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How did you get started? I’ve been biking my whole life. I used to do a lot of road racing up in Philly, but I’ve let my racing license lapse. Now I ride with the Ringling Bicycle Club. I try to ride five or six days a week, but I’m lucky if I can get four. On the weekdays, we ride anywhere between 25 and 30 miles; on the weekends we have longer rides, 50 to 60 miles. We’ll do 40 miles in under two hours; that’s a fast ride. We like to ride out in Parrish, out east on Buckeye Road or Buffalo Road.

How do you find the time? On weekdays, it’s just trying to find a little gap where I can go during lunch. Winter is tough, because the days are so short; in the summer, I can ride in the evenings. And my regular Wednesday afternoon ride is carved into my schedule.

Motivation? My wife, because she says, “If you don’t go out, I know you’ll be complaining all day about missing

your ride.”

Benefits? The camaraderie. It’s a diverse group of guys—and women, too—from blue collar to doctors and professionals. I like the fitness benefits of it, too. It seems to stabilize my mood, and it’s a great low-impact exercise, especially as you’re getting into middle age. And we get to live the fantasy life of Lance Armstrong, so there’s that Walter Mitty aspect.

Tips? It’s a pretty dangerous activity around here, so stay with a group.

Last great ride? My son had just gotten back from Iraq. My wife suggested I ride up and see him. He is stationed in Beaufort, S.C. I left home Nov. 2 and got back on Nov. 15. I covered 1,100-plus miles, averaging 91.5 miles a day.