July - August 2005

Calling All History Buffs!!!

The Five Borough Bicycle Club History Project

We are looking for contributions to compile the history of the Five Borough Bicycle Club going back to its roots as the Metropolitan Bike Council and AYH. We’re already underway researching the archives of material in the club’s files. We especially want to get comments from long-time members of the club, and have talked to several. So, if you have old newsletters, photos or memorabilia from the early days, we’d like to talk to you.

Here’s an example of the kind of history we are seeking:

The Judah Apsell Story, submitted by Larry Shoots. Judah was a bicycle messenger/poet. His poetry appeared in the AYH newsletter. I was teaching at an Intermediate School in Brooklyn and used one of his poems in my class. I have since lost the poem. It was about bicycle wheels and the color of the street lights. It was a visually stunning poem. He could take apart a bike and put it together. He knew everything there was to know about bicycles. He was a very strong rider and always carried a red bandana. He used it to shoo off cars that got too close. He was well liked by everyone and was a sort of institution at AYH. I will always think fondly of Judah who left us so many years ago. If anyone has access to the early AYH Newsletters, I would love to find Judah Apsell's lost poem.

If you have an interesting story ...

... or anecdote that you would like to share, please submit it to Sharon Behnke via email to vicepresident@5bbc.org or call 718-823-7303.

Sharon Behnke, Vice President
Barry Hartglass, Programs Coordinator
Ira Najowitz, Member-at-Large