Brian Vegter
The Metal Cowboy, Joe Kurmaskie will be joining us at the Anthony Lakes Finish Line Festival on June 25th at this year’s BCCC. Hang out with Joe and learn about the incredible Evelyn Hamilton post race before the podiums.
Imagine seeing and hearing the cycling equivalent of Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm or Margot Shetterly's Hidden Figures BEFORE the books or movies came out - from the authors themselves.
Now's our chance.
Evelyn Hamilton was a gifted cyclist who broke records and hearts the fought Nazis, sexism and her own ambitions to become a beacon of humanity. www.evelynhamilton.org Bestselling author, cyclist, travel adventuer, screenwriter and performer, Joe Metal Cowboy Kurmaskie is bringing a special presentation of her story, soon to be a major motion picture, the this years post race party.
This is the true story of cycling's female Jackie Robinson meets Inglorious Bastards, with a helping of Hidden Figures on the side.
A larger than life character, Evelyn lived, loved and rode on her own terms. When barred from the Tour de France, she set distance/time records which held for decades, became the most famous cyclist in the world in 1935, then risked it all in occupied France rescuing airmen by bike and couriering coded messages hidden in her handlebars… messages that determined the fate of the world.
1. What does 1923 Tour de France winner Henri Pelissier's murder have to do with British cicyling record holder Evelyn Hamilton and her ambitions to race head to head with men?
2. What do Italian race champ Gino Bartali and British long distance record holder Evelyn Hamilton have in common?
3. When, why and how did the lives of Curious George creators Margaret and H. A. Rey intersect with British cycling phenom and Nazi fighter, Evelyn Hamilton during the take over of France by the Germans?
4. How did British cycling champ and Nazi fighter, Evelyn Hamilton set track sprint and distance records - sometimes on fixed gear bikes and by candlelight, win 60 races in five countries and go 1,000 miles in 84 in saddle hours only to be turned away from the Tour de France?
Sponsor a live performance/presentation of Lightning In A Saddle from bestselling author and modern day Mark Twain on two wheels, Joe Metal Cowboy Kurmaskie.
A larger than life character, Evelyn lived, loved and rode on her own terms. After breaking the half mile sprint record and notching 50 wins across 6 countries, she remained barred from the Tour de France. Think a female Jackie Robinson of the cycling world meets Inglorious Bastards, with a helping of Hidden Figures on the side.
Sidelined though she bested men's times under harsher conditions. She fought sexism, Nazis and her own ambitions to become not only the most famous cyclist in the world at the time, but a beacon of humanity. She became the most famous cyclist in the world in 1935, then risked it all in occupied France - rescuing airmen by bike and couriering coded messages hidden in her handlebars… messages that determined the fate of the world.
And all this was nearly lost to the sands of time until one photo set author and adventure cyclist, Joe Kurmaskie ( www.metalcowboy.com ) on a global, literary treasure hunt.
His story, of facing down a life threatening illness just as he started research, then battling - and recovering - to complete work on Evelyn's life story only added depth to the story.
In edge of the seat fashion, audiences experience a drama within a drama of two cyclists helping each other across the finish line of history.
After two years of work, the screenplay, Lightning In A Saddle, been optioned by Alsea Entertainment, and Joe's nearing completion on a historical nonfiction book of the same name - 2019 release. Also, a film crew for a documentary titled, Chasing Lightning, is trailing Joe's presentations to capture the story... and the story behind it.
The presentation will blow minds and inspire folks to live and cycle and reach beyond themselves with abandon, while fighting fascism.
Vintage video, private collection slides and a lively retelling by the cycling world's perennial favorite storyteller, brings this British emancipated warrior of cycling back into the world... after she nearly fell through the cracks of history.
See more at www.evelynhamilton.org
The presentation for Lightning In A Saddle: the long untamed life of Evelyn Hamilton, runs about 45-60 minutes with a 15 minute window or so for Q&A. It includes short film clips from vintage newsreels and new video pieces all of which run 1-3 minutes in length each) vintage digitalized images and a vibrant, lively retelling of Evelyn's amazing, true story - Joe does a short intro/background and a few stories from his books to get the audience comfortable then rolls out this stunning true story of a cycling heroine that resonates with the times - cultural and political - which we are currently living through.
As a popular writer and performer, Joe brings humor and pathos and everyone leaves inspired by this person who triumphed over sexism for nearly 100 years... and the presentation connects deeply with what it means to be human, fight for what is right while never discarding ones passions.
Joe Kurmaskie is a journalist, syndicated columnist, and contributor to numerous magazines including Outside, Bicycling Magazine, Men's Journal and Parenting. He's a bike advocate, activist, found of Cadence Press, and a Random House author of 7 books including Metal Cowboy, Mud, Sweat and Gears and A Guide To Falling Down In Public.
Called a literary force of nature by The World Herald, and A Modern Day Mark Twain on Two Wheels by USA Today, he's a dynamic speaker who has appeared on The Moth, E-Town and A Prairie Home Companion, at Interbike in Las Vegas, Nike, Seattle Bike Expo and Amazon Presents with Greg Lemond and Sheryl Crow.