Page 29 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2019

Mary Springer
THE BIKE LADY OF THE PASS
story and photos by Jeff Clark
P ass Christian resident Mary Springer doesn’t have a Facebook page or a Twitter account, nor does she use Instagram or any type of social media,
but that doesn’t mean she’s not a social person. In fact, she’s one of the most beloved citizens of Pass Christian where she is affectionately known as “The Bike Lady of the Pass.” And The Bike Lady has a mantra by which she lives – keep it simple.
“I believe in leading a simple life that is not full of clutter,” she said. “I don’t need a lot of things to be happy. I don’t watch the news and I try to keep my mind as free of clutter as possible. I read books about feng shui and how it affects my life.”
One of the things that brings her great joy is riding her bike. She rides it about five miles or more a day, around the Pass and across the Bay of St. Louis Bridge and back, making stops at the Pass Christian Library. Although she occasionally drives a car, she said she bikes as often as possible.
“About the only time I use my car is when I go to Walmart,” she said. “I’ll buy groceries and get gas at the same time. Otherwise,
I’m riding my bike or kayaking, which I
also love. I love being outdoors. But riding my bike is great because people are always honking at me or waving at me – I love being able to interact with people through riding my bike.”
There was a time when Springer was uncertain if she would be able to ride a bike again. On the day of the Pass Parade in 2016, she was riding her bike near her then-home on Second Street in Pass Christian when she
was hit by a car. She was hospitalized with a lacerated shoulder, fractured ribs and she had to have stitches on her head.
“I have loved biking since I was a little
girl in an orphanage in New Orleans,” she said. “I was hurt pretty badly after the accident, but I decided to keep on biking. I’ve recovered well and I don’t have any long- term effects from the accident. The people
in the community were so good to me after I was hit. They were very kind.”
Springer will turn 77 years old in January. And while many people would be thinking about hanging up their helmets at that age, she said she has no plans to slow down.
“I want to keep biking as long as I can,” she said, “As long as I’m able to ride, I will ride my bike. I still enjoy it. I also like riding my bike to the library and doing volunteer work. It gives me something to do and I get to meet a lot of great people.”
So if you should see someone riding around Pass Christian with a helmet and a neon yellow vest, there’s a good chance it will be Mary Springer. Be sure to honk your horn or give her a wave. You’re almost certain to get a wave and a smile in return.
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