I was riding my motorcycle down the 224 in Park City, Utah when I spotted a large group of young bicycle travelers stopped at an intersection. I pulled my motorcycle onto a nearby side road, jumped the curb and drove over a small section of grass before ripping off my helmet and approaching the group. I think I may have startled them a bit, but I quickly explained that I too was a bicycle traveler.
It was then that I met James Miska and the others in his group. They explained that they had started in Salt Lake City and were cycling south toward Moab, Utah. I spotted the guitar strapped to the top of James’ Xtrawheel, but didn’t think much about it at the time… nor did I even mention it. I wanted to stop and talk with the group some more (and maybe even ride with them for a bit (I wish I had been riding my touring bicycle at the moment)), but I was meeting up with a friend and I didn’t want him to be waiting for me, so I snapped the group’s picture; James gave me his card; and then we went our separate ways.
It was only upon returning home and looking up the website on James’ business card that I realized I had met James once or twice before. Well, I’ve never really met James before, but I have seen him at least two or three times in the Park City/Salt Lake City area, performing either alone or with friends (at the Sundance Film Festival and elsewhere). Plus, I’ve heard about his musical bicycle tour across the United States as well.
From left to right (in the photo above): James Miska, Chelsea “Pearl” Laterza, Justin Walker, Javier Refoyo, Willy Nevins, and Nephi Beh.
Check out the Bramble music/bicycle touring website at www.bramblemusic.com… and be sure to view some of the Bramble music videos at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Bramblemusic/videos