Mike Esordi home... San Diego (Ocean Beach), California birthday...12.30.67 education... BFA, Graphic Design, Rhode Island School of Design, 1991 work... Ever since I finished school I have been working as a graphic designer of sorts. First designing small print ads for a small company in Naples, Florida, then I moved on to San Diego, California and opened my own design studio. From that came an art director position at Troxel a bicycle helmet company. A group of us left Troxel to form a new company. This is where I am today, art director for Cyberworks, an internet marketing group. as an artist... For the most part I would have to say that my work is my art. However, I still like to draw or build stuff in my free time. travel/bike... The travel part is something that has always been of interest to me. While in high school my grandfather took me on a tour of Italy and a few other European countries. During college, I took a semester to study graphic design at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Then another semester I studied aboriginal art in Australia. Since then I went back to Europe, hiked around Mexico and saw a lot of the States. However, these trips never included touring on a bike. The only sport that has played a big role in my travels is surfing. Surfing is my favorite sport by far with cycling being sort of a new hobby for me. Although I've been on a bike ever since I was a kid, I just never took it very seriously. Back then, in my mind, my bike was Evil Knievel's motorcycle and I would jump any size ramp the neighborhood kids could build. Working at Troxel is where I was turned on to Mountain biking, as everyone there rides, and the helmets are free. So as far as riding across New Zealand, well I am not sure what to expect. I am just trying to ride as much as I can and listen to every little bit of advice that comes my way.