The Vine Trail Coalition in the Napa Valley is getting close to completing the amazing 47-mile cycling, running, and walking trail connecting the whole valley for safe and healthy fun! This path is designed to provide locals and visitors with a wonderful pathway from the north end of the valley in Calistoga all the way to the ferry terminal in Vallejo! It has been an amazing source of safe exercise, family time, and joy to hundreds of folks in Napa during the pandemic. It will be a legacy for decades to come. The 2022 Loco-Motion: May Month of Motion fundraiser is about to begin. If this cause inspires you, please join us in this awesome effort or donate to this iconic enterprise!

This year, I am a co-captain for our Loco-Motion Team: Esteban's Echelon honoring our Clydesdale compadre, Steven Moulds who we lost, sadly, in 2021 (story below). Steve Moulds (Esteban) rode across the country three times on his bike (every freakin' mile), and the entire western coast! Steve was an inspiration to everyone he knew, an unstoppable adventurer and philanthropist, and a friend to many. All of us Clydesdales feel fortunate to have known and shared time with this amazing, dynamic man. We are excited to join together and dominate the 2022 Vine Trail Loco-Motion leader board in honor of Steve this year!

My Goal?

I am personally committed to 470 miles of cycling to be completed in May, along with 47 miles of walking to honor our friend Steve and to inspire others to log miles or donate to this very worthy cause. I know Steve would be the first to get on his bike, walk, hike or swim to raise money for the Vine Trail. I am excited to see our efforts come together to honor Esteban! I feel unstoppable in my mission to honor Steve.

Steven Moulds

The Inspiration for Esteban’s Echelon

LocoMotion (Clydesdales) Team - 2022

Steven Mould’s legendary bike adventures began in 1996 with the spontaneous spirit Steven was well known for. One spring morning, in Portola Valley, out of the blue Steve announced to his lovely wife Betsy that he was going to get on a bicycle and see how far he could ride in a week. Betsy agreed, saying that it would indeed be interesting! Steve quickly acquired a bike that Betsy described as “not wasting any family money”, and in his cargo shorts and sneakers, headed off to the California coast. With no training or experience, Steve cycled from Woodside down the coast to Santa Barbara before returning home by train. With his love of adventure, it was not surprising when Steve soon boarded a train to Santa Barbara and proceeded to ride his bike all the way to Tijuana. Next, Steve flew to a friend’s place in Anacortes, touched the Canadian border and cycled the Washington and Oregon Coast. The last leg was completed in August when Steve rode the Northern California Coast, completing the Canada to Mexico West Coast Route. Steve rode the entire trip without a flat! You may wonder how this was possible?  Steve wisely chose a sturdy mountain bike because he didn’t know how to change a tire! This accomplishment was the beginning of a love for cycling adventures that would last more than twenty-five years!

Steve’s strategy to stay fit was to always have an extraordinary challenge set for himself. At a neighborly dinner with Walt and Bernie Brooks in 2005, the conversation turned to Steve’s emerging goal of riding across America. Remembering fondly his first experiences, Steve casually brought up the topic of riding across the country from East to West. He wanted to pass this idea by Walt to get his expert insights on this extended time on the road as Walt was an experienced rider.  (It is important to note that Steve seldom worried about having the skills needed to navigate any challenge he set up for himself; they were secondary to the challenge itself!). Walt jumped on the idea, wanting to join Steve, as it was also a dream of his.  Steve was initially hesitant to ride with a such experienced cyclist and stated his belief that he was too slow to be a good companion. However, the very next day, Steve followed up the dinner with a phone call to Walt. “So, was that just bullshit bar talk, or are we riding across the country?” Walt assured him he was serious and with that, the training and planning began!

The first cross country ride was the original TRANSAM. Steve was 61. Starting on Mother’s Day 2006 Camel (Steve) and Cray (Walt) flew with their bikes to Dulles, Virginia. This adventure was 10 weeks, 3861 miles and 166,000 feet of climbing! Steve rode a bike that would ‘not need a lot of maintenance’ and Walt towed a trailer.  The boys rode EFI (Every Freaking Inch). Not one hotel, restaurant or bar was booked in advance; it was a completely spontaneous trip! Walt was in charge of navigation and accommodations, the cheapest they could find, while Steve took the lead in libations and entertainment. For Steve, it was all about engaging with the people in each new town along the road. Walt and Steve would get into a town by 1pm, have a little Sauvignon blanc, watch a western movie and perhaps take a nap. Then they would step out for dinner, libations, music and experience the rich variety of evening adventures too raucous and numerous to describe here. Both riders were ready to ride at dawn no matter the hangover or injury. ‘The road goes on forever and the party never ends’ (REK), and folks along the way bonded to these boys and their adventurous journey as they rode. The trip ended at Betsy and Steve’s house in Napa, but that was not the end for Steve.  Unbeknownst to Walt, Steve later rode his bike all the way to the coast to authentically fulfill his personal mission of EFI!

The Southern Tier cross country tour was inspired by the compelling Middle Tier stories shared after Friday rides at the local dive bar (Panchas) while being served by the incorrigible Rose. Stan Boyd and Rick (Rizzy) Osgood joined the two original riders and the Core Four rode across country in 2011. There was a massive send off by the Clydesdales, and the Core Four were accompanied by several riders for the first third of the trip. The Clydes rode out bravely into an unprecedented snowstorm one day out from San Diego and continued on to Florida for 2885 miles. This journey was fraught with injuries; sprained ankles, broken wrists, and culminated with Steve being hit by a car in Florida at the end of the trip! The boys were able to avert Steve’s trip to the hospital in a helicopter when they explained to the medics that ‘Day 49’ was a completely coherent answer to “what day is it?” when you are on a cross country ride. Refusing to stay at the hospital, Steve emerged in his cycling gear the very next morning ready to ride with big white bandages covering the 26 staples required to repair his head. Walt, Rizzy and Stan barely convinced him to have waffles before the Core Four set out once again on the road. They all agreed that Steve is a true force of nature, and everyone marveled at his determination not to bring anyone down or miss an inch of any adventure. On the penultimate day of the journey, these cyclists drank two bars in Palatka out of their entire supply of rum while waiting for their wives to arrive!

The Northern Tier happened five years later, in 2016. This time it was a core group of six riders doing EFI: Steve, Walt, George, Rizzy, Cathy, and Stan. At the age of 71, Steve was amongst this group of core riders who rode from Bar Harbor, Maine to Anacortes, Washington for a total of 4200 miles. Accompanied by Betsy and Darby, Bernie, Sandra, and Halina, the group was joined along the way by other Clydes for sections of the ride which added to the epic adventures and stories. There were pontoon boat adventures, camping, music, A Ride to the Sun, and cases of wine delivered to predetermined points along the route!

We all felt and still feel inspired by the way Steve sought adventure and lived his life as an unstoppable adventurer. Steve’s vibrant presence (with the powerful love and support of Betsy by his side) caused many of us to expand our own lives and seek more peak experiences. Each of us can point to adventures or challenges we met and accomplished with the support and inspiration of Steve. He was a ‘no regrets’ kind of guy and couldn’t have squeezed more out of life than he did. None of us ever imagined we would be without him. 

This May let’s come together in true Clydesdale spirit to honor Steve Moulds. As “Esteban’s Echelon” we will ride, walk, swim, hike and raise funds to help complete the Vine Trail. As Fluggers Flyers in 2021, we dominated the leader board so, like Steve, let's set an even bigger goal, challenge ourselves to exceed our 2021 totals, and win the Locomotion Team Competition in 2022 for Steven Moulds. To join us, or to donate click here!