(Photo by Kathryn Osgood)

David Whitmon

No article on Vineyard biking would be complete without David Whitmon. His bicycle built for three, the mane of feathers on his helmet, and his unwavering enthusiasm for cycling combine to make him an Island cycling icon. The Oak Bluffs resident, who’s fifty-three, grew up an avid cyclist in the Washington, D.C., area, moving to Martha’s Vineyard in 1983.

“I visited [the Island] for four days, and my jaw ached from smiling so much. Then I went home and drove to work in [Capital] Beltway traffic. I said, ‘This isn’t how human beings are supposed to live.’” At the time he wasn’t riding a bike much, but in 1989, after years of knee trouble, a doctor suggested double knee replacement. David bought a mountain bike instead. “I went from using a cane and going down stairs on my butt to riding a bike built for three,” he says.

The bicycle built for three, or triplet, is tricked out with lights, a rack with pannier bags, a 120-decibel air horn, and a trailer for trips to the grocery store. It even boasts a communication system so David and his two daughters, Gaia and Gracie, fourteen and twelve, can talk without shouting. Big and green, the triplet was dubbed “Boooger” (with three O’s) by the girls. “Many times,” David says, “I have people – strangers – say, ‘I watched your girls grow up on that bike.’”

In addition to alleviating his knee troubles, cycling has helped David through the difficulties of parenthood: Gaia has Asperger Syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism, and Gracie is autistic. Cycling has proven particularly beneficial for Gracie, who struggles with verbalization. “When she was very young we thought maybe she was deaf, but on the bike she began to hum and sing and talk. She would clap, and I would think, ‘That’s great, but it means she’s not holding the handlebars!’”

“They may get to an age, especially Gaia, when they don’t want to ride with me. But I hope they have good memories,” David says. “It’s a wonderful way to raise children.”

Some of the support crew have been blogging for Team Can Be Venture during the race. Take a look for access to photos and video. But this sums things up rather well:

I talked to a few members of the RAAM staff this afternoon. Each of them said how incredible Team Can Be Venture is. It got me thinking. They are an incredible group of racers (and crew – we can’t forget them). No, they are an incredible group of individuals.RAAM is simply (not to be mistaken for a simple race) an example of what these men are about. This is a hard race - ok, a very hard race for anyone, for everyone. So yes, it might be considered more difficult because the bikes weigh so much more and it’s more difficult to climb (that’s a bit obvious since it’s never been done before) – but they didn’t want an extended time allotment. They were going to do this race as they tackle everything else – by the same rules that apply for the masses.

Well done!