I went to the First Congo Yard Sale on Saturday and picked up a drying rack for $3 that I’ll use to hold the big bed linens when we change the sheets.

Got a couple of groceries for free at Big Y. Wellness card works there, thankfully.

Ron had an accident yesterday. It cleaned up pretty well although washing the clothing resulted in piles of small debris, possibly from slippers. Or not. Ron eats a lot of seeds.

I stopped by Jaeschke’s (yes-keys) Orchard to find out when the Jonagolds, my favorites, will be harvested. Old man was hostile and rude, oldish woman was polite, formal and helpful. October.

Then to the Old Stone Mill to check out bikes. I was not successful and the people didn’t instruct me particularly well. I did find some good info online**, though, so might try again.

Today we went back to the Congo Yard Sale for the free day. I grabbed a floor lamp that I’d seen yesterday that needs a top shade, two decorative pots and several picture frames. Was amazed at the quality of the items that were given away. Lots of people got great deals.

We bought Pepto, literally half price, at Walgreens. Just in case.

**Steering, not gravity: A bicycle stays upright because of its front-loaded steering geometry, which makes the front wheel automatically turn slightly in the direction the bike is leaning. [1, 2]
Moving the wheels under you: When you feel yourself tilt to the left, you must gently steer or roll the bike to the left so the wheels move back under your center of mass. [1, 2]
Motion is required: You cannot balance a stationary bike because you cannot use steering to catch a lean. [1]

**Common Mistakes When Learning

Not enough speed: Trying to move at a snail’s pace makes balancing much harder. [1, 2, 3]

Looking down: Staring at your front wheel or your feet ruins your forward momentum and sense of direction.

Tension: Stiffening your arms and body stops you from making the tiny, unconscious micro-corrections needed to stay upright.

Wrong seat height: If your seat is too high, fear takes over; if it is too low, it is awkward to pedal smoothly.

**The “Glider” Method to Regain Balance

1. Lower the Seat & Remove the Pedals

• Drop the saddle: Lower your bike seat so that both of your feet can rest completely flat on the ground while you are sitting.
• Take off the pedals (Optional but highly recommended): If you or a bike shop can temporarily remove the pedals, do it. It stops them from banging into your shins and lets your legs move freely.

2. Practice Flintstone-ing (Scooting)

• Scoot forward: Find a flat, open, paved area like an empty parking lot or a quiet basketball court.
• Walk the bike: Sit on the saddle and just “walk” the bike forward with your feet.
• Look ahead: Keep your eyes up and look 20 to 30 feet in front of you. Do not look down at the handlebars.

3. Start Gliding

• Push and lift: Once you feel comfortable walking the bike, take bigger, longer strides. Push off and lift your feet just an inch or two off the ground.
• Feel the lean: Let the bike glide. If it starts to lean to the left, gently steer a tiny bit to the left to straighten it out. If you feel like you are going to fall, simply put your feet right back down.

4. Reintroduce Pedaling

One foot at a time: Place one foot on a pedal, push off with the other, glide, and then bring the second foot up to start pedaling.

Put the pedals back on: Once you can glide for 5 to 10 seconds smoothly without putting your feet down, your brain has officially remembered how to balance.