Musings from one who writes, and rides…
This story was originally published in VeloNews. Jock Boyer, the first American to ride the Tour de France, looks a little bewildered. He’s just flown in from Rwanda — a trip that takes almost two days — to attend a special screening of the movie about his life and team, “Rising from Ashes,” on Google’s…
Note: this is an excerpt from my book, Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Heros Took on the World – and Won. Published by VeloPress. For the first weeks of the ’88 Tour of Italy, the sun had cast long shadows across the roads, the riders comfortable in their shorts and Lycra. Meanwhile,…
This article was originally published in Rider magazine. I am a motorcycle commuter, and so carry the emblems of that profession: a somewhat tatty Aerostich suit, which fits neatly over my business clothes; well-worn, waterproof boots; messenger bag with laptop computer; and of course, an unerring eye for disaster. I am festooned with so much…
Note: this is an excerpt from my book, Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Heros Took on the World – and Won. Published by VeloPress. In 1980, there were exactly four professional bike racers in America. This was not surprising, given that there were no professional events for them to compete in. While…
This article was originally published in Cycle World. Santa Cruz, California, 1969. A young man, clad only in jeans and a white T -shirt, wanders into the local Triumph motorcycle dealer with a slight swagger. Earlier that day, a beautiful, two-tone Triumph Bonneville 650 had passed him on the street. The rumble was visceral; he felt…
This year, seeking to live a greener lifestyle—and save some green—I purchased an electric vehicle (EV). In addition to the obvious bragging rights associated with my new carbon-free lifestyle, it’s allowed me to drive disdainfully past gas stations and earn the delicious scorn of Silicon Valley warriors as I cruise past solo in the HOV…
Note: this is an excerpt from my book, Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Heros Took on the World – and Won. Published by VeloPress. After the team’s successful foray to the 1985 Giro, Ochowicz began laying out a plan to achieve the biggest coup of his young career. Brimming with confidence in…
This article was originally published in the BMW MOA magazine. In my younger days, motorcycle adventures involved unfurling a not-so-sweet-smelling sleeping bag in the dunes, eating a UFO (Unidentified Food Object) from a rusty pot, and washing the dinnerware with river rocks. Cold hands were warmed on protruding cylinder heads. Showers were an imagined luxury,…
In 1993 I was a 34-year-old journalist and editor of “Bicycling Magazine,” when I called a precocious and slightly cocky athlete by the name of Lance Armstrong. In recent years, he had won triathlon championships and stage races in Italy and Spain. My mission: fly to Austin, hang with him at his apartment, maybe even…
This article was originally published in City Bike magazine. May your heart always be joyful and may your song always be sung. May you stay forever young. –Bob Dylan In the early 1960s, Carmel, California, was sanctuary to a Bohemian assortment of singers and artists that would soon leave an indelible mark on American culture.…