Everyone has influences and inspiration can come from every side of your world. For me it came in stages ... and has continued along for the last 50 years.

Early influences:

Dylan on his Triumph

Pirsig- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance


This guy lived in the neighborhood .. and this is how I remember seeing him riding around. I think he rode everyday if not working.


I saw these guys race in person at Ascot Park at age 14. In two years ... I was racing there too ... a very short career. Ascot was an amazing scene in the mid 60's. Many future world champs came out of there including Kenny Roberts ... who I saw ride there a few years later.


Romero and Dave Aldana were crowd favorites.


And who could forget the Eakins brothers? Early Baja heros of mine and thousands of SoCal kids. Brother Bud doubled MQueen in The Great Escape. I met Dave at his bike shop in San Fernando Valley in the 60's. A magic place. He rode for Triumph and Honda and helped me keep my Bultaco running! (badly)

Later influences included:


Ted Simon's Jupiter's Travels. I was in S. America at the same time Ted was, only later read his book ... and wished we'd met on the road. I was on a Vespa (in Peru' anyway) he on his Triumph. I spent a year there.


More recent heroes:

Author and Adventure rider ... and HUBB member, Dan Walsh. A fantastic read.


Austin Vince of Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa fame.