A Father’s day tribute to my cycling dad

My father was passionate about two things, bicycling and hockey. Growing up, it was impossible for me to escape getting drawn in to these two favorites of his, and besides, I was a daddy’s girl who tagged along with him wherever he went. My dad taught me how to ride a bike, and we often went on long bike rides, just him and I. (My sister was the mommy’s girl.) After our rides, we’d wipe down our bikes, he taught me how to keep my bike shining and running smoothly, even taught me to change a flat when I was fairly young.

My parents immigrated to the Detroit area from Italy after they were married in 1948. Shortly after they settled in and purchased a house together, my sister was born. Then a few years later, I came along. He was a barber, owned his own shop, and employed a few others. In the summers, on Sundays, he’d race in the amateur bike races on Belle Isle. He loved bicycle racing, and he was very proud of his track bike that he had imported from Italy. This photo of him is unfortunately the only photo I have of my dad on his bicycle.

Every three years my parents would go back to Italy to visit their family members over there, and when he’d go back to his hometown of Treviso (about 30 miles north of Venice) he loved to participate in one of his hometown bike races as a referee.

My dad died in 1996 after a battle with cancer. He was a good man, and I miss him dearly. He taught me many things, but my love for and fascination with bikes was a gift from him. I wish he were here today so we could go for a bike ride together.

Ciao

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Here's a picture of him years later in Treviso Italy refereeing at a hometown bike race:

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Thank you for posting this wonderful story and photos remembering your father.

Great stuff.

I'm sorry to hear that your father is no longer around.

What a wonderful story! Thank you so much for sharing. My condolences for your loss. I lost my mom to cancer way too early and I miss her daily.

What a great post. You had a great dad.

Who is that in the pic with him? Is that a National Champion jersey?

I don't know who the female cyclist is in that photo, and unfortunately I don't know what bike race this was. My mom thought it was a local race.

Ciao

wonderful story! thanks for sharing. And that's a great photo of your dad, actually both of them. My father is gone now too but he's the one who bought me a bike and showed me how to ride it. He's on my mind a lot today.

Great picture.
You know, I don't know if my dad even knows how to ride a bike.
My mom, on the other hand, taught me to ride (I was almost 10 and pretty hopeless) and spent time borrowing my classic 3 speed Raleigh to ride it. She never got to see me get into cycling, but she did see me teach at the gym once. I definitely got the endurance genes from her. She was involved in a girl's leadership in the PE program at her high school as a teen, long before any opportunities for women existed in sports.

My best wish to you and your father.Althought he is in heaven,but he is in you heart forever.

Thanks for sharing. What a wonderful story. I lost my own dad to cancer just two short years ago and he was also way too young. I vividly recall my first bike - a Schwinn red flyer - and my dad running alongside pushing the back of my bike seat and then letting go and watching me learn to ride.