Name: Sam Johnson
Role: Actor, Carpenter, Humorist Blogger
Age: 25
Hometown: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Who are you and what do you do?
I am a professional cyclist. I spend most of my year racing road bikes around the country for a team based out of Seattle, Washington. I keep a blog of my adventures, to share my life with friends and family (gliderbison.blogspot.com). Last winter I built cabinets for Boise’s only green cabinet builder until the season started, after which I raced bikes full time.
Once the season ended in September, I flew straight down to my home state of New Mexico to work for the Barack Obama campaign. In 2000 New Mexico went to Gore by under 300 votes. In 2004 it went to Bush by roughly two votes per precinct. I’ve never worked so hard for anything in my life, and never reaped such great rewards for my work; New Mexico went for Obama by a 15% margin.
What is important to you in this world?
Outside my personal sphere of interests (cycling, books, my family, etc.), community building, and sustainability are two very important things to me.
Your childhood dream; your adult dream?
When I was younger, I wanted to do something that involved a lot of action or adventure — a Fireman sounded nice. Now my job involves bumping elbows with other guys while flying down mountain roads at upwards of sixty miles per hour on a bicycle, so I’d say that dream has been fulfilled. My current dream is to establish a way of living, and help my culture set a standard of living, that would be sustainable even if everyone on the planet were to live the same way.
What inspires you about TEMA and why are you contributing?
I’m impressed by how collaborative TEMA is. I’m impressed by how willing the trip’s organizers are to let this thing, whatever it is, develop organically.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about my relationships with my friends and family. I’m passionate about living my life without regrets — I am enjoying every instant of my existence, always. Yes, I’m also passionate about racing bicycles.
What is your favorite food?
Anything Venicio cooks. Everything Venicio cooks. I’m also fond of hunkering down to (what to many would be a disastrously large) bowl of cherries.
Have you ever left the country?
Yes, I did a walking tour of County Wicklow in Ireland, I spent six months organic farming in Italy, I learned to make handmade paper in Japan and I was a total tourist in New Zealand.
What is your educational background?
I went to high school in Santa Fe, and then to Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, where I majored in studio art.
Tell an extremely memorable moment.
I joined TEMA rather late in the game. I received the news that there was space for me on the bus four days before we were supposed to depart, but a mere nine hours before I was headed home for thanksgiving. I had to scramble to prepare (book a plane ticket to San Fransisco, find that missing passport, and pack everything I needed), and I was extremely nervous. It didn’t set in that I was actually going until I got off the subway to meet up with the other bussers the day before we left.
Tell us a joke.
I don’t joke. Filthy habit you know. I also like to keep all humor on my blog just to be tidy.
