Member Spotlight: Pat Wheeler
If ever someone had an appropriate last name, it would be Pat Wheeler, who currently owns six bicycles.
Pat’s been cycling for 50+ years. When he first moved to Portland, he bought a bicycle. He’d always enjoyed hiking and running, so cycling seemed like a natural next thing. For years, Pat commuted to work by bike. When work required that he make a trip to Woodburn, Pat enthusiastically hopped on his wheels. Soon thereafter he rode 75 miles from Portland to Lebanon to visit his parents (though he confesses that his dad did give him a lift home).
In 2001, Pat joined Portland Bicycling Club because the club was hosting rides to prepare for the Tour of the California Alps, fondly referred to as “The Death Ride.” That year, Pat logged 7,000 miles. He joined seven or eight other club members in Nevada a week before the big ride to ride most of the course over a six-day period and get acclimated to the elevation. ✎
The Death Ride covered 124 miles including five mountain passes with 16,000 feet of climbing. Starting at Turtle Rock State Park in Markleeville, California, the route included summiting Monitor Pass twice, Ebbetts Pass twice, and Carson Pass. Beginning before 6 AM, Pat finished nearly 12 hours later.
Why would someone subject himself to such an ordeal? Pat replied, “I had never ridden in the California Alps. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do the ride, and it was a chance to meet and ride with other club members as crazy as me about riding a bike.”
Pat became committed to the PBC ride schedule, favoring rural routes outside of town. One of his favorites is a 34-mile Canby Ferry route. He appreciates the accountability of riding with his like-minded cycling buddies, especially when it’s cold and dark.
Now that he’s retired (Pat is a retired probation officer who worked for Clackamas County Juvenile Department for 37 years), he likes to hit the road about 8:30 AM. Pat’s favorite rides are 20-30 miles with 1400-1600 feet of climbing. He enjoys climbing for two reasons: the fabulous scenery it affords and the challenge. Pat explained that he grew up with an older brother with whom he was always competing. So, it’s part of his DNA to challenge himself. Pat enjoys chasing on climbs, not to show others up, but rather, just to see if he “still has it.” (At 75 years old, Pat easily passes for a man 10 years younger. I’ve known Pat for more than 20 years and was stunned when he told me his age.)
Some of Pat’s most memorable cycling experiences occurred on ultra-long-distance rides. In the early 80’s, he completed the TransAmerica Trail, starting out with 10 other riders in Astoria with their sights set 4,000 miles away in Virginia. In Kentucky, Pat and another rider struck out on their own. Not one untoward thing happened, and in fact they experienced incredible kindness and hospitality from complete strangers. In Pittsburgh, Kansas, a couple came to the park where they were camped and asked if they wanted to come to dinner at their house. In Missouri, a man met them on the road and drove them to his vacation home on a lake where they stayed the night before he drove them back to the route the following day. These are precious memories that one can experience only when travel slows down. Bicycle travel is a unique way to see the world.
When I asked him about what piece of equipment he doesn’t leave home without, he replied, “Other than the standard gels and hydration, an attitude for discovery and adventure are not items in the equipment box, but they sure are nice to have along.”
It’s not surprising that after 50 years of cycling, Pat has lots of advice for fellow enthusiasts – but most of it isn’t what you’d expect. His first piece of advice is to ride cautiously, adding, “I always think that every motorist is out there to kill me” (he’s been hit only once). He added, “Work your gears such that your cadence never falls below 60, even when climbing.” Finally, Pat admonishes, “Be sure to have coffee with your companions after the ride.”
When he’s not riding either outside or indoors on his trainer, Pat can be found tinkering with his bikes (no surprise here) or working on behalf of the Oregon Nordic Club, of which he is currently president. He and his wife, Tina, enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
I asked Pat one final question: “If you were meeting someone new on the road, what would you likely tell them about yourself?” Pat replied, “I would tell them I am incredibly lucky and grateful to have bike riding as a serious passion because of the enduring friendships I’ve made, the places I have seen, the problem solving I’ve learned when things don’t always go as planned, and the sense of accomplishment and well-being that springs from riding.”
Julia Surtshin, Club Member