There are tough guys, there are tougher guys and then there’s Pete Tomaino.
Fortunately, the 82-year-old cyclist has more lives than a cat. He has been hit by cars, struck by cyclists and crashed so many times, he has lost count of the number of times he has been hospitalized.
You see, true tough guys don’t pay attention to little things such as a bruised liver, busted ribs, collapsed lung, broken arm, an ankle patched together with screws.
Tomaino even had one of his two artificial hips broken when a car barreled into him.
Some guys brag. Some guys want sympathy. Tomaino scoffs at such nonsense. He’d rather be riding.
At minimum, Tomaino rides 100 miles a week. And that doesn’t include elevation – which can be a very pesky thing for someone such as Tomaino, who enjoys tackling something crazy called “Ride Around the Bear,” a century ride that goes from the lowlands of Redlands to Onyx Summit at 8,443 feet.
In the past few decades, the Laguna Hills resident has put 150,000 miles on his bicycle. If Tomaino’s name sounds familiar, it should. Five years ago, I wrote a column wondering if Tomaino was the toughest cyclist in Orange County. Some of you answered Tomaino isn’t fast enough to be tough.
That might be true. Speed is indeed tough. But how many of us have accidently destroyed one finger, sawed off another and then climbed back on the bike?
One more tough-guy thing. Like many people his age, Tomaino has a grandson. His happens to be less than a month old. His daughter also happens to be less than 30.
Raising a teenager through your 60s? Toughest.
NEVER TOO OLD
For his 82nd birthday, Tomaino cycled 89 miles. He planned to ride 82, but he was having such a good time he figured what the heck – OK, Tomaino’s not the kind of guy to say “heck” but you get the idea – he’d keep riding.
Over a salad, I ask what’s his secret to being able to ride so long. Tomaino squints at such an obvious question. “I just keep going.”
I press knowing that proper hydration and nutrition are essential for such a long ride regardless of age. Tomaino admits he uses what a lot of outdoors people use, something akin to the ubiquitous “5-hour Energy” shots. Tip: Tomaino prefers Costco’s brand because it’s much cheaper.
(Yes, the shots are controversial because of allegations they cause heart attacks. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing. Sure, the TV commercial with fruit going into the little bottle is dumb. But it appears at this time, if you don’t have health issues such as hypertension a single shot won’t kill you. Still, consult your doctor.)
If you think the retired engineer is some kind of super human, think again. He didn’t start cycling until his 50s, suffers from a variety of maladies, has arthritis and battles pain.
Even Tomaino’s doctor wonders about his patient cycling. After one accident, the physician tried to convince Tomaino to quit, saying, “You can continue cycling and live maybe five years, or you can quit and live 10 years.”
Tomaino’s wife, 15 years his junior, would just as soon see her husband end his cycling career. But the exceptionally fit and lanky Tomaino will have none of that. Of those who say he’s too old to ride a bicycle, Tomaino says, “What do they know? They’re not athletes.”
With a dismissive wave of his hand, he looks at me and declares, “Guys like us, we don’t stop. Heck, I’d rather be dead if I can’t cycle.”
After lunch, Tomaino climbs into his silver Corvette, a car so low to the ground some 30-year-olds can barely climb in and out. He’s got some riding to do.
RIDING SECRET
Walking into Tomaino’s garage is like walking into most any cycling addict’s garage. Sure, there are cars. But it’s really about the bike. There are three bicycles on the wall and one on the floor ready to roll. His favorite is a steel model from the 1980s. But these days, there is only one bike Tomaino rides, a Fuji made of carbon fiber that helps smooth the bumps.
Still, it’s not easy watching Tomaino climb aboard his carbon fiber bike. I suspect swinging an artificial hip over a bike seat is rarely easy. But once Tomaino clicks his shoes in his pedals, he transforms into an athlete of grace and strength.
Despite a two-finger – and thumb – grip with his left hand, Tomaino rips up the street and executes a tight U-turn. With a breeze on his face, he grins like a kid.
As he comes to a stop, I ask for one more tip to ensure plenty of years of cycling. Tomaino pauses and smiles.
“Always wear a helmet.”
David Whiting’s column appears four days a week.
Contact the writer: dwhiting@ocregister.com
