Raised by Wolves

About those wolves...

Important to understanding this soul, is to know a little about how I grew up. I have taken to telling my life story with this opening line..."I was raised by wolves". That typically gets a grin and a listening ear.

In my case, it really is true. In fact, one might believe that is why I am drawn to cycling. Those pace lines really do resemble a "pack".

Ivan Smith was the father of three sons, twins and then one year later another son. It was a full eight years later that Wilma and Ivan had what they came to call their youngest, their "bonus' child. Yes, that would be yours truly. The early years of raising these boys was a difficult time and those years did little to shall we say, refine the family.

At the age of 49, Ivan passed away from Lung Cancer. This "bonus child" had just turned ten years old. Fast forward to those formative high school years: dates were met by these three formitable brothers and my lessons of youth were taught through the eyes of "wolves".

I turned 16 years old in The Dalles, Oregon. The rite of passage in this small town and the key to any life at all, was a driver's license. Each of my three brothers had their own unique way of teaching me to drive. We borrowed my mother's VW bug and each one in turn proceeded to teach this pup the most important driving skill of all.

Stephen believed that every person must learn on their very first day behind the wheel, just how to start from a dead stop on a steep grade, with their emergency brake (I will have to admit, years later I did need this when driving in San Fran).Stephen drove me out in to the country (not a long drive) and found a steep incline in a cherry orchard.

Scott's most memorable lessons came in the form of driving "rules".

"If you're lost, go everywhere fast"

"Never trust anyone with a dent in their car"

He also left me with a key experience, believing that everyone should demonstrate a "cop turn" before passing their driver's test.

Mark seemed more practical in his driving lessons, and most likely the reason I was able to drive well at all. Mark took me out on the highway and taught me the traffic signs and the general courtesies of the road.

Such a window to these wolves approach to life.