Publisher's Statement

By Jeff Guerrero

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. While that may be true, there’s often a story behind those thousand words that’s never told. Take this issue’s cover for example.

Twelve-year-old Alex Johnson has led a courageous life. Adopted six years ago, he caught his adoptive father’s attention by wildly pedaling a tricycle around a Russian orphanage. Today Alex lives in a car-free home outside of Minneapolis and enjoys riding and wrenching on bikes. The cover shot is the result of a father-son photography lesson. Kirk had envisioned the shot he wanted to send with his I Love Riding in the City contribution, he had no idea his son would be the photographer. Or that it would be on the cover.

And then there’s Brian Cummings’s photo of Dummy on the table of contents. B.C. is a local music legend, and a talented photographer. Dummy’s been the dispatcher for Jet Messenger Service since before I ever knew him, and I’ve called him a friend for at least 10 years now. His basket bike belonged to Triangle Messenger Service. Long gone from the Pittsburgh streets, I remember a time when I couldn’t count how many of my friends worked for Triangle.

The photo above has countless stories behind it. Taken at the end of a great race, it also reminds me of friends I made and parties I reveled at during the celebrated summer of 2007. The riders, Stick and Jimmy, graced the cover of our first issue. And like that photo, this one exemplifies two-wheeled camaraderie. Though they battled daily for the lion’s share of delivery calls—with their livelihoods at stake—friendship always transcended competition.

It’s funny… Although I’ve never thought of myself as a very sentimental guy, even most of the ads we run have a special meaning to me. Whether it’s the pride that comes from having a legend like Joe Breeze advertise with us, or the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with my personal friends supporting this magazine, it’s all special. It’s all personal. And it’s all good.