Rider Inspiration: Paul Black

How long have you been riding a bike?

Since I was 4. I’m not going to say when that was.

Tell us something inspiring and/or unique about yourself that relates to cycling.

I have managed to hit parked cars on a bike. Hard. Twice. One was an empty MG. The other was a GM sedan full of people who pulled over to watch a field hockey game. I scared the crap out of them when I landed on the roof.

What is the biggest accomplishment you’ve made on a bike?

Riding Slick Rock in Utah, though the 105 mile Raven Rock ride is a close second.

What’s the biggest challenge you faced with regards to cycling and how did you overcome it?

Getting back on in a meaningful way after a 17 year hiatus. I would occasionally go and trail ride, but not enough to be serious. Don’t laugh, but friendly Pokemon Go competition with one of my kids was how I got back on nearly every day. It was my secret weapon to get to a lot of places quickly in the hour I had to do it.

Free form – tell us anything you’d like!

I lived in the Netherlands in the late 1980s and got to experience real bike infrastructure. Now I’m trying to get it built here.

I used to bike commute when I worked for the Town of Boone–I lived at 4200′ and worked at 3300′. I could make it to work in under 20 minutes, but it took an hour to get home.