BOOKS MEET THE DEADHEAD CYCLIST

In new book, Boulder Weekly founder shares ‘life lessons on two wheels’ set to the music of the quintessential jam band

BY WILL BRENDZA

In 2017, Stewart Sallo was riding his bike through the calico sandstone Nevada wilderness when his alter ego was born. His feet pedaled to the pulse of a Grateful Dead concert, one of an incalculable number of recordings made over the band’s estimated 2,300 live shows. A scenic wasteland extended all around Sallo as he cycled, truckin’, until he reached the lookout point at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

“The words ‘Deadhead cyclist’ came to me and it was one of those powerful moments when you knew that you were being guided,” says Sallo, CEO/founder of local alternative newspaper Boulder Weekly. He had enough signal on his phone to check if the domain name “Deadhead Cyclist” was available “Sure enough, it was.”

Sallo says that’s when spiritual counsel and modern technology collided to put him on the right track. He’d known that he wanted to write a book. In fact, at that point, he already had a few disparate chapters written about life principles that had stuck with him over the years. He bought the domain.

In 2020, in the crush of the pandemic, Sallo set a goal to write one blog post a week, each spotlighting a different concert in Grateful Dead history, set against the backdrop of one Sallo’s more than 200 mountain bike rides a year. He developed a system for picking the best Grateful Dead concert from any given week, then honing in on a lyric that inspired him and riffing off of it, extracting a nugget of truth or a life lesson.

Fifty-two weeks later, Sallo had a catalog of Grateful Dead-inspired wis- dom and personal parables that would become his book, The Deadhead Cyclist: Life Lessons on Two Wheels to the Tunes of the Grateful Dead. We connected with Sallo to talk about his 185-page translation of The Dead’s deepest lyrics. (This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.)

How would you describe this book?

This is not a book just about the Grateful Dead. And it’s not a book just about cycling. It’s a book about life principles inspired by the various passions we engage in. In my case, those passions are the Grateful Dead, cycling and baseball. The main thing I want to get across is that if you live a life of passion and be clear about what your passions are, allow them to guide you, thoughts and words come to you with a certain clarity that should be taken note of. But any passion will do. You don’t have to be a Deadhead and you don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy this book.

What are some of the things that the Grateful Dead and cycling share in common?

One of the things I love about the Grateful Dead is that there’s such a focus on nature in their lyrics. One lyric that comes to mind is from the song “Sugar Magnolia”: “We can discover the wonders of nature rolling in the rushes down by the riverside.” It’s when you’re in nature that you really have great access to the wisdom and the deeper meaning of life that can help guide you through troubled times. One of the things I love most about cycling [is being outside].

Do you always listen to live Grateful Dead concerts while you’re riding?

Almost always. Using a certain comprehensive process, I would review all the shows that had been played during that week. And then I would pick the show that I thought was one of the best, if not the best show from that week. Luckily for me, I attended some 200 of those shows. I tried to not pick shows just because I had attended them, but there were a few shows that I had attended that I couldn’t resist naming as [the pick for] “This Week in Grateful Dead History.”

Do you feel like you were cracking the Grateful Dead code through the cipher of their lyrics, or were you cracking the Stewart Sallo code and using their lyrics as a key?

That’s a very interesting question because art is highly subjective. And the Grateful Dead’s lyricist, Robert Hunter, was very reluctant to identify the meaning of his lyrics. Instead, he wanted the listener to develop their own meaning. Which is truly being an artist. Most artists have an idea of what their art means, but understand that their art means something different to everybody. And they don’t want to take that away because art is in the eye of the beholder — or the ear of the beholder in this case. This is one of the things I loved the most about the Grateful Dead’s music: It doesn’t try to answer questions. Instead, it poses questions and provokes the listener to give deep thought to concepts.

Stewart Sallo founded Boulder Weekly in 1993. He served as publisher for more than 20 years, and today acts as CEO.

ON THE SHELF: The Deadhead Cyclist is available on deadheadcyclist.com or you can swing by Boulder Weekly (690 S. Lashley Lane) to pick up a copy. Sallo will sign books at the Boulder Bookstore, 1107 Pearl St., on June 29.

PEEK 2023: A SPACE ODYSSEY

5:30-10 p.m. Thursday, May 25, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $150

PEEK wants to take you on a “journey to the future.” Their immersive 2023: A Space Odyssey is a cosmic blend of music, dance, comedy, theater and visual art, all in one night at the Dairy Arts Center — including Boulder Ballet and Afro-fusion dance by Donna Mejia and Khadijah, plus “jazz-hop” band Many Colors, cocktails, wine, small plates and more.

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Teen Movie Night

6-8:30 p.m. Friday, May 26, Erie Community Library, 400 Powers St., Erie. Free

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?

6 p.m. Friday, May 26, CU South Dog Park, 4886 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder. Free

Want to enjoy a sunset hike with your four-legged friend, off-leash or not?

Latino Outdoors Colorado hosts this furforward nature event on Friday for a free community trek around the CU South Boulder dog park.

26-29

BOULDER CREEK FESTIVAL

Know a teen who loves the warm and whimsical worlds of Studio Ghibli movies like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away? Head to the Erie Community Library for a special after-hours screening event designed specifically for their age group. The regular event includes Japanese snacks and popcorn, and all films are presented with English subtitles.

