Pedaling the way to go for Las Vegas tailor
The dark of the night is shouldered aside by the dawn as the cyclist heads up West Charleston Boulevard and into Red Rock Canyon in his wide bike lane -- the sky above the mountains begins to bloom in crimsons, golds, jades and blues.
That scene on a recent weekend morning, where motorized traffic was hard to find, could have easily been used to sell the benefits of cycling for good times and good health on the bikinglasvegas.com website.
"When people ask me if Las Vegas is bike friendly, I always answer 'yes' and 'no,' " said Lisa Caterbone, who originated the site and often features scenes that make you want to start pedaling. "We have great areas for recreational cyclists on weekends; but to go from point A to point B in the city, it's just hard to do. You can be going on a street and the bike lane will just end. It can be dangerous."
Nobody knows that better than Michael Starks, the 58-year-old tailor who runs the Tailor Man shop at 620 H St. near downtown Las Vegas.
"It can be tough when you rely on a bike for transportation," he said. "I ended up on the hood of a car when somebody turned on me. I got hurt pretty bad, just skinned and bruised, but it took me about a week to feel better."
He's also had to jump off his bike to avoid an accident "when some cat did a U-turn in front of me."
There have been other close calls "when people are talking on the phone and kind of drift into me," he said.
"I know I'm not supposed to, but a lot of the time I ride into traffic so I can see people coming at me. That way I think I've got a better chance of doing something to keep me alive."
Day after day, he rides his 15-speed bike back and forth to work -- not a long jaunt, maybe just a total of five miles.
But Starks also travels to stores around town for groceries and fabric -- his backpack only can hold one or the other -- on trips of 15 miles.
And he pedals to the phone and power company, banks and casinos. He makes sure he stays well hydrated.
He wears a black bike helmet and elbow pads -- "I've found when you fall one of the first thing you hit are your elbows."
Despite his bicycling brushes with death, Starks is glad he has ridden a bike every day for years.
In fact, he sounds as though he should be doing public service announcements championing the health benefits of cycling.
"Man, I don't have a beer gut any more," he said as he measured the waist of a customer's pants. "I probably lost 35 to 40 pounds. You can drink beer and not have a gut. That's a blessing."
He also finds himself more upbeat.
"My energy level from riding a bike is amazing," he said. "I can do so much more. And you end up with a better attitude. Life doesn't seem as hectic when you don't drive."
Worries about high blood pressure or developing Type 2 diabetes or heart problems are a thing of the past.
"I go to the doctor now and he says whatever I'm doing not to change it, that I'm in amazing shape for my age," he said.
Depending on a bike for transportation -- he said he took it up as an adult in 2000 -- wasn't planned.
When he stopped riding a bike as a teen in hometown of Compton, Calif., he doubted he ever would ride a bike again.
But he said he ran into some legal problems and his license was suspended.
And he said it got suspended longer when he was caught continuing to drive.
Initially, he walked and took the bus. But then he realized he had to move faster if he wanted to make it in business.
With the help of his bike, his life has improved. He said he has more money in his pocket without a car.
He said his legal problems are under control, and his health just keeps improving.
"Let me tell, you, man, riding a bike has made me feel great. It's funny how things turn out. I'm not sure I'll drive a car again."
Paul Harasim is the medical reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. His column appears Mondays. Harasim can be reached at pharasim@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2908.
