Welcome to Ira David's Behind-the-Scenes blog!

 

I will use the first entry to start with a big "Thank You" to all of Pedal America’s supporters, fans, and sponsors. My team and I will do everything we can to produce uncompromised programming. We aim to educate, entertain, and inspire viewers to re-discover the liberating joys and benefits of recreational cycling. Please send us ideas via our Pedal Americaville survey and website email. It only takes about 5-7 minutes to complete, and it’s free! Who doesn’t like "free?"

 

If I learned anything while filming our first two episodes in Chicago and Raystown, Pa., situations are not as important as how we choose to respond.  Challenged by wet weather in Chicago and tough terrain deep in the Allegheny Mountains, each Pedal America crew member stepped up to the bike (literally) and shifted into high gear for the better of the production rather than their own personal comfort levels. The latter would be the easier, but the former produces a greater personal reward.  Clad in helmet and bike-mounted cams while lugging his own gear on his back, our 62-year old Director of Photography, Peter Pilafian, out-paced all of us on the Allegrippis Trail mountain bike system.  Go Peter! Every team member shunned fear and braved mountain biking, some for the very first time (ehm, myself included), just to produce amazing content. Now that's a team to stand behind!….or, should I say bike behind. 

 

A massive "Thank you" and Pedal America HUG (we like hugs – BIG HUGS) to Evan Gross and his team at the RothRock Bicycle Shop in Huntingdon  for showing and granting us access to the trail system, lending me his friend’s bicycle shorts, catering to our every need and whim.  Or, perhaps, we should thank the universe for sending Pedal America this angel. Thanks, Evan, Tony, Charlie, and Paul.  I cleaned and FedExed the shorts back.

 

So today our crew will converge in Austin, Teaxs. This morning the crew ate breakfast at Queenie’s in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a wonderful little bakery café. I had the real buttermilk pancakes topped with fresh blueberries – a great anti-oxidant. I took a fancy to the little white-haired woman placing the just home-baked cookies into the display cases. Certainly, she must have been "Queenie," but my journalistic instinct taught us otherwise.  The real Queenie was a cow that had died.   

 

 It's now 1 p.m. and our production vehicles just crossed into Texas.  We will spend one week producing our third episode in Austin.  Come on out and say "hi" to us at the Tour de Fat parade and festival on Saturday, October 22nd.  We will shoot the parade for the episode. Bring your helmet and strike your sexiest pose for our cameras at the festival! Just look for our Subaru Outback!

 

Ride safely, always keeping the rubber side down!

Ira David