Church of the Open Road
The story of Rafael Gomez and his ‘steel pony’
By Christopher Nyerges 07/24/2008
Pasadena resident Rafael Gomez rides his bicycle 365 days a year, rain or shine. He is a passionate advocate for cycling — for his health, for the youth and for the planet. According to environmental activist and actor Ed Begley Jr., one of the simplest ways to “help the earth” is to get out of our cars at least one day a week. Clearly, Gomez is doing his part to be a part of the solution.
Though a lifelong bicyclist, it was after returning home from the Vietnam War that he and his brother Vicente became serious bicycle racers. “After returning to the states, we used bicycling as a form of self-therapy, as our positive way to overcome the stress of serving in an unpopular war,” he explains. Of Yaqui Indian heritage, Gomez refers to his bicycle as his “steel pony.”
“Too many of the youth today see their only transportation as a car. Our whole culture pushes youth that way, and that’s too bad,” says Gomez, pointing out that biking keeps the body healthy and the air clean. “And did you know,” he asks, “that one of the best training sites for bicycle racers is right here in our own backyard? Right here in the Arroyo Seco on Pasadena’s west side, home of the Rose Bowl, is the best place to practice bike racing west of the Mississippi.”
His religion is the bicycle, his church the open road, and his Holy of Holies is the Arroyo Seco-Rose Bowl area. There have been attempts to stop bike racing around the Rose Bowl, such as a proposal last year to make it illegal for bicyclists to ride more than two abreast – but such anti-bicycling measures have failed so far.
Promoting bicycling is Gomez’s No. 1 mission in life. “I’d like to see grammar school teachers bring their whole classes to watch bicycle races — both the boys and girls. Let the children see it and be inspired by it,” he suggests.
There is fire in Gomez’s eyes when he starts talking about the virtues of cycling to change the world.
“The children need to see adults involved in bicycling. The adults need to set the example so the children grow up wanting to be on a bike. With the advent of electric cars in this country, we started to lose the great importance of bicycling. Today, people in Third World countries have a much better perspective on bicycling than we do.
“Cycling truly helps the world. It’s an environmentally safe form of transportation. There’s no noise, it’s safe and it keeps you strong. Riding a bike is far better than a car or even the bus. Riding puts you in touch with nature in a way that riding an auto can never do,” he says enthusiastically.
And when you look at the fire in his eyes, you can sense that to this Yaqui in the modern metropolis, his bike truly is a pony that he rides from adventure to adventure through the urban wilderness.
Gomez has found his fountain of youth through his religion of The Bicycle. He becomes one with his machine as he communes with nature and the road. His lungs pump oxygen through his body and heart and brain as he propels by people-power through Southern California streets. He fears no gas shortages or automobile breakdowns. He has learned that by transporting himself on this simple wheeled device, he accomplishes many things at once: he stays in top shape and peak health, he adds nothing to environmental pollution — he is the solution — and he needs no gym or psychologist. Gomez lives the life of health.
Christopher Nyerges is editor of Wilderness Way magazine, author of “How to Survive Anywhere” and a leader of regular wilderness trips. He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA. 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.com.
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT