In March, I celebrated my 18th anniversary as a member of Rider’s editorial staff. It’s hard to believe that I’ve spent nearly two decades at a job that I never thought I’d get in the first place. When I was hired in 2008, I was an outsider with no magazine experience, just an average guy who loved to ride motorcycles, talk about motorcycles, read about motorcycles, and dream about motorcycles.
Seeing the opening for Road Test Editor on Monster.com surprised me. I assumed such jobs weren’t for “real” people; they were more like political appointments bestowed upon former racers or industry insiders. There was no way a nobody like me could get a motorcycle magazine job simply by applying for it. But somehow that’s what happened.
Working for Rider has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. It not only allowed me to turn my passion into my profession, the job came at a time when I desperately needed it. I was still licking my wounds after having lived in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, which not only destroyed the city but also destroyed my marriage. Joining the Rider team gave me purpose and a new direction, and it helped me turn my life around.
Mark Tuttle, Rider’s editor‑in‑chief at the time, took me under his wing and mentored me. Back then, we were part of Affinity Group, and we worked in a big office building overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Ventura, California (I had a nice view of the inside of a cubicle). I was living in Los Angeles when I landed the job, and it just so happened that my brother, Paul, lived and worked in Ventura. Soon we were living in the same town and riding test bikes together.
Less than a year after joining the team, I started dating a woman named Carrie, who I had known since the fifth grade. A few years later, we got engaged in Italy at the top of Stelvio Pass while on an Edelweiss tour of the Alps.
One of the best things about my job has been the people I’ve worked with. In addition to Mark, our Ventura‑based team included Donya Carlson, Jody Levitan, and David Mittleman. We worked hard, but we had fun too, walking down the hill for staff lunches at Golden China and going out on group rides and photo shoots. Clement Salvadori, who lived a couple hours away, would drop in from time to time to raid Mark’s collection of motorcycle magazines and grab a test bike for one of his many adventures. I also got to work with talented photographers like Kevin Wing and Rich Cox.
I’ve admired the writing and personalities of Rider’s regular contributors, including Eric Trow, Scott “Bones” Williams (see his Nova Scotia story on page 36), Tim Kessel, Clement Salvadori, Alan Paulsen, Arden Kysely, Bill Stermer, Jamie Elvidge, and others.
At press launches and industry events, I’ve enjoyed working with staffers at motorcycle manufacturers and aftermarket companies, editors at other publications, photographers, and many others. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the motorcycle industry, it’s that everyone who works in it is passionate. We all live to ride and ride to live.
Of course, things have changed over the years. Ownership of Rider has changed. Our editorial offices moved from that big building in Ventura to a small space in Camarillo, and then after Covid, most of our team went remote. We’ve had staff members come and go, such as Jenny Smith, Nic de Sena, Paul Dail, and Kevin Duke. And we’ve added new voices, like Quinn Redeker.
Now it’s time for the next chapter in Rider’s 52‑year history.
Eric Trow turned in his final Riding Well column for the May issue so he can focus his energies on developing the next iteration of the Stayin’ Safe advanced rider training program. Eric worked for many years as a professional voice talent and producer, and he plans to develop new articles and content in an audio format. Eric is a talented writer and a wonderful person, and I’m thankful that we’ve become not only colleagues but friends.
And after five and a half years as editor‑in‑chief, I’m stepping down to take a position at the Motorcycle Industry Council.
While announcing these changes is bittersweet, Rider is in good hands. Chad Cochran will continue to create inspiring layouts. Allison Parker has been my right hand for the past four years, and she’ll continue as managing editor. And Marisa McInturff, who I introduced in my column last month, will take the reins as EIC. Marisa helped lead RoadRUNNER for five years, and she’s not only got the chops but also the passion, dedication, and vision to take Rider into the future.
It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with great people and to serve a great audience of dedicated motorcycle enthusiasts. I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the readers who have supported Rider over the years. We do what we do for you. I hope to see you on the road.