nicomachus.net

When Dave Wofford (37) tires of preventing forest fires, he designs graphics and presses letters at Durham’s finest fine-art letterpress, the Horse and Buggy Press. Originally a champion of Raleigh’s art community, Wofford has come to see the aesthetic benefits of living, biking, and now blogging in the Bull City. His Critical Mass posters (featured in the far right column) have become an icon within Durham’s two-wheeled community. A decidedly old school and opinionated fellow, he has been known to let loose on City Council as ferociously as Draplin lets loose on Blippo Bold. But perhaps because he knows that communications with elected officials are public record, Wofford is less colorful – though no less serious – in his quest to fix the potholes in and around downtown Durham.

He is, therefore, the next Bull City Biker.

Bikes you own and ride regularly
I have one bike currently. “Moose” is my Trek 720 hybrid I bought used for $200 at the North Rd Bicycle Shop in Raleigh in 1996. (I lived in Raleigh til 2003).  Got a Tubus rear rack, some saddlebags, and drop bars from Gilbert and Susan as well a year after. A couple months ago I switched from toe clips to eggbeaters which I picked up off craigslist for $30. Sometime in 2009 this beast will become the guest bike as I am going to finally upgrade… to a custom lugged steel bike. Perhaps Circle A. We’ll see.

What’s your primary flavor of riding? City road rides.

What’s the length and frequency of your average ride?
I live in Old West Durham, I work downtown. very short commute, less than three miles. Didn’t commute much this year because we got a dog and I’ve been driving in so I can take Bella to work with me. We just bought “walky dog” though and have been training.

One more training ride then we’ll start riding in together. So far Bella is taking well to it, and I give walky dog a thumbs up.

Tuesday nights I hit the trail with friends for an out and back (20 miles or so), Thursdays sometimes make a meander around Durham, occasionally Saturdays make a three hour or so spin into what we have in these parts that might pass for countryish roads. In the summer a few rides zigging the zag to the Mapleview country store for an ice cream sundae at sunset (usually have the wife meet me out there with the car and a bucket of fried chicken and I take the soft way home). In a good year I’ll get in a couple rides to Carter Finley to take in some Wolfpack football. Once in a blue moon I work in a half day ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway or backroads of Mitchell and Yancey counties where my Penland friends reside. Once every few years I ride out to the beach for a two day ride that kicks off a one week vacation of body surfing, not wearing shoes, drinking Guiness at noon under the sun. Why I don’t do this every year I’m really not sure.

Why did you start riding and why do you still ride?
Freedom as a kid to go out and explore, check out which basketball courts are running the best pickup games, cruise the cart paths on the golf course, ride trails in the woods. Feel the breeze, smell the smells. Be outside and be moving.

Freedom as a college student to get around in a fun and efficient manner. 20 minute walk each way to the dining hall really cut into my studio time until I started biking.

I hate waiting/standing still. Being in a car at red lights is like chinese water torture for me.

I like the journey to and from an event (music show, ADF performance, author reading, artist lecture, art show, beers or diner with friends, etc) to actually become part of or a continuation of the event. Riding home from events and bars prevents the buzzkill of getting in a car and prematurely ending the aesthetic experience of the event. I like the potential of spontaneity at every moment. You see and smell and hear a lot more on the bike ride than the car ride. I like the physics of it all. It runs through your body, memories and feelings and thinking are triggered, that kind of thing. Beer tastes better after a ride. Plus I feel like I earned the beer(s).

I smile more after I get off the bike than when I get out of the car.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve seen while out for a ride?
The Boston crew riding their bikes naked while “competing” in the 1998 Bike Courier World Championships in DC.

How would your world be different if you wake up tomorrow and there are no more cars?
Probably meet new friends and have a lot more conversations on the bike ride in to work.

What’s one thing Durham could do to become more bike friendly?
Put a new road construction moratorium in effect until every currently existing road has a paved shoulder or bike lane; the city has caught up with the backlog of resurfacing the streets; and all the lights have been retimed to favor crosstown traffic and so the N/S cul de sac car commuters hit all the reds. Turn every one way road into bi-directional travel (i.e. Duke, Gregson, Roxboro, Mangum).

I mean seriously, when the hell is someone gonna run for mayor on this platform? Tell me they wouldn’t win in a landslide!

Between limited engagements dancing in downtown storefronts, you can read his retro grouch ramblings at http://horseandbuggypress.wordpress.com/