As I commute in from NoPo each morning I follow Willamette until it meets with Greeley close to the Adidas campus. This is my warm-up for the day, time to sort out the projects I’m working on and a brief respite of prayerful thank you to the bike gods before I head into work. Inevitably about once or twice a week this summer I’ve passed my new friend, Joe Kurmaskie, in front of his home and we yell out friendly morning greetings to each other.
A couple of days ago I had to stop, though, and marvel at the yellow beast astride the top of his car. Joe was on his way to a news shoot to announce his upcoming trip – a ride across Canada (Rockies and all!) with his wife and three sons. They’ll be on a triple with a trail-a-bike and trailer on the end and will travel, all seventeen feet of them, for a couple of months before landing safely on the east coast. The trip, from what I understand, is one part experiment in surviving your loved ones and three parts fundraiser for their growing new baby, Camp Creative (www.campcreative.org).
I, for one, am intensely jealous and am energized to plan my big adventure idea: a global circumnavigation with family by bike. Joe and Beth’s antics have me convinced it’s possible but while I daydream about that ‘one of these days’ goal, I just have to sit and admire the Metal Cowboy and his family. Good luck, you guys, and remember to write!
