Roland Allen 

A Wise Bicycle

Albert Einstein came up with the Theory of Relativity while riding his bicycle.


For long-distance hikers, cyclists, runners, and enthusiasts of all kinds, their chosen activities offer a retreat that fosters moments of reflection and inspiration.


A Wise Bicycle is a collection of free verses, haiku, and prose that draws inspiration from the author's hours in the saddle, navigating the wilderness trails, bikeways, and roads of Southern California on his bicycle. Many of the reflections offer quirky observations, like the sight of a Roadrunner skillfully catching its lunch and immobilizing it before indulging — an image that oddly conjured thoughts of fresh sushi.


Other passages invite readers to envision the wild reasserting itself when humanity retreats, as animals reclaim their dominion. Writing in a style that evokes literary folk art, the author delves into his recollections of growing up in the Deep South, vividly describing a bygone time and place. Additional memories transport us to the picturesque coast of Maine and the bright lights of Paris.


A Wise Bicycle is spiritual, adventurous, biographical, and humorous.  This book is, essentially, about seeing. Seeing our world, our environment, seeing others, and, hopefully, seeing ourselves within these spaces. This book gives fresh language to everyday experiences. A Wise Bicycle is a testament that profound inspiration is everywhere. And that thoughts and moments worth documenting are woven into the fabric of everyday life, waiting to be discovered.