Beginnings

Beginnings

UP FRONT

MARK HOYER

THIS MONTH'S SLIPSTREAM FINALLY tells the real (ahem) story behind Peter Egan's hiring at Cycle World, which got me thinking about the single most important item that got me through the door here at the magazine. I'd been toiling away in the potato fields up north (working at "America's Weekly Motorcycle Newspaper," Cycle News, in Long Beach, California) for about five years before an opening appeared at the magazine. I'd been a big fan of CW (and our sister publication, Road & Track) since I'd subscribed in 1982, and after a good start in the business learning all kinds of great stuff about publishing and motorcycles while cranking out a weekly news magazine, I felt it was time for the Next Big Thing.

Once I finally made the decision to actually go after a job here, there was the question of methodology. I had plenty of story clips to submit, but what to do about the résumé? I'd never actually used a résumé to get a job, and CN, the only legit career-type position I'd ever landed, was scored randomly through a temp agency, no lie.

As a working writer, I couldn't possibly submit a "normal" résumé. Imagine... Objective: To obtain a position that allows me to maximize my potential and positively influence the organization with which I have joined to achieve my personal and professional goals while working in a team environment but also with the ability to work independently.

Nah.

It wouldn't have been honest. No, the only honest thing to do was lay it all out there, just as I saw it, lived it and experienced it, all the ups, all the downs and, very importantly, all the vehicles, the madness for machines.

This had its risks, and the friends I showed my custom, completely one-off résumé to were eager to tell me so. But, at the core, it was as real a documentation and expression of my experience as I could possibly create, with the true bullet points that, on a single 8 V2 x 11inch piece of paper, let my potential employer know exactly where I was coming from.

So I went with it.

Dear Sir:

My C.V (catastrophe vitae) in chronological order:

• Darkness.

• Saw Jaguar E-type.

• Saw Vincent Black Shadow, beginning a lifetime of two-wheel-vs.-fourwheel conflict.

• Piano lessons. Teacher died, lessons stopped. I swear I didn't do it.

• Got Fender Stratocaster and Marshall amp.

• Parents encourage go-karts and little motorcycles at expense of music.

• Discovered way to defeat governor on Tecumseh 5-hp flathead.

• Crashed into wall.

• Parents encourage guitar.

• Got driver's license.

• Got 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special. Discovered way to defeat flaccid stock performance. (Money!)

• First highside.

• Parents decide motorcycle is "water under the bridge." Interestingly, won't let me use their cars.

• Bought near-death 1971 Triumph TR6 convertible. Discovered it very difficult to defeat questionable British engineering.

• Saw Le Mans with Steve McQueen, beginning a lifetime of Porsche-vs.Ferrari conflict.

• Tried to outrun cops in TR6. Crashed. Went to jail. Will use motorcycle next time.

• Two wheels take leap in opinion poll.

• 1982 Suzuki GS550 with loose swingarm bushes. Couldn't outrun cops if they were on foot.

• 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000. Perfect. Never should have sold it.

• 1959 Austin-Healey 100-6. Sacrificed later for good cause.

• GS650 of unknown year. Threw rod.

Left bike on side of road.

• Four wheels take leap in opinion poll.

• Got educated, to my chagrin. BA, English, George Washington University, Washington, DC, 1993.

• Got unemployed, to my chagrin.

• Got "good cause" E-type while unemployed. Not popular with girlfriend.

• Succession of spirit-crushing jobs peppered (heavily) with D.I.Y. transmission, suspension, engine, brake and body "restorations" that continue to this day.

• Got hired as copy editor/proofreader at Cycle News, 1994.

• Learned to copy edit/proofread (sorta).

• Got to be managing editor, 1995.

• Learned to be managing editor (sorta).

• Resolved two-wheel/four-wheel conflict by riding free motorcycles and buying cars.

• Resolved Porsche/Ferrari conflict by purchasing 1962 Aston Martin DB4 (number 891).

• Got garage. (Apparently there are sleeping quarters attached, culling favor with girlfriend.)

• Discovered mountain bikes and racetracks. Both good because no cops. Former good because it keeps me under 200 pounds, latter bad because of being lapped repeatedly by Don Canet, no matter how slim I stay.

• Heard about job at Cycle World. Think I might learn to right gooder, and could pick up a few pointers from Canet to get faster on track. Slim chance for former, latter probably a no-hoper.

• Waiting to schedule interview.

Thanks for your time.

All the best,

Mark Hoyer

So far, it's worked out okay. The girlfriend and the Aston Martin are long gone, and I've bought and sold a good number of motorcycles since. I never did take the chance of trying to outrun the cops again, not on two wheels or four, and I will do my best not to highside my highly modified RD350. I'm married and I'm over 200 pounds even though I still love mountain biking ("loving" it apparently doesn't help you stay slim so much as actually "doing" it). As for picking up a few pointers from Canet, sure, he's offered a few bits of speedy wisdom over the years. But he will always hand me my ass on a motorcycle, street or track. At least I know I can outdrink him. Which is of little solace. But, Egan, pass the champagne anyway, would you? □