One of the things that most impressed my wife and I when we first moved to Sequim was how often we’d meet teen-age adults — teens whose self-confidence, poise, knowledge and maturity belied their years and just left us thinking, “Wow! What an impressive kid!”

“Kid” in this case, being that catchall term people often use when referring to anyone significantly younger than they are, but especially anyone under the age of 21.

We continue to have the pleasure of such encounters, often at times or in places where we least expect it. For me that happened again in a particularly odd circumstance — cycling around with my “biker gang” of mostly older, retired folks.

It was an early spring Sunday last year when this young teen showed up to ride with us. He was polite but, understandably, quiet and a bit reserved since he didn’t really know anyone. During the ride that day it became clear he was a good, strong cyclist; he stayed up with those who like to ride at a faster pace, with fewer stops, over longer distances.

Over the ensuing weeks and into summer, he’d join us every now and then. We’d often see him out on his own and he was soon leading the pack of the faster riders in our group. Despite the age differences, he’d become one of the gang, readily joining in the joshing and good-natured teasing of good, comfortable friendships.

That’s how I first got to know Liam Barber as one of those truly impressive kids. He clearly had a goal of becoming a really, really good cyclist — as in becoming a competitive road-bike racer — and he was showing the drive and determination to achieve that goal.

Recently I had the chance to sit down and talk with Liam Barber about his interest in cycling. Fortunately, since it wasn’t while we were riding it wasn’t a “long-distance” conversation.

Cycling Around: “When did you first start cycling?

Liam Barber: I think I was around 12. I was actually riding my sister’s bike — more of a mountain bike. I have two older sisters, one’s 19 and the other’s 21. We got along pretty well so my riding her bike wasn’t a problem but I got my own first bike (a mountain bike) at Goodwill soon after and, with some help from friends, fixed it up.

CA: You just turned 16. In four years you went from basically riding around on a bike the way a lot of kids do, to competitive racing. How’d that happen?

Liam: The summer I turned 13 I went to a Bike Camp that Powell Jones, who’s now the Director of the Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park, was running. Powell suggested I might like bike racing — either cyclocross (cross-country racing on bicycles) or road cycling.

Later I saw this TV show about road bike racing and it just sort of grabbed me—it looked exciting and I wanted to learn more about it. Then I found this website, the Global Cycling Network or GCN, with all kinds of information and videos on it. I think I watched every video they have there—training tips, how to ride like a pro racer, the best road bikes for racing!

I also got this book, The Cyclist’s Training Bible, with basically everything in it on training to improve your skill and conditioning as a cyclist. It’s about 500 pages, but I read it cover-to-cover.

So I guess you could say it was 2015, actually, when I decided I wanted to be a professional cyclist.

CA: That’s a lofty goal. How did you plan to get there?

Liam: I knew it wouldn’t be easy living in Sequim since, besides the Tour de Dungeness, the nearest races are in the Seattle area. But I was committed so I worked out an annual training plan.

My first race was in the 2016 Tour de Dungeness. Since then I’ve been in eight more. I haven’t placed where I’d like to yet in a race, but I learn a lot each time from the experience and from the other racers. I plan to do at least as many this season.

What’s been really important, though, is having Ben’s Bikes as my sponsor. They provided a real racing bike for me to ride and that’s made a huge difference in my performance.

CA: Give us an idea of your training.

Liam: I ride five or six days a week, so usually around 200 to 300 miles a week, and weight training in the gym. I focus on improving my weak areas. Right now I see myself as more of a sprinter so I know I need to develop endurance and climbing skills.

CA: How do you measure your improvement?

Liam: I keep a record of almost everything I do in training so over time I can see how my pace, my heart rate, the way I felt during a ride or a race are doing. I can then adjust my training to meet a new set of goals.

CA: Where do you see yourself in, say, five years?

Liam: My goal is to be on the professional cycling circuit competing at the international level by the time I’m 21. If I don’t have it already, I’ll also be pursuing my college degree in sports psychology.”

If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Liam being exactly where he wants to be when he turns 21.

On his bike or off, Liam Barber is one of Sequim’s truly impressive kids. Actually, make that one of Sequim’s truly impressive young adults.

Ken Stringer is President of the Olympic Peninsula Bicycle Alliance. This is the first of a monthly series of columns on cycling in Sequim and the surrounding area. For more information on cycling in the area, go to www.olympicpeninsulacycling.com, or contact the author at opcycling@gmail.com.