Steve Rechel

I wrote my first book at the age of 70. I have been married to my beautiful wife for 50 years. We have three children and have been blessed with eight grandchildren. I still ride the bike and our group would often ride 25 - 40 miles a couple times per week, and I would often ride solitary as well. I loved taking my oldest three grandchildren being two boys and their sister fishing. I have since sold my good old flat bottom canoe and the small outrigger engine. I actually don’t fish that much these days mainly because I started to have nocturnal grand mall seizures in 2005 at the start of what was a recession. I’m not complaining though, because through Gods good graces and prayers I haven’t had a seizure in over three years.

Here in central Ohio where this story took place when riding with our group in what they call the rolling hills of Licking County, we would come upon valley after valley. Some would often have just a small farm pond, while others left a feeling of wonder. I knew and so did my friends that some farm land was situated differently than the norm. Because the lay of the land and the way the farms dirt road disappeared behind a line of trees before heading up a long slow rise, you just weren’t sure what might lay beyond. Sometimes you couldn’t even see the farmhouse or a barn. So it left a feeling of wonder as you cycled on through that valley as you wish you could see the other side if they had a small lake.

As we took our grandkids camping it would take me back in time remembering how much fun we had growing up. And when I took them fishing to the same huge farm pond or small lake as many used to call it that I rode my bike to fish as a youth, I went immediately back in time to the magical summer of 1963. So that trip to the hidden small lake inspired me to write my first book.

I can only wonder but I am actually sure that any youth that reads my book, “ Monster Bass Quest “, that they would really enjoy it. I think people if they knew me back then why I chose, “ Biking to Fish as Youth “, for the sub title.