In 2006, Harriett Snel positioned herself on the seat as Joe the bike shop owner steadied the bicycle. As he held the back of the seat, she started pedaling. Wobbling her way down an empty Tampa, Florida parking lot, Joe slowly jogged next to her while clutching the seat to steady the bike upright. Alan Snel of the Southwest Florida Bicycle Dealers Association also jogged alongside to cheer on his favorite girl.

Like all young kids learning to ride, Harriet begged Joe not to let go. Joe promised he wouldn’t. But like all adults teaching kids to ride, he did let go a few times. Joe winked at Alan as they continued jogging together alongside the bike, “Don’t worry Harriet, I’m holding the seat at all times.”

A month later Alan bought Harriet her first bike, a white single-speed two-wheeler. “It was time for her to knowingly ride that bicycle under her own power and without anyone jogging next to her,” Alan said. “She agreed.”

Harriet hopped on, pushed on the pedal, and off she rolled down the quiet street in front of her home. She felt the warm Florida air rushing against her face as her curly hair extending below her bike helmet flopped around in the wind.

Alan noticed that signature big smile of anyone riding solo for the first time. “She was so proud and happyI laughed and started taking photos as if I was the proud parent. ‘Boy oh boy oh boy,’ mom said after her first solo bike ride. That was amazing!’”  

On August 16^th, 2013, Harriet passed away at a hospice in Boca Raton. She was 71. Thank you Harriet Snel for teaching that we can all feel the joy of that first solo ride – at any age.