ABBN Prolog 3: Becoming a Cyclist

Terminology: a “cyclist” rides a bicycle; a “biker” rides a Harley. -- It began with a bike race my senior year in college. Robert Bruce, Bobby Huffer, John Hunsucker and I decided to enter a team for the School of Engineering; we didn’t want the fraternities to win everything. With a borrowed “3-speed English racer”, we trained, and on a cold spring day in 1963 we won second place in the “Lamar Little 500”, a 25 mile relay. (Photo on left)

Out of college and needing exercise, I got out the Sears catalog and ordered a 3-speed bike ($39) made in Austria. I was the only adult riding a bicycle in Bartlesville, Oklahoma in 1965. (Photo upper right)

While living in the Boston area (1969 to 1971), I started commuting to work on the bike. The three-speed bike was stolen and thus I had an excuse to get a “10-speed”. The Schwinn Varsity ($89) probably weighed 40 pounds and was very primitive compared to today’s bikes but to me it was great fun. I was enjoying it so much I’d often ride more miles than the commute required.

In June 1971, I moved to Dallas and joined the Richardson Bicycle Touring Club (RBTC). In August I did my first 50 mile ride and in September my first 100 mile (century) ride.

Soon the Schwinn was replaced by a Peugeot PX-10, a bike raced in the Tour de France. It cost $189. In May 1972 I rode in, what was then, the only big bike ride in the US, the Tour of the Scioto River Valley (TOSRV); 105 miles from Columbus, Ohio to Portsmouth on Saturday and back on Sunday. (Photo left center, red shirt)

Bottom photos: left-Colorado 1996, right-touring in Texas 1976

In 1974, I lead my first tour (in East Texas) for the International Bicycle Touring Society (IBTS). At this time I was riding an REW Reynolds bicycle, custom make for me in England. In 2003 Brenda and I started leading tours for Bicycle Adventure Club.

I’ve been on over 70 bicycle tours; most of these since retiring in 2000. But I’ve never been on anything like a ride across America.