In 2001 some of my customers encountered an unusual cyclist way out in the country. He was heavily loaded, and flew the flag of Nepal from his front fork. They sent him to me upon learning his story and told me to give him whatever he needed, at their expense.

These customers were not wealthy individuals, but they were so impressed with the goals of this man that they wanted to help in any way that they could. He was Pushkar Shah, the remarkable Nepalese ambassador of peace who eventually cycled around the world.

He reached my store two days later. I was able to check over his bicycle and unlike most touring riders, he lacked nothing and his bike was in fine shape. While he was out with some of my customers, riding one of my bikes, I threw some extra cables and a chain into his stuffed panniers.

I estimate that he was carrying eighty pounds in his four Ortlieb panniers. All of his equipment had been stolen during his sojourn in the Pacific Islands some weeks before, so Sir Edmund Hilary had replaced it all! Many of us remember Sir Edmund Hilary was forever indebted to the climbers of Nepal and has sworn to protect the people of the Himalayas in any way, especially the Sherpa. I estimate that he was carrying eighty pounds in his four Ortlieb panniers.

While Mr. Shah was out riding with my friend Steve Grills, I rounded up some folks including my father, who I knew would want to meet this amazing traveller. He was delayed in returning, however. It seems that he was so used to riding an overloaded mountain bike that he fell while riding a light bike with no packs on his way home from buying postage stamps with Steve.

Later that afternoon, Paul Hetland happened to come by on a routine shopping trip. I never knew that Paul had been in the Peace Corps in the late ’60′s. Turns out that he spoke some Nepalese. Another customer came by shortly after that who also knew some Nepalese. I am never surprised by the amazing learned people of Rochester.

My father stopped in and he went over to Rowe Photographic next door to find a photographer. They just happened to have a professional there, of course, and I have some great pictures of that day.

Several weeks later, Mr. Shah was supposed to be in NYC to speak to a large group of Peace people. He missed that rendevous due to oversleeping, however, so was not present at the World Trade Center the morning of September 11. He was in many ways a lucky man. One does not easily survive a ten year journey on bicycle with only five dollars starting money without much luck. One can not have this much luck without merit. Check him out on google. Or ask me.