Rhoda Moore has a sticker on her bicycle that says "53 MPB – 53 miles per burrito". It's a gentle nudge at the hybrid car claim of great gas mileage. Rhoda, who owns a hybrid car, is in the process of selling it and has relied on two-wheel transportation for several months.

A legal assistant for more than 30 years, Rhoda usually drove her car to work. But when she retired in October 2007, she didn't really need a car. She lives in a neighborhood that is close to shops and every place she needs to go is accessible by walking or biking. So she bought a bicycle and started pedaling.

Last fall a friend told her about his volunteer work with the Elm Court Loaves & Fishes Center in downtown Portland. Rhoda was intrigued.

"I thought that delivering Meals-On-Wheels would be a good use for my car to keep it running," Rhoda said. "I had volunteered with the Obama campaign and was really inspired to get more involved in my community, so I gave Ruth at the Two Rivers Center a call. As it turned out, there was a route that could easily be done by bike. I just needed to get a trailer to hold one of the coolers."

Rhoda invested in a small Burley bike trailer. The cooler with the hot food fits right inside and the cold packs and milk are transported in her bike saddlebags. Karl Wetzel, chair of the Two Rivers Center Steering Committee and retired physics professor, modified one of the center's coolers for Rhoda so that the lid slides off, rather than lifts, to make her deliveries easier. Rhoda delivers her route, which is just six-and-a-half miles round trip, three days a week. In fact, Rhoda managed to deliver her route even during the big snow storm in December.

"I was a little hesitant to try the route on my bike in the snow, but I figured I didn't have anything to lose, so why not try it?" she said. "It worked out fine and the seniors on my route absolutely loved it when I showed up despite the weather!"

In addition to volunteering at Two Rivers Loaves & Fishes Center, Rhoda is also active with the Oregon Peace Institute and helps deliver the Kenton Community Newsletter.

Ruth Jensen, who manages the Two Rivers Loaves & Fishes Center (also known as the "Center of the Stars"), says Rhoda is a joy.