Asphalt & Dirt – Life on Two Wheels

Less than two years after launching Asphalt & Dirt, I had written 50 profiles featuring a widely eclectic mix of people who love, ride, sell and even build motorcycles - like Mark Wilsmore of Ace Café, Gard Hollinger of Arch Motorcycles, and Chris Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke’s son).

There were also the artists, chefs, software programmers, former racers, and adventure riders. Each story revealed not only something about the rider, but also a bit about the soul of motorcycling.

So I decided to turn those 50 stories into a book: Asphalt & Dirt – Life on Two Wheels, soon to be published by Road Dog Publishing and made available for sale on a number of sites. My hope is that the stories will inspire, amuse and challenge any stereotypes about what it means to ride a motorcycle.

Here are a few examples of the stories you’ll find:

Excerpted from Simple is Hard and We’re All Going to Die.

Gard Hollinger is the less famous half of Arch Motorcycle – a custom motorcycle company he founded with Keanu Reeves. Most people know Keanu’s story; but what about Gard’s?

From motocross to customs, up and down the West Coast, Gard has been involved in just about everything related to motorcycles, and he even tried his hand at acting. But his real passion is two wheels and he’s found a business partner who feels the same.

Excerpted from Meet Joe D.

Here’s what’s going to happen when Joe Distefano eventually dies and goes to heaven: the angel Gabriel is going to look at Joe and Joe’s going to stand there, waiting, maybe a little impatiently; because Joe might live in Kansas City now, but he grew up in Boston, and Bostonians aren’t known for their patience.

Gabriel’s going to ask him, “So Joseph, what brings you here and why do you think this is the place for you to spend eternity?” And Joe’s going to respond, “How much time ya got?”

Buckle up, because Joe’s got more than one story to tell – from motorcycles to wrestling – and a lot in between.

Excerpted from Riding with Ants.

Before you think this is about a journey with insects and how some poor rider got stuck trying to get rid of them, let me quickly dispel that. This is the story of a woman who goes by the name of Ants. She’s made a habit of putting herself out there in a way most people, let alone most riders, wouldn’t, including riding mostly solo down the Ho Chi Minh Trail on a Honda Cub.

You'll find these stories, and others like them in Asphalt & Dirt - Life on Two Wheels when it's published later this month.

Stay tuned for more details.