This past Tuesday, six-time cyclocross national champ Tim Johnson and more than 100 of his newest cycling friends rolled into Washington, DC. This day marked not just the end of his five-day Ride on Washington, but the beginning of the three-day National Bike Summit. This effort represents one of the very few connections between the racing world and cycling advocacy, and Johnson would like to see that change.

Tim Johnson’s bike racing career has had its twists and turns, and a few near-pro crashes. But you’d never know it from hanging out with the popular New Englander, who seems to always land on his feet – usually with a grin. PEZ’ talked with Tim on the eve of the first weekend of the U.S. Grand Prix of Cyclocross in cross-crazy Gloucester (rhymes with “LOB-stah”), Massachusetts.