26-28

SUGARLOAF FIRE DEPARTMENT

ANNUAL GARAGE SALE

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 26-28, Sugarloaf Fire Station 2, 1360 Sugarloaf Road, Boulder. Free

Once a year, Sugarloaf Fire Department opens their doors at Fire Station 2, located just up Boulder Canyon, for a sale that has a little something for everyone. Indoor and outdoor furniture, clothing, sporting goods, paintings and prints, books, electronics, plants, collectibles — the list goes on and on.

Happy Hour At The Museum

5-7 p.m. Friday, May 26, Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder. $15

Beer and history converge this Friday at the Museum of Boulder. Oskar Blues rolls into the ongoing Beer HERE!: Brewing the New West exhibition for a night of beer flights, food pairings and a presentation on the brewery’s history as a local mainstay.

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Wildflowers On Marshall Mesa

9 a.m.-noon. Saturday, May 27, Marshall Mesa Trailhead, 5258 Eldorado Springs Drive, Boulder. Free (RSVP required)

The landscape is blooming in the wake of the most destructive wildfire in state history, and a guided wildflower tour with the Boulder County Audubon Society is a great way to experience it up close. Join trip leader Dave Sutherland at the Marshall Mesa Trailhead for a 2.5-mile hike to see the recovery of the landscape in all its colorful glory. RSVP at boulderaudubon.org.

Various times. Friday-Monday, May 27-28, Boulder Creek area. $30

The city’s favorite summertime kickoff is back for another round of live music, art, comedy, kids’ activities and more. This annual Memorial Day Weekend event also includes the Creekside Beer Festival, featuring the local breweries you love — Avery, Upslope, Busey Brews, Stem and others — for a holiday weekend filled with suds and sun by the creek.

26-28

LONGMONT

Home Show

Various times. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. Free

Looking to spruce up your digs? The Longmont Home Show is the place to get started. Head to the Boulder County fairgrounds this Memorial Day Weekend to meet face-to-face with local contractors, remodeling experts and vendors who will help you “save big on all your home improvement projects.”

27

BIRD WALKS WITH WILD BEAR

7:30-9 a.m., Saturday, May 27, Wild Bear Nature Center, 20 Lakeview Drive, Nederland. Free (registration required)

Enjoy the great outdoors with fellow bird lovers during this guided nature walk at Wild Bear Nature Center in Nederland. Bring binoculars if you’ve got ‘em — there will be a few available to borrow — along with water and weather-appropriate clothing. Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a curious newcomer, you won’t want to miss it. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP at wildbear.org

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GOLD HILL HISTORY MUSEUM2023 OPENING DAY

Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, May 27, Gold Hill History Museum, 661 Pine St., Gold Hill. Free

When it comes to local history, the former mining town of Gold Hill has it in strides. Celebrate opening day of the Gold Hill History Museum, dedicated to telling the story of this Boulder County community. Exhibitions span from historical displays on the industries and people who built the town, to contemporary looks at the rich culture in Gold Hill today.

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Breaking Down Barriers In Tanzania

4-6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 28, Maji Safi Group Office, 455 Marine St., Boulder. $75

Enjoy an afternoon of live music in a comfy backyard setting during this fundraiser for Maji Safi Group, a local nonprofit dedicated to disease prevention in rural Tanzania. This community-building afternoon will feature live music from award-winning local musicians Rebecca Folsom, Tom Wasinger and Sandra Wong.

28-29

Memorial Day Pickleball Tournament

8:30 a.m. Sunday-Monday, May 28-29, Marquardt-Miles Outdoor Pickleball Courts, 11706 W. 82nd Ave., Arvada. $25-$50

Pickleball has taken the Front Range, and the world, by storm. If you’re an avid pickleballer, or you just want to see what all the fuss is about, don’t miss the upcoming weekend of competition in Arvada. It’s part tennis, part ping-pong, and should be on your docket for the weekend.

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PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH BALLET PRESENTS ‘CINDERELLA’

2 p.m. Sunday, May 28, CU Boulder - Baker Hall, 2005 Baker Drive. $55-$63

If you’re looking to enjoy an afternoon of culture with the little ones, you’ll find it this Sunday during the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s presentation of the classic Cinderella. This family-friendly, three-act ballet brings the beautiful music of Sergei Prokofiev to life with stunning choreography by Karen Kroninger Knerr.

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Boulder Comedy Show

6 p.m. Sunday, May 28, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder. $20

Need a laugh? Bust a gut at the Boulder Comedy Show, a laugh-out-loud institution in the backyard of the People’s Republic since 2013. Seating is first-come, firstserved at Boulder’s only weekly stand-up showcase featuring comics from around the country — so get there early to snag the best spot.

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Bolderboulder

6:50 a.m., Monday, May 29, 30th and Walnut (start area). $69-$94

Lace up your athletic shoes and get ready to experience the 43rd running of Colorado’s largest road race. Runners, joggers and walkers from around the country will come together for this annual event named “America’s Best All-Time 10k” by Runner’s World. Online registration is open through 9 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available on the Pearl Street Mall all weekend long.

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.