Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The Half Moon Bay Time Trial...45 years ago

When I started riding in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1975, I was far from a cyclesport pioneer. There was a long-established community of bikies - all around the bay. One of the oldest and most respected clubs was Pedali Alpini on the SF Peninsula. Here's a link to a site dedicated to the old days and that old club.

By the way, virtually all the names mentioned on this page were known names. You knew everyone in your area who wore black shorts, was the saying. I knew some of these guys, the San Francisco and Marin County riders, and admired all of them. 

Owen Mulholland was the first American to ride in a press car at the Tour de France; he was Bicycling Magazine's racing editor back when. Owen took me under his wing in my early riding days. He got me my first real column writing job - with Winning Magazine, in 1983. He's still at it himself, publishing a book about cycling history every so often. 

Lugged steel? Brooks saddles? Wool clothing? Nothing new under the sun, as the fella said...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I like the cover picture of Dave Brink as a hot junior racer. Dave is one of the most interesting characters I have met through the bicycle world. Most Californians of a certain age will have a favorite Brink story.
Mine happened on a Saturday morning when I was working at Velo Sport. Dave was expected in for his weekend shifts as a mechanic, and I got a call in the shop.
"I cut myself cleaning my cleats, and it's going to take some stitches. I'll be in a little later."
When he showed up for work, he showed us in the shop where he had cut the meaty part of his left palm, maybe an inch long. It was done up with sutures, only they were white cotton.
Brink had put them in himself!