Bicycling on the beach

I still have the Janus Earthcruiser beach bike I bought in the early 80s for riding on Jacksonville Beach. It’s too beat up to show. It should be on the wall of a seafood restaurant.

Bicycling on the beach is one of life’s greatest joys. You get all the wonderful sensations of the seaside—and no hills to deal with!

Janus Earthcruiser beach bike riding on Jacksonville Beach

Bad things happened, an entire run of them that shut me down, caused me to withdraw from everything except my inner self.

One afternoon, in a hammock, I took a photo of myself. Just my legs. But there was no one to send it to. No one to understand.

I needed a sidekick so I sketched an armadillo because they’re crusty on the outside but not within. I made him my butler. Crusoe’s manservant Friday.

We began interacting—my hammock photo speaking to that critter, that critter speaking back.There’s a folder of cartoons somewhere. For now there’s just this one. (LINK)

Eventually after that I began writing novels.

I’m still a hermit, marooned you might say, but leaving my shell more and more—my inner self seeking its freedom through writing.