relatively safe if you learn to do so properly. The health benefits outweigh the risks I believe you said and I concur.

Doug

[Tom Goodmann]

Congratulations, Pam! It's a very enjoyable story to watch.  

Tom (in Miami, a flat environment that could be transformed into a cycling city!)

[John Rinker]

This is so cool! Pamela nailed it when she spoke about 'not being an intimidating person, not being an athletic person, not being a mechanical person...bikes are just that simple, that easy and that much fun.' But, her best line, to my mind, is 'any bike ride is better than no bike ride'.

If all the news were like this I'd maybe turn on my TV!

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, John

[Pam Bikes]

Thanks for posting Leah.  And for all the kind words.  If everyone rode bikes, think how much better we would all be.  Each person, each neighborhood, each city, each country, the planet.  Rivs help make it all the more enjoyable.  Come ride w/me in Charlotte.

[Steve]

Go Pam! You are an inspiration and a role model. Bicycle advocacy at its best! 

[Junes]

Thanks for the link, Leah. 

Pam, thank you for all you do. Your positive biking enthusiasm is infectious. 

Congratulations on the lovely video profile. 

I’m a NC native and visit frequently, and I look forward to joining for a ride in Charlotte one day. (And maybe the Asheville area ride….)

Jim

On Apr 5, 2023, at 21:49, Pam Bikes <pamlike...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for posting Leah.  And for all the kind words.  If everyone rode bikes, think how much better we would all be.  Each person, each neighborhood, each city, each country, the planet.  Rivs help make it all the more enjoyable.  Come ride w/me in Charlotte.

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[Jan O.]

Very inspiring indeed. Congratulations Pam!

Jan

San Francisco, CA

[iamkeith]

Pam, you rock!  That's just the most awesome thing at a time when people like you and events like this are needed so badly.  Hero is right.   Leah, thanks for posting this - you rock too.  

[Jason Fuller]

I've watched the video twice and will probably watch it a third time at some point. Even though I ride almost everyday as well, I always learn something or at least gain fresh perspective from someone else who does as well - and Pam's insights run especially deep as someone who's put themselves in other people's shoes a lot for education purposes!  Plus, I am always impressed by the "carry shit olympics" and 1001 ways to use the Irish strap. 

I have said it many times, to many people, but there is no Riv I find more inspiring than that Betty Foy, too! It's ironic, for sure, that I've spent so much money (that should be in my retirement savings) on an assortment of well-appointed bikes but deep down what I really appreciate is a heavily-used and immensely practical bike - and Pam's Betty is at the top of the podium for me.  

I ride about 4000 miles per year, give or take, but since I'm splitting that mileage across a handful of bikes (and usually a one- or two-bike rotation each year) the highest mileage bike I have is the Hillborne at ~5300 miles or 8400 km.  The Bombadil is runner up at ~4000 miles, and these are the highest numbers I've ever put on a bike except for probably my teenage Marin 90's MTB that I rode every day for ten years well before the likes of Strava.  

[Tom Goodmann]

This video is the best!  It's true what you say, Pam: you're always smiling 'cause you're always on your bike.  And inspiring too--as in, "What could I be doing in my own community?"

Here is further recent acknowledgment of Pam: https://www.planetbike.com/blog/meet-our-winter-super-commuter-pamela-murray-/

Tom

(soon vacating the subtropics)

[RichS]

Pam, what a wonderful testament to your efforts and the pleasure in the miles you continue to accumulate. 

The Charlotte cycling community is fortunate to have you — as is the RBW owners group!

Best,

Rich in ATL

[Roberta]

I watched the video, rode with Pam and also took her course.  I'm still nervous about riding with cars, but I have more tools to do so safely.   We have great paths where I live, but they don't always go to where I want to go.   Also, I am riding more to where I used to drive.  Thanks, Pam!  I might be in Charlotte again in May, hopefully on a Tuesday night for your ride.

[Patrick Moore]

Kudos to Pam! +1 that errand riding with a goal in mind, even if this means extending a 1 mile shopping rt into a 20 mile loop, is the best riding, IMO.

[Stephanie A.]

Pam! What wonderful work you do! So many people have understandable fears associated with riding, and you're really doing the work of helping to reduce those and bring people into riding.

[JAS]

Pam, you are an inspiration!  Thank you for all the encouragement and instruction for riders of all abilities.  I thoroughly enjoyed the video and your message.  

Leah, thank you for sharing the video.

--Joyce

[Julian Westerhout]

What a great message and a great video. Well done! 

Julian Westerhout

Bloomington, IL 

[Pam Bikes]

Thanks again for all the kind words.  Please join me for CyclingSavvy sometime.  The classroom portion is via Zoom so anyone can join.  The on bike sessions are usually in Charlotte, NC.  Occasionally I teach in other locations.  A friend is asking me to teach again in Key West sometime.  Let me know if you want to join me there.  Here's the link.  But I'll schedule a course for you when you're interested.  Just let me know a good time for you.

https://cyclingsavvy.org/organizer/pamela-murray-2/