In the eighties, Greg Lemond began his meteoric rise in popularity in the cycling world and in the US in general. He popularized cycling in a country which ignored any sport which did not involve a ball. Instantly, the feuds, the drama, the pain and the suffering of cycling filled the radar screens of many Americans including myself.
Over the next few years, I became addicted. I began to ride and even race. I watched the Tour as it came on television each July. Velonews and other cycling magazines sat well worn in piles all over my room. Within a few years, I was a mechanic in a shop and was racing in road, mtn and cyclocross.
I was in highschool during this time, and was making important decisions about my future. Though I did not know how important those decisions were at the time, I think they had a very profound effect on my future.
One of the decisions I was faced with was what language to take in school. As a huge cycling fan, I opted for French. I decided that one day in the future, I would go to France to see Le Tour in person. I figured learning French would make the trip more enjoyable and more comfortable.
In my first French class, a cute blue-eyed brunette caught my eye. Now 18 years later, she is my wife, my best friend and mother of my beautiful daughter.
I love to look back and find the decisions that brought me to where I am in my life. I love to dig back in my own thoughts and find the point where my life took the turn that made life what it is for me now.
Cycling has improved my health, my spirit, and my relationships. It is an integral part of my life and will always have a place in my heart. Most importantly, it has given me my best friend!
