PJ Ramstack Civia Customer Service and Sales Manager

I’ve been into bikes for most of my life. When I was seven, living in upstate New York, I couldn’t wait for the snow and ice to melt, so I could get out on my bike. It was early March and the day promised a blistering high of 45 degrees. I hounded my mother until she let me take my bike out for the first ride of the year. Less than 10 minutes later, I hit a patch of ice and flew over the handlebars. Crying my eyes out, I headed back to the house with missing teeth and a fat lip. Guess it didn’t make a lasting impression. Almost 30 years later I still ride my bike year round, taking the occasional spill on black ice.

When I was 14, cycling went from fun and games to a form of transportation. I started riding my Bridgestone RB-2 out to the Serotta Cycles factory—where my mom worked—to do odd jobs like scraping paint from bikes, packing frames and cleaning the shop. Because we lived in the country, visiting my friends in town meant a 15 to 20-mile round trip. When I couldn’t talk my folks into giving me a lift, I pedaled those long county roads on my bike. Most of my friends thought it was strange I would ride my bike that far, but for me it was always an adventure.

After college I moved around the country and always enjoyed getting to know my surroundings by bike. It didn’t take long to discover routes and places that not even long-time residents knew about. That is my favorite thing about bikes—they push you to find a better way to the store or a more enjoyable route to work. Alleyways, side streets and wooded paths that blur by in a car open up before you, begging to be explored. The barrier between you and the outside world is removed, bringing new life to places you’d never notice from a car.

Change is good but having some constants is important. My nomadic lifestyle has kept me a good distance from family and friends over the years. Biking has given me a way to adjust to my new surroundings and make new friends no matter where I go. For that, I feel extremely blessed.

Currently I live in Montpelier, VT with my dog Rudyard on the edge of the nation’s smallest capital. Working from home eliminates a bike commute, and I miss that at times. Civia has been kind enough to give me a demo Loring and that is my go-to bike for errands around town. Recreationally, I use my Surly Long Haul Trucker to explore the vast network of dirt roads outside of town. Soon, I’m planning to replace that ride with a Bryant Rival build.