They used to call me “Bicycle Bill” in Sugarbush Valley
It’s a long story that includes my bike ride across the USA into Canada at Sault St. Marie and then on to Ottawa, Montreal and up to Quebec City where I entered and finished the longest one day race in North America…..Quebec/Montreal….172 miles.
I limped into Burlington VT the next day with flat spots on both rims and was taken in by the crew at The Ski Rack for a few days for some rest and rebuild.
I continued on to East Hartford, CT and Old Lyme, painted the family house and then rode back up to Burlington where the manager suggested I race some local races in the Warren- Waitsfield area as part of a plan to land a winter job there.
It was October and it was snowing when I attacked into a headwind up hill to Waterbury and soloed back down to Mooretown and was finally caught by two legendary X Country skiers who had been in the Winter Olympics. They had no idea who the ponytailed guy was that they had to chase down but they were not happy. I got second and won a great pair of downhill ski’s, while the Ski Rack manager prepared me for the afternoon race that started at the base of the Sugar bush Ski area and came downhill past Glen Ellen and onto Route 100 to finish by a ski shop at the base of the mountain road. They put a 54 Chain ring on and I can remember sliding on ice spots near the top before winning this race. Got some nice Caber Competition downhill boots for this win, which along with the ski’s my biggest win $$ wise of my very early career.
The plan then was to go out drinking with the locals in hopes of being known as the guy who kicked ass in the local races and get a job. It worked, I met this cute chick, who worked at the ski shop and she lived with 3 other cute young ladies, which were plugged into the local scene.
Next thing I know I’m moved in with them and landed a job at the China Barn as a bus boy then to waiter. Sold the ski equipment, (I had no intention of breaking a leg on the mountain), bought some XC equipment and learned how to ski from the famous Ole Mossesson (Norwegian) and worked part time at the Sugarbush Inn trails with him.
There were days I would ski home to my apartment in the center of Waitsfield from the Sugarbush Inn and other days I set tracks on the school fields and ski intervals while saving my money to go race bicycles in Belgium come springtime.
I left there in early March to fly to Belgium but was talked out of what would have been a suicidal trip, (thanks Dave Chauner) cancelled my flight (the night before) and moved to Princeton, NJ as a complete unknown to learn the proper way to train and race.
Fast Forward…….After an amazing season of racing and living like a monk, (the feminist movement was on….and my girlfriend had no intention of hanging with me on my crazy adventure) I returned to the Valley in the Fall and began some serious drinking/chasing women and working locally for another winter, before taking off for Florida in late Feb to dry out lose weight and find form again.
I managed to make the selection for the US Tour of Newfoundland Team in June before bombing out in the U S Team Trials in July.
I actually won the refined version of the Sugarbush Road Race in 1974 which started in front of the Waitsfield school went down 100 to Rochester, around the green and back up to the school. It was a 54 mile race with several hot shots from around the Northeast etc., and that really put me in the legend category with the local ski bums.
I knew I could not handle another winter of debauchery in the Valley if I wanted to make the Pan Am Team in 1975, so I headed south with my Aussie pal, Jeff Leslie, to races in NC and Coconut Grove, then Chicago and to Little Rock before driving to San Diego to spend the winter training….which leads to more incredible stories.