How It Began - Part 3

Williamsport, PA

Williamsport is a beautiful place nestled between Bald Eagle Mountain, one of Pennsylvania's longest ridge mountains, and the rugged terrain of Pennsylvania's Northern Tier. It is a place of unusual civility where you can be deep in the forest roads in less than 15 minutes. It is a great place to live. More importantly to this story is that it is two hours closer to the hotbed of Pennsylvania road cycling, Lancaster County. I could now justify getting a USA Cycling Official's License which I did in February, 1999, at a clinic taught by Jim Patton and Judy Miller in Crofton, MD.

I also joined a list serve for owners of the Intruder's sibling motorcycle, the Suzuki VX800 (www.vx800.net/faq). In April I bought a 1990 with 2,500 miles. There are two important things this adds to how I got to the Tour of Ireland. 1. I now had a motorcycle that, while not a BMW (the motorcycle of preference for race support), it could do everything the Beemers could and some a lot better. 2. I met some GREAT people on the list.

My first year as an official did not offer much more activity so I just kept marshaling Philly week and Altoona plus I added the Univest Grand Prix, a UCI race held every fall in Souderton, PA and the Housatonic Classic in Danbury, CT. People were starting to recognize me when I showed up.

In 2000, things got interesting. I worked a lot of local one-day races as a motoref and at one in Lebanon, PA, when I showed up Keith Erb told me it was time to be a Chief Official. I was bright enough to know that this was a safe assignment since Keith was backstopping me. Sherry Erb, his wife and Judy Miller, the USA Cycling Regional Representative were the judges and standing by, observing and kibitzing, was the The Big Guy himself, Judy's husband Dave, a member of the USCF Board of Trustees and one of the four most senior motorefs in the county. I think I had the most experienced crew working for me that day that any new Chief Official ever had. Shortly into the second race of the day, the skies opened up, thunder and lighting filled the sky and the street soon had two inches of water. I canceled the day's racing. It took years to overcome the nickname I got that day, the Terminator.

In July I went to Altoona to marshal. Following Kirk and Dave's advice I brought my striped official's jersey. I ended up being a motoref for the women's pro race for six days, my first stage race as an official.

Me on the VX800 at the Martinsburg Stage of the Tour d'Toona

2001 was another giant step forward. Before the season began I successfully upgraded my license to become a Category B official. In addition to now officiating almost every weekend, I still worked the REALLY BIG EVENTS (Philly Week, Univest, and Housatonic) as a motor marshal and was selected as one of the marshals to travel to California for the first San Francisco Grand Prix. I could not believe that I was being invited to work the most important one-day race in the country. Dreams do come true.

In early spring of 2002, I was talking with Chris Shinners who was now in charge of the motor crew for all Pro Cycling Tour events (Philly Week and San Francisco). He told me that it looked like the 2002 San Francisco race was going to use local motors because PCT was unable to secure motorcycles for us to ride plus there were others clamoring for spots on the crew. I might not be on the '02 crew. I asked Chris if I could source the bikes would I be assured a place on the crew? He said yes.

Remember the great guys on my VX list? Well more than a few lived in California. I put out a plea for help on the list serve and Rick Blunden, former Bicycle Coordinator for the State of California, suggested I call the folks at Mountain View BMW. I called them and a great lady, Carolyn Krchmar, almost immediately said yes. She needed to talk to her team. She called me back within the hour with a few questions. I was in over my head at this point so I put her together with Chris and got out of the way. I was going back to San Francisco to work another great race, this time on a new BMW from Mountain View BMW.

Another memorable event that year was I was assigned to be a motoref for the Housatonic Classic in CT. At the managers' meeting the officials were introduced and I was introduced as “the most widely traveled motor marshal in America.” I had no idea.

(to be continued)