Albert Bouchard

NEW YORK, NY - How do cyclists resemble the stars of popular music? Consider a racer in skintight, multicolored outfits, who might correspond to 80s hair-bands like Poison or any bands with "white" in their name. A triathlete or recumbent rider obsessed with the newest, lightest technology could stand in for the electronic sounds of a Kraftwerk or a Gary Numan. But the commuter sporting jeans and bracing for every weather condition? That's pure rock and roll.

That fits Albert Bouchard. He's a music teacher in Manhattan, and has commuted by bicycle for 16 years. His current daily ride takes him 5.8 miles from his home in Washington Heights to his school at 102nd street. But in another life, he was a rock star. "I was the drummer in Blue Oyster Cult," he reported.

That's right, Will Ferrell fans, that means Bouchard played the cowbell (and the drums) on the famous 1976 track "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." For those who missed it, "Saturday Night Live" showed a skit in 2000 parodying "Reaper's" recording session, with Farrell performing the role of a hapless percussionist repeatedly asked by producer Christopher Walken to crank up the cowbell sound.

"More cowbell" has become something of a cult rallying cry. "It's almost more famous than the group," said Bouchard. His view of the skit? "It's pretty funny and holds up after repeated viewings."

A lifelong biker, Bouchard started out on a tricycle in Thousand Islands, N.Y, on the St. Lawrence River between New York State and Ontario, Canada. He moved up to a two-wheeler when his family moved to the country at age seven. Later, he rode motorbikes during and shortly after college, but now his main transportation comes with a long English heritage: Raleigh.

Bouchard has three models, one from 1976 and two others made in the new millenium. While he hasn't made a practice of counting his commuting miles, he approximates that he rides about 140 days a year, accumulating more than 1,600 miles traveled.

When he reaches his destination, this 57-year-old stores his bike in the instrument storeroom. Like many schools that discourage or even ban the use of bicycles to get to school, Bouchard's workplace offers "no places to keep bikes for students in the school," he said. "It's a pity."

He knows what non-cyclists are missing. "Every day I ride under the George Washington bridge each way and the Hudson River is always different and cool whether it's dry, damp, still or windy," he narrated. "Sometimes I take pictures with my digital camera.

"One day a couple years ago I had a tailwind and I did my morning commute in 18 minutes. I was passing cars on the West Side Highway. That was fun."

Except for some rides around in the Thousand Islands in the summertime, Bouchard sticks to riding on the Manhattan streets, until inclement conditions force him off. Ice is his worst cycling enemy.

"The one time I tried to ride on ice was pretty bad. That's when I made my second rule of biking. If you fall more than three times during a ride, no matter what the reason, it's time to stop," he said.

"My absolute worst ride was when I made my first rule. It was a cold morning in early February, the thermometer said it was 12 degrees. I put on three layers and winter gloves. Put my balaclava over my other balaclava, wore goggles and Goretex boots. The ride wasn't bad but I had to visit a friend in the hospital after work and I didn't start for home until well after dark.

"The temperature was around 10 degrees but there was a 25 mph wind hitting me in the face all the way home. Those were the longest eight miles I ever rode. I really thought I would freeze to death."

Counting down the miles remaining, Bouchard finally made it to shelter and it took him hours to defrost. That clinched his first rule of biking: "Never ride when the temperature is under 20 degrees in the morning because it can get colder at night. So far I have only two rules."

Taking advantage of the bike path next to the West Side Highway for most of his journey, Bouchard agrees that plowing and salting the bike path would be a great help to commuters. The short days in winter bring other dangers on the unlit path, in the form of cyclists riding without lights.

"I really miss it when I can't ride and have to take the subway. A well-plowed and lighted path around Manhattan would solve all my problems."

Like many New York bikers, Bouchard believes that urban area should have well-designated bike lanes. Also, bike security is an important issue in the city. "There is no place safe to keep your bike on the street," he said. "But New York City has a mayor who is a bike fan so he has done many things right for bikers."

Citing recent press about organized protest rides in the city, Bouchard said, "I'm not sure that events like Critical Mass are making biking more acceptable. It may be more attractive for rebellious youth maybe, but not the general public."

As for the masses deciding to join this musician on the city's mean streets, Bouchard doesn't hold out much hope.

"It's a fact that most Americans are not very fit and would rather lead sedentary lives than exert themselves. That attitude has changed in the past few years but we've still got a long way to go."

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