In his lifetime, Captain Timothy Goforth has probably spent more time on two wheels than on two legs. He has been riding bikes since he was three years old and spent a good chunk of time on the competitive circuit as well. He raced BMX bikes from 1978 to 1988, traveling with the Champion Bicycle Team all around the country. Then during the ‘90s, he raced cross-country mountain bikes, competing in the Cup Series in Big Bear, the California Series and the Nationals at Mammoth Mountain. He also rides for pleasure with the Victor Valley Bicycle Club. Now, he regularly rides his Specialized S-Works road bike to work at County Fire Station 311 in Victorville from his home in Apple Valley. “It’s only a 10 mile ride for me,” Goforth says. “I try to do it every day – if it’s possible.” That’s a short trip compared to when he worked at the Phelan station. He still rode his bike, but he had to leave a lot earlier. “I would leave my house at 6 a.m. and ride for about an hour and a half,” he said. “That’s a 32 mile ride one-way.”

He loves the ride and the views, but is always cautious about the drivers. “You just have to try to ride with traffic,” he said. “I only worry about people who are drinking their coffee or putting on makeup” instead of paying attention to the road, he says. He also appreciates the effect on his wallet. In general, he only has to fill up his car’s gas tank once a month. And the biking also fulfills his need to exercise regularly. “In our line of work we have to stay in shape, and this gets my morning exercise in, and with our jobs it’s all about trying to squeeze in the exercise when I can,” he said.

Goforth grew up in the high desert and has worked for San Bernardino County Fire since 1998 when he started as a firefighter paramedic. He knows the ins and outs of biking the desert roads and sometimes takes his bike to the grocery story. He installed panniers (bicycle bags) on the back of his bike to carry his groceries and other items. Sometimes he has to take his car – a Pontiac Aztec – to work simply because he has to travel to another station after work or for errands down the hill. But in general he prefers to leave the motorized vehicles at home. “For me, a car is something to haul my bicycle from point to point,” he said.

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