Messenger Profile #8 Michael Donohue

"Greets, My name is Michael, but some call me Mike or Micah. I like the variety. My humble roots are in Hilmar, a small dairy town in the Central Valley famous for its cheese manufacturing facility and high school football teams. Small town life was great for climbing fences, shooting bb guns and swimming in canals. It was also prime for commuting to scho ol on bicycle, and I have been a cyclist for about as long as I could walk. I spent many a sweltering summer playing bicycle ‘cops and robbers’ on the cul-de-sac, chasing and being chased by my brother Stephen and friends. I moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC in 2002, and even before graduating in Anthropology I knew Santa Cruz was a community I could settle down in and grow as a person. Being a cyclist from the valley I was amazed with the luxurious bike lanes on nearly every road and the sheer number of fellow cyclists. “Bike traffic... where am I, Amsterdam?!” I began professional cycling work in the summer of 2004 for a company operating a pedicab business hauling tourists from the wharf and boardwalk to downtown. The job ended with the summer, but working outside and on bicycle stuck with me as an ideal way to make a living in this beachside town. I joined the blossoming Santa Cruz Bicycle Polo scene one day after a trip to the Bike Church, and through bike polo I met and befriended Brandon and Andrew, both of whom are now with Clutch Couriers. I was smitten with envy when Brandon and later Andrew scored contracts to work at Clutch, and one night I pitched my cycling repertoire to Rick, who was gracious enough to give me a trial ride-along on the Watsonville route. Rick stuck with me joining Clutch even after my bike literally fell into pieces along the ride, and I learned a lesson in the value of dependability, both in the messenger business and life in general. I've been with Clutch Couriers since late October, and couldn't be happier with the way my life is going. Today you may see me riding along Soquel or atop UCSC; I’ll have at least one flower in my voluminous hair and, thanks to Rick and Clutch Couriers, a big ol’ smile smack across my face. See yall on the road." Editor's Note: Michael has been a welcome addition to the crew.. and when he's not trying to charm the ladies en route he's always on point. Thanks for the great attitude and hard work Mike! You rule!!-RG