About

I'm 73 years old (73 in September 2023), a retired US Army First Sergeant, a father, grandfather, and great grandfather. I have never been without a bike since learning to ride in 1955; even through high school and my Vietnam service and college I used my two-wheeled conveyances for commuting, exercise, and adventure. I remember each of them, from a cheap 20 incher to a JC Higgins 3-speed, a Royal Scot (a B-grade Raleigh brand) 10 speed, a no-name Asian market beast I bought in Asia, a 3-speed Roadmaster when I got home, a department store ugly that was stolen two years later, a Campania Medalist I literally rode to pieces over a 35-year span, and my first more costly rig, a $500 Performance hardtail MTB.

In the late 2000s I started treating myself to higher quality bikes, over time acquiring a Marin Argenta road bike, a Jamis Dakar Comp mountain bike, and finally a Specialized Source Expert Disk for commuting. I have outfitted the Specialized for touring, a pasttime I discovered about six years ago, by adding racks and panniers, Jones H-Bars, a Brooks saddle, and a new lower-geared drive train. I sold the Marin when I realized I hadn't ridden it on over a year, but missed a light road bike so much that I replaced it two years later with a used Specialized Roubaix. Since moving to the East Coast in 2021 I have added a Cannondale Trail2 niner hardtail and beach cruiser for my wife.

I'm an ACA member and find much motivation in reading Jeff Arnim's accounts of his rides. My bucket list includes the GAP/C&O, a full east coast ride, and eventually the Southern Tier.