LIFE MEMBER PROFILE ADS

Life Member Profile vicki marugg With knowledge gained from the ground up, this life member can do it all by Dan Schwartzman

hen Viki Marugg first got into were already part of her daily routine. cycle touring back in 1980, “Now I find it hard to believe I rode as she couldn’t find a bike to fit much as I did,” said Marugg, recalling her,W so she decided to make her own. The when she joined a square dancing club in Californian bought a copy of Eugene A. San Jose while she was living in Menlo Sloane’s Maintenance Book, cruised Park, about 20 miles northwest of the city. over to Palo Alto , and bought the “Friday evenings the club would meet smallest frame Trek offered and all the from 7:00 until 10:00 PM. I would com- components that she had just read about. mute to work, change clothes there, pedal Four days later, Marugg had a beautiful to San Jose, square dance for two hours, bicycle built from scratch. and pedal home by midnight. Ahhh, “It was still a little too stretched out youth!” for me, but I learned a bicycle from the Marugg said back then ground up,” Marugg said. “With that required more planning and routes had knowledge, one has the freedom to go to be given consideration before hitting anywhere.” the road. A graphic designer, artist, and photog- “I used the library,” she said, add- rapher, Marugg has long regarded the ing that Google did not yet exist. “I bicycle with admiration — both for its researched it and drew the maps and functionality and its aesthetic appeal. organized a SAG crew. We had five rid- Marugg vividly remembers her first father was Vice President of Lockheed ers and seven SAG crew members. What pangs of “bicycle envy” at the age of International and in charge of operations in luxury.” three, when she was riding on a . Japan during the Korean War.) Her first three tours included a ride A few years later, Marugg received her Over the years, Marugg’s passion for around the island of Maui, a jaunt from first two-wheeler (“a gift from Santa”) in has remained a constant, and San Francisco to Los Angeles along the 1955, while living in Japan. has propelled her to many adventures coast, and a five-day trek throughout “I was in love from first sight,” Marugg whether commuting 14 miles daily, riding parts of Arizona and California. For her, said. “My brother and I would ride late centuries on the weekends, touring, or bicycle travel evokes a powerful feeling. into the evening and would often cruise planning organized rides. “I like the pace. It’s perfect. The outside the Lockheed Compound to explore During the 1980s, when Marugg orga- continued on page 46 the nearby train yard.” (Marrug’s step- nized her first tours, long cycling treks

Life Membership A lifetime of benefits, long-term support If bicycle travel is important part of your Liam Healy, Washington, DC for bicycle travel. life, please consider making a life-time Bradley Herman, APO, Korea Following is a list of cyclists who have commitment by joining as an Adventure Betsy Hunter Family, Seattle, WA made the commitment of Life Membership to Cycling Life Member. To find out more, Elizabeth Labadie, Seattle, WA Adventure Cycling over the past six months. visit www.adventurecycling.org/member Veronica Massey Family, Tampa, FL Funds from Life Membership are put into a ship or give Membership Director Julie Kathleen McHugh & Ernest Cole, special account to provide long-term support Huck a call at (800) 755-2453 x 214. Los Osos, CA to the organization. In the past, these funds Thanks to these new life members who David Miller, Santa Clarita, CA have helped us purchase our headquarters signed up mid-March 2011 through July: Timothy S. Smith, Foster City, CA building, saving us thousands of dollars in Kevin Anglin, Osteen, FL M. P. J. Squier, Santa Barbara, CA interest payments. We then put the savings Dick Combs, Bartow, FL Gregory & Leslie Stone, Red Bluff, CA toward route creation and reaching out to cur- Andrea Commaker, State College, PA Ray Swartz, San Francisco, CA rent and future cyclists. Pamela Fischer & Scott Spaulding, New Steve Tolle, Fernandina Beach, FL Gloucester, ME Richard J. Voss, Minneapolis, MN

