Back for the fourth year, we will be hosting our Tales from the Trails storytelling event Sunday July 12th, 11:00am at Sketchbook Brewery in Skokie. Once again we have an eclectic lineup of stories from experienced and novice storytellers.
“Tales from the Trails” features original stories of real life experiences riding a bicycle or inspired by cycling. We have been fortunate to feature amazing stories from novice to seasoned storytellers, (and novice to seasoned cyclists).
See the story titles and storyteller bios below:
Sheri Reda – “Lost and Found”
Sheri Reda is a storyteller and poet whose recently published book, Diaspora, is for sale online and at Women and Children first, down in Andersonville. She rides with the friendly ghosts of her ancestors.
Jeff Balch – “Meeting of Minds”
Jeff holds fast to a few fundamental beliefs, such as that people generalize too much, and that if God had wanted us to have artificial limbs He would have given them to us, and that, when speaking and writing, dangling participles can cause confusion, and that the passive voice should be avoided, and so should run-on sentences.
Michelle Young – “Bicycle, Bicycle”
Michelle Young is a Chicago-based writer, storyteller, and comedian who has performed as host, teller, and comedian. Earlier this year, she debuted her first solo show, DYKE*OTOMY! You can find Michelle online at michelledyoung.com
Kevin Biolsi – “Hitting the Road”
Kevin Biolsi is a statistician by trade but has managed to avoid the glamorous, fast-paced, and ultimately self-destructive lifestyle so often associated with that profession. He started telling stories in front of audiences in 2016 and found it to be more exhilarating than any drugs he’s ever taken, although to be honest, those have almost exclusively been antacids and ibuprofen.
Victoria Reeves – “MicroAdventures”
Victoria Reeves is a Writer, Storyteller, Coach and the Founder of Story Craft Sessions. She has performed at The Moth, Soul Stories Live, Story Lab, This Much is True, Fillet of Solo, Fresh Meat and the Evanston Storytelling Festival.
Robert Serb – “Looking Ahead”
I teach basic and advanced Composition at Oakton college, and have also worked as editor, proofreader, office manager, purchasing agent, and program manager. I live in Skokie with my wife, Diane, our three kids, and a houseful of pets.
Ellen Blum Barish – “As the Wheel Turns”
Ellen Blum Barish is a longtime Skokie resident who is the author of a memoir, essay collection and contributor to several anthologies. She has told stories on numerous Chicago-area stages, coaches writers working on memoir and essay collections and chairs the Skokie Fine Arts Commission.
Matt Dobschuetz – “BUI”
Matt is a podcaster, author, and life coach. He rides a Surly Pacer. He loves coffee, the Chicago Bears, and old-school hip hop.
Tracy Fowler – “Bike Redistribution”
How do you keep junior high kids in line? Capture them with stories, and when that doesn’t work, use the evil teacher glare. After 40 years in the classroom, Tracy Fowler now spends her afternoons teaching 15 year olds… to NOT drive like their parents. In the mornings, it’s pen to paper, like hammer to anvil, crafting stories that she shares around Chicagoland. If you live in the northern burbs, be sure to ask her about the Do Not Submit Open Mic that she cohosts in Libertyville.
For a sense of the event and sampling of the stories, you can view recordings of the prior year’s events on YouTube – Tales from the Trails 2025, Tales from the Trails 2024
Skokie Bike Network 