I grew up in Lima, Ohio.
As a youth, I enjoyed swimming. I started swimming at an early age
at the YMCA where I was a volunteer swimming instructor while still in
elementary school. In the summer I swam every day at a large municipal
pool to beat the heat, from when it opened in the afternoon until it
closed. I started competitive swimming at age 6 with the YMCA and swam
through high school, where I was a high school All American breaststroker.
Regrettably I choose not to swim in college.
I had an uncle who
was a test rider for Harley Davidson in Milwaukee, when he was younger.
When he got older he moved back to Lima and brought a Harley Davidson with him.
He used to take me for rides on the motorcycle, and in the side car which he had.
I became hooked on motorcycling. Unfortunately my parents weren't so
enthusiastic. When I was old enough I began racing motorcycles thru my
uncle and one of his best friends, the local Harley Davidson, Triumph, BSA
motorcycle dealership. As an amateur, I was quite successful at flat track
racing in the Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan area.
I progressed to
the AMA Grand National professional rank specializing in flat tracking, and was
the AMA Grand National Intermediate Champion in 1967, riding a Triumph for the
largest dealer in Ohio. In 1968, I was asked by Triumph if I would be
willing to race in South Africa. My family was quite concerned, given the
racial strife at the time. So in early June, I left for Capetown, South
Africa and spent the Summer racing in South Africa and Rhodesia and finished in
third place in their national championship. I lived with the family of the
largest Triumph dealer in South Africa in Capetown. It was quite an
experience for a 21 year old - one that I will always remember. I returned
to the US and raced as an expert in the AMA Grand National series in 1969, but
suffered a serious injury in a race in Louisville, Kentucky, which ended my
racing career. I still love motorcycling and have some pictures of
my current motorcycles. Click here are some pictures of the motorcycles that I own
currently.
I had one sister who was four
years older than I was, and died at age 49 from the effects of cancer. She
was nurse who lived in Chicago with her husband and son at the time of her
death. My parents
were happily married for 57 years until they died in 2000 and
2001.
I have a wonderful family.
Kathy, my wife of 32 years, worked in the accounting department for the City of Marquette,
Michigan and has retired.
I have two children -
Douglas , and
Danielle
We live in
one of the most beautiful places in the world - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
in the woods near Marquette, Michigan. Here are some picture
of our log home which I built. Here are some winter pictures in the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Here are some
pictures of my
Kubota tractor.
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