42 ADVENTURE CYCLIST AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG ADVENTURE CYCLIST AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG 43 JUMP OPEN ROAD GALLERY

continued from page 41 and bottom. This leaves the middle of the continued from page 42 bag with no stiffener but, because the bag be wondering where you’re supposed to is so light, I didn’t find this to be a prob- pace varies according to how you feel. put your tool kit if your saddle bag is full lem on short trips. If you want to travel Anywhere from 7 to 25 MPH. The speed of water. It wouldn’t make much sense light and use quality, simple panniers, the is enough to get you there — even to take the water off your LTW small pannier could hefty distances — and slow enough to back if you’re just going to be a good fit for you. experience the journey through all your transfer your tools over to senses.” your jersey pockets, and Park PRS-25 One cycling event that Marugg took Showers Pass is on top of ($245, parktool.com/prod particular pride in was the Mono Lake this. In a wedge shaped uct/team-issue-repair-stand- Bike-A-Thon, which took place from 1980 space underneath the prs-25, 651-777-6868) through 1995. The six-day, 350-mile annu- water reservoir, there is a I was recently look- al ride raised money to help protect the compartment plenty large ing for a new repair stand lake from being drained by the people of to house a multitool, tube, and my chief concern was Los Angeles and was ultimately successful patch kit, and tire irons. portability. I don’t always in achieving its aim. Marugg said it was With a durable build, and work on my bike in the her first bike ride used to earn money for thoughtful design, this same place; sometimes I’m a good cause. Along for the ride was Jim is ideal for long stretches upstairs in the kitchen, Sayer, now Adventure Cycling’s Executive between watering holes. other times I’m in the Director. -Josh Tack garage or the basement, so I Cycling itself has remained a good cause wanted a stand I could eas- to Marugg, who later joined Adventure Pacific Outdoor Equipment LTW ily carry and move around that wouldn’t Cycling Association as a Life Member in Small Bike Pannier always be knocking into doorways and 1983. ($150/set, pacoutdoor.com/bike-gear/view/ other pesky objects, like a refrigerator. In A cyclist for 54 years, the love of rid- ltw-small-pannier, 406-586-5258) the PRS-25, I’ve found the stand for me. ing influenced Marugg profoundly in Also perfect for the quick overnighter The PRS-25 weighs just 13 pounds many ways. Politically, she has been a or ultralight tour, the LTW small panniers and, while folded, measures 47” high. In Green Party Member since its founding. are a lightweight solution for those who this state, the professional macro-adjust Environmentally, she defines herself as a like to carry gear the traditional way. The clamp is stored upright between the clamp lifelong ecologist. Physically, cycling was waterproof roll-top panniers weigh just 18 bracket and leg brace, and the legs are a large part of her life when she faced a ounces each, offer an internal volume of 19 folded together. To employ the stand, you bout with breast cancer while she was quarts (18 liters), and are made of 50 denier loosen the top quick release and remove training for the Adventure Cycling’s Diamond Ripstop recycled P.E.T. fabric. the clamp, then install it by cranking it Leadership Training Course. The attachment hardware consists of into the bracket. You then release a second Marugg dreams one day of setting out an auto adjustable bot- quick release and push the legs apart a on a 10-year tour around the U.S. But, tom connector and bit. After that you push down on the leg no matter how close to home or far afoot, two top clamp con- bracket and the legs unfold easily. cycling remains a journey for Marugg. nectors that shut to The PRS-25’s clamp is extremely adjust- “The whole point of cycling is that prevent the pannier able, able to clamp vertically onto your seat every ride can become an adventure, even from popping off while rid- tube or horizontally on to your cross tube, if it’s just to work. It’s just about getting ing on rocky terrain. The top and it can be adjusted up to 60” high. in the saddle and doing it; chances are connectors are also adjustable There are some nice options available you’ll run, smack-dab, into an adventure so they can accommodate many from Park Tool that make using the PRS- each time you hop on the saddle.” standard racks, but you’ll need 25 even better: the 106 work tray, the to keep a Phillips head screw- TS-25 wheel-truing mechanism, and the Dan Schwartzman is a Bikram Yoga instructor and driver handy. PTH-1 paper towel holder, which doubles avid bicycle tourist. He is currently planning a tour The main body of the LTW as a wheel hanger. All together, the PRS- of the West Coast and will be teaching yoga along small pannier is simply a roll-top 25 package makes working on your bike a the way. dry bag — there are no pockets, snap. For a preview, check out their dem- and the backside offers two stiffen- onstration video online. ers at the top

46 ADVENTURE CYCLIST AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG