Michael Mcgaughey
Read Michael’s Training/Ride Log
Kids on bikes make me smile. As a kid I remember riding my bike all over town. What freedom, what independence. I want kids to go out and play, ride, and experience the freedom that I did.
I can’t imagine growing up without a bike. My first real bike was a Royce Union “Stingray” with a leopard skin banana seat. We lived at the bottom of a long, steep hill, with two right angle turns. I could do it with no hands, and no brakes. One day, I tried it with my brother, Richard, on the back (key word – “tried”). When I hit the curb on the second turn, we both flew over the handle bars. Richard held tight to my shoulders and rode me like a sled across the sidewalk and down the pickle-weed covered embankment. We finally came to a stop 30 feet down the hill. I was covered in ice plant and raspberries. Richard was un-scratched. It may sound crazy, but long after the wounds have healed; this has become a fond memory of my childhood, and the source of many laughs. My bike was a big part of my childhood – rigging our surfboards and riding to the beach, or just riding to a friend’s house. That’s why I’m excited to be helping TurningWheels for Kids provide bikes for under-privileged kids. I’m still a little crazy, that’s why I’ve chosen the Death Ride – 129 miles, at high altitude, climbing five mountain passes – as a means to raise money for this important charity! Please consider helping me get kids off the couch, and outside on a bike.
Thanks, Mike.
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