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A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium
In 1987, Joe Parkin was an amateur bike racer in California when he ran into Bob Roll, a pro on the powerhouse Team 7-Eleven. “Lobotomy Bob” told Parkin that, to become a pro, he must go to Belgium.
Riding along a canal in Belgium years later, Roll encountered Parkin, who he saw as “a wraith, an avenging angel of misery, a twelve-toothed assassin”. Roll barely recognized him. Belgium had forged Parkin into a pro bike racer, and changed him forever.
A Dog in a Hat is Joe’s remarkable story. Leaving California with a bag of clothes, two spare wheels, some cash, and a phone number, Parkin left the comforts of home for the windy, rainswept heartland of European cycling. As one of the first American pros in Europe, Parkin was what the Belgians call “a dog with a hat on” — something familiar, yet decidedly out of place.
Parkin lays out the hard reality of the life—the drugs, the payoffs, the betrayals by teammates, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises that keep you going, the agony of racing day after day, and the glory of a good day in the saddle.
A Dog in a Hat is the unforgettable story of the un-ordinary education of Joe Parkin and his love affair with racing, set in the hardest place in the world to be a bike racer. It is a story untold until now, and one that you will never forget.
Riding along a canal in Belgium years later, Roll encountered Parkin, who he saw as “a wraith, an avenging angel of misery, a twelve-toothed assassin”. Roll barely recognized him. Belgium had forged Parkin into a pro bike racer, and changed him forever.
A Dog in a Hat is Joe’s remarkable story. Leaving California with a bag of clothes, two spare wheels, some cash, and a phone number, Parkin left the comforts of home for the windy, rainswept heartland of European cycling. As one of the first American pros in Europe, Parkin was what the Belgians call “a dog with a hat on” — something familiar, yet decidedly out of place.
Parkin lays out the hard reality of the life—the drugs, the payoffs, the betrayals by teammates, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises that keep you going, the agony of racing day after day, and the glory of a good day in the saddle.
A Dog in a Hat is the unforgettable story of the un-ordinary education of Joe Parkin and his love affair with racing, set in the hardest place in the world to be a bike racer. It is a story untold until now, and one that you will never forget.
205 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 9, 2009
Joe Parkin's sports autobiography succeeds where so many others of its type fail. As a genre, these books tend to read like Oscar awards speeches, a continuous shout-out to the people who crossed the paths of the subject of the book. They're also pitifully self-aggrandizing, a vehicle of breathless self-promotion by the author, or, more often, whoever ghost-wrote the book. Parkin's "A Dog In A Hat" falls into neither trap. The book is impressive if for nothing else than its authenticity.
Parkin was an American amateur cyclist who leaves the United States shortly after high school to pursue a life of racing in the world's toughest cycling atmosphere in Belgium. Parkin's retelling of his career in the mid-1980s to early 1990s is a strikingly clinical account of the lifestyle of a fledgling cyclist in Europe. Riders hoping for a glimpse into the mind of an upper-level racer or seeking advice from Parkin's career to use in their own pursuit should look elsewhere. "A Dog In A Hat" does little to inspire other racers or explore the methods of a professional's accomplishments and failures. It's apparent that Parkin never meant for his book to do either. Instead, it's a straight telling of the story of his career, complete with details of the drugs that permeate the sport and the sketchy interlopers who populate the European scene.
In the end, Parkin never achieved rock-star status in his sport, which is either fine or greatly disappointing to him. It's impossible to tell which from his book, as it offers no window into his mind. But this approach lends unmistakable credibility to Parkin's side of the story. What it does offer an utterly believable look into a life that few who ride behind the wheel ever get to see. And by the story's end, a reader is left wondering if he or she would ever want to.
Parkin was an American amateur cyclist who leaves the United States shortly after high school to pursue a life of racing in the world's toughest cycling atmosphere in Belgium. Parkin's retelling of his career in the mid-1980s to early 1990s is a strikingly clinical account of the lifestyle of a fledgling cyclist in Europe. Riders hoping for a glimpse into the mind of an upper-level racer or seeking advice from Parkin's career to use in their own pursuit should look elsewhere. "A Dog In A Hat" does little to inspire other racers or explore the methods of a professional's accomplishments and failures. It's apparent that Parkin never meant for his book to do either. Instead, it's a straight telling of the story of his career, complete with details of the drugs that permeate the sport and the sketchy interlopers who populate the European scene.
In the end, Parkin never achieved rock-star status in his sport, which is either fine or greatly disappointing to him. It's impossible to tell which from his book, as it offers no window into his mind. But this approach lends unmistakable credibility to Parkin's side of the story. What it does offer an utterly believable look into a life that few who ride behind the wheel ever get to see. And by the story's end, a reader is left wondering if he or she would ever want to.
November 11, 2020
I never heard of Joe Parkin when I watched pro bike racing in the 1980s, the reason being that all you could ever see was the Tour de France (Channel 4 devoted a measly half-hour to it each day), and Joe Parkin never rode the TdF. He also never won anything, really, so his name was never one that was reported. He was relatively unusual, as an American rider in Belgium. By then, Californian Greg Lemond had already won the TdF for the first time, so it wasn't like there was no American presence at all, but Joe's was a different presence to Lemond's, away from the spotlight.
He threw his all into being the 'dog in a hat' of the title - something normal doing something unusual - and therefore learnt Flemish, lived with other Belgians and shared rooms with them when he toured, immersed himself into the rather rough life of a Belgian rider at the mercy of Belgian weather, and its rather masochistic hard man culture.
The low-level living of a faceless domestique comes over as very real in Joe Parkin's book; the horrible hotel rooms and beaten-up cars, the day-to-day illnesses and ailments, the craziness of team mates popping all kinds of drugs that, far from enhancing their performances, just added to their entertainment value for fellow-riders before they slipped off the back of the race. Joe tried hard to win, even just once, to the extent of undertaking the practice of bribing the other guys approaching the line - a common one, even in obscure criterium races around nowhere towns - but all to no avail.
He dabbled occasionally in performance enhancement, but in fact was uneasy with the drugs culture rife in the sport, and avoided it most of the time, possibly one reason why he never won anything in a period when all of the winners were doping.
The book is an honest, and hilarious, look at the life of a pro bike rider with all the frills removed. My one criticism of it is that it needs an edit in places (For example Joe 'grabbed a bunch of brakes' to stop suddenly, many times) to avoid the repetition of phrases so good they stick out when repeated. He also assumes that his reader will know a lot about pro bike racing at times, with certain terms unexplained, and only clear from context. Nevertheless, an entertaining book, and I will track down his second as soon as I can.
He threw his all into being the 'dog in a hat' of the title - something normal doing something unusual - and therefore learnt Flemish, lived with other Belgians and shared rooms with them when he toured, immersed himself into the rather rough life of a Belgian rider at the mercy of Belgian weather, and its rather masochistic hard man culture.
The low-level living of a faceless domestique comes over as very real in Joe Parkin's book; the horrible hotel rooms and beaten-up cars, the day-to-day illnesses and ailments, the craziness of team mates popping all kinds of drugs that, far from enhancing their performances, just added to their entertainment value for fellow-riders before they slipped off the back of the race. Joe tried hard to win, even just once, to the extent of undertaking the practice of bribing the other guys approaching the line - a common one, even in obscure criterium races around nowhere towns - but all to no avail.
He dabbled occasionally in performance enhancement, but in fact was uneasy with the drugs culture rife in the sport, and avoided it most of the time, possibly one reason why he never won anything in a period when all of the winners were doping.
The book is an honest, and hilarious, look at the life of a pro bike rider with all the frills removed. My one criticism of it is that it needs an edit in places (For example Joe 'grabbed a bunch of brakes' to stop suddenly, many times) to avoid the repetition of phrases so good they stick out when repeated. He also assumes that his reader will know a lot about pro bike racing at times, with certain terms unexplained, and only clear from context. Nevertheless, an entertaining book, and I will track down his second as soon as I can.
January 6, 2015
Fun, and a quick easy read. Parkin isn't Hemingway, and his editors didn't do him any favors, but his experiences are fascinating to a bike geek. For every Greg Lemond and Andy Hampsten and Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, there are legions of guys like Parkin whose lives, racing bikes in Europe, are invisible to us. Parkin pulls back the curtain and delivers his tale in simple, straightforward prose. I respect the risks he took and the sacrifices he made. I stayed up late two nights in a row to get through this, and I was glad I did.
April 10, 2009
I enjoyed reading the book, but can't claim that it's particularly well-written or insightful. It would have been completely unintelligible if I hadn't already read 'Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer,' by Jamie Smith. I bought Jamie Smith's book because he's my friend Denise's brother. It's an explanation of the nuts and bolts and culture of bike racing, written for the family and friends of racers. It was funny and well written, and revealed the mysteries of race strategy. That somehow lead into reading 'The Rider' by Tim Krabbe. It's a brilliant novel, that follows the thoughts of one bike racer during a brutal race. And then I find myself reading 'A Dog in a Hat'. I mainly picked it up because of the reference to Belgium. Parkin became a bike nut as a teenager, and took off to Belgium to become a real racer as soon as he could. He learned Flemish, kept his head down, and worked his ass off. He's not exactly articulate, but it's readable, and it's a portrait of a world that's about as alien to me as the moon.
September 24, 2018
Good, honest account. Engaging stories.
March 19, 2017
Unapologetic and entertaining biographical account of an American Pro-cyclist riding in a variety of Belgian teams (ADR, Tulip but also kermises outfits) in the late 1980’s.
August 5, 2009
Unlike the book I finished before this that was about a 3,000 mile journey on a bike that didn't talk much about cycling per se, this book is entirely intended for reading by cyclists or people otherwise interested in bicycle racing. The author, instead of going to college, went off to Belgium and became a professional cyclist with a succession of different teams during the first five years of the 1990s. He was a reasonable support rider but never won anything significant so eventually, failing to get a contract with a European team, he returned to the U.S.
Mostly this is a 200 page chronological description of the highlights of his career, which as kind of a by-product gives the reader (such as myself, having no way of knowing) more background on what cycle racing was like in Europe (since it has evolved in the fifteen years since this was written). He talks about being one of the very few Americans involved in European racing at that time. He describes drug use a bit, but mostly it was amphetimine use at that time and he suggests that for many riders it did as much harm as good, at least in terms of winning.
This fellow has written a follow-up book about his experiences racing in the U.S. after he returned; I suppose I'll get around to reading that next.
Mostly this is a 200 page chronological description of the highlights of his career, which as kind of a by-product gives the reader (such as myself, having no way of knowing) more background on what cycle racing was like in Europe (since it has evolved in the fifteen years since this was written). He talks about being one of the very few Americans involved in European racing at that time. He describes drug use a bit, but mostly it was amphetimine use at that time and he suggests that for many riders it did as much harm as good, at least in terms of winning.
This fellow has written a follow-up book about his experiences racing in the U.S. after he returned; I suppose I'll get around to reading that next.
August 21, 2014
I thought this was such an interesting book. I'm currently living in Belgium, and I knew cycling was more than just a hobby, but I had absolutely no idea how intense this was!
I have a new-found appreciation for the gruelling training and races these athletes endure, and Joe Parkin has a really engaging narrative style. I picked this book up at a "book dump", but I'm seriously considering going out and buying his companion novel! Can't believe someone discarded this book without ever reading it.
I have a new-found appreciation for the gruelling training and races these athletes endure, and Joe Parkin has a really engaging narrative style. I picked this book up at a "book dump", but I'm seriously considering going out and buying his companion novel! Can't believe someone discarded this book without ever reading it.
January 21, 2010
This was a really interesting look into the life of an American bike racer in Europe. I really enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the sport of professional cycling. My only negative comment is in regard to the flow of the narrative. It was a little choppy and seemed to skip around a little bit - but as it was a memoir and not a story, perhaps the style was appropriate.
February 25, 2012
Parkin's is an interesting and lively account of his days as a professional cyclist in Belgium. I'm a casual cycling fan, not hardcore or anything, who occasionally jumps onto an old road bike for a short spin. Parkin could have developed some of the characters in his story a bit more. I'd like to have known more about Albert, for instance, but it's not a novel I suppose. If you like cycling, then it's definitely worth a read. Solid B.
August 19, 2010
If you enjoy le Tour you might like this. It sort of ambles along, lots of loose ends, but also a lot of matter-of-fact details about doping and uppers and deals and Belgians. I didn't think the dog in a hat was such a great metaphor.
January 15, 2010
brilliant and hilarious
April 22, 2024
Has the rockstar life ever fascinated you ? Money, fame and a charismatic aura everywhere you go. Have you ever wondered , Damn wish I had that life. Peer behind the curtain and one can see the shit show that goes on. For every Eric Clapton there are numerous nobody who could not crack into the top tier. This book is all about the life of trying to crack into the top tier but then never being able to reach there. Joe was an aspiring racer with dreams to race in the big 3 races . The book is his narration of a time when America was nowhere near the cycling pinnacle. Joe is honest in his narration, accepting his defeats yet still trying to make the dream. Imagine racing for a cycling team and one has to stay in a brothel for the night's accommodation. Much of the Joe's time was before LeMond became the TDF winner. When cycling was drug fueled freak fest but much before the shit storm of Armstrong. Races being sold by team, gear money cut from the riders paycheck, being an illegal immigrant in the country and racing the season. It is a wildly comical book and worthy of a read. There is no happy ending to the book. The story here is that of a one of many who could never stick it out at the Pro level. This does not marginalize the achievements of the author by any stretch of imagination. The guy has done more than many can do in their lifetime. However, let's be honest no one cares about the nobody, the world looks at Calpton when one searches for a rockstar.
The book moves at a fast pace and there is very little explanation for all things that happen in cycling. It is a book for a cycling enthusiast.
The book moves at a fast pace and there is very little explanation for all things that happen in cycling. It is a book for a cycling enthusiast.
January 21, 2022
My third real foray into cycling lit, though honestly, reading Parkin was hitting paydirt. This was a natural progression from Bob Roll's _Bobke_, as Roll was Parkin's Californian contemporary and partly the impetus for Parkin seeking his fortune overseas (in what is -- as American enthusiasts like me may not immediately know -- the capital of cycling: Belgium, where it's both the national sport and a part of the national identity, especially in Flanders).
Here's my only spoiler and it's really not much of a surprise: Parkin drops everything when he realizes development and a career as a cyclist are near-impossible in the US and ships off to Europe as a young man, arriving with barely enough seed money and a few names of people to seek out for help in establishing himself. And the rest is the story of how a cyclist hits the ground and succeeds. Whereas a Spaniard, an Italian, a French, Swiss -- even a Briton or Irish -- would be at least somewhat familiar with particular European cultures, it's a bit of a shock to the American who finds the customs (rider camaraderie, diet, drugs, labor practices, even HVAC traditions) odd, funny, touching, sometimes alien.
And really this is not the story of an American achieving stardom (ever heard of him?) but rather the chance a young person has at following the same path a European would from semi-pro to career rider, and how he shoots his shot.
As autobios go, it's genuine, minimally polished, and of the cycling memoirs I've read it's among the most from-the-heart, seat-of-the-pants of accounts, and time well spent.
Here's my only spoiler and it's really not much of a surprise: Parkin drops everything when he realizes development and a career as a cyclist are near-impossible in the US and ships off to Europe as a young man, arriving with barely enough seed money and a few names of people to seek out for help in establishing himself. And the rest is the story of how a cyclist hits the ground and succeeds. Whereas a Spaniard, an Italian, a French, Swiss -- even a Briton or Irish -- would be at least somewhat familiar with particular European cultures, it's a bit of a shock to the American who finds the customs (rider camaraderie, diet, drugs, labor practices, even HVAC traditions) odd, funny, touching, sometimes alien.
And really this is not the story of an American achieving stardom (ever heard of him?) but rather the chance a young person has at following the same path a European would from semi-pro to career rider, and how he shoots his shot.
As autobios go, it's genuine, minimally polished, and of the cycling memoirs I've read it's among the most from-the-heart, seat-of-the-pants of accounts, and time well spent.
October 4, 2023
This was a fascinating look into the world of Belgian Bicycle racing from the viewpoint of an American. Joe moved to Belgium and gets immersed in the interesting sport of bike racing which is so prominent in the Belgian culture. He was young and starry eyed but quickly learns about the good and the bad side of bicycle racing.
I feel that this book only scraped the surface of all of the cheating. Politics, drugs and debauchery in the sport. I learned about the different kind of bike races like the carnival atmosphere of kermis races.
I also learned that bike racing might appear to be an individual sport but it’s way more complex than that - even racers giving money to other racers to allow them to win on any given day.
I enjoyed learning about the relentless and lonely training process. I’m amazed that he could spend so many hours just riding and riding in pursuit of fame and fortune. It’s also cool that Joe had a successful career but was often not the first to cross the finish line - he still raced with determination and grit.
I feel that this book only scraped the surface of all of the cheating. Politics, drugs and debauchery in the sport. I learned about the different kind of bike races like the carnival atmosphere of kermis races.
I also learned that bike racing might appear to be an individual sport but it’s way more complex than that - even racers giving money to other racers to allow them to win on any given day.
I enjoyed learning about the relentless and lonely training process. I’m amazed that he could spend so many hours just riding and riding in pursuit of fame and fortune. It’s also cool that Joe had a successful career but was often not the first to cross the finish line - he still raced with determination and grit.
January 24, 2019
Perhaps the best of a plethora of recent books written by Americans who raced bikes professionally in Europe, Parkin got out before the drug situation got REALLY bad there (it was already bad in the 1980s). The thing is, there isn't a drop of self pity in his unflinching portrayal of this weird, distinctively Belgian and quite corrupt world. Parkin's book is one of humor and lightheartedness.
Indeed, bike racing as a profession is supposed to be fun, right? Read Tyler Hamilton's or any other EPO/drug confession title from the last decade and it seems like one of the worst professions in the world, beating out previous leaders in that category such as diamond mining and toxic waste site cleanup worker.
Indeed, bike racing as a profession is supposed to be fun, right? Read Tyler Hamilton's or any other EPO/drug confession title from the last decade and it seems like one of the worst professions in the world, beating out previous leaders in that category such as diamond mining and toxic waste site cleanup worker.
November 14, 2017
I was hoping for a little more. The title is a little misleading, you never get great detail on doping, betrayal or anything very personal. It seems it was written to just break the surface but not alienate or put a bad light on any past teammates, directors, or sponsors. I was disappointed because I had looked forward to reading this for quite a while.
October 15, 2020
It was a good read, fairly quick one too. Some interesting stories, and fascinating insight into the racing scene in Belgium. Would have enjoyed it that much more if it was a bit longer or some of the experiences expanded upon. Good read for the colder months when one cant spend as much time on the bike
October 26, 2019
I really enjoyed Parkin's easy going conversational style of writing. This book seemed to me an honest and informative account from inside pro cycling. This is now my second favorite book I have read about cycling. The first you ask "The Rider" by Tim Krabbé.
September 14, 2023
A thoroughly entertaining account of the fucked up mess that was the professional peleton in the late 80s. Probably one for those of who already count ourselves amongst the Tifosi but fantastic nevertheless.
September 6, 2017
Awesome bike book.
April 2, 2018
Great anecdotes about racing in Belgium.
July 1, 2018
Excellent memoir describing what it's like to be a pro bicyclist in Europe.
April 3, 2019
I so badly wanted this book to be the Kitchen Confidential of cycling, and it could have been, but it just wasn't. Still a good read, but the writing and the editing were just poor.
March 29, 2020
If we can't watch the Spring Classics and racing in Belgium, we might as well read about it. Well written, this book keeps the pages turning and is an enjoyable read about racing in Belgium in the late 80's. Great way to pass time stuck inside.
April 15, 2020
Fun Read
Lots of good gnarly stories. I wish it would have been longer. Just to have an American there, at that time, took lots of balls and imagination.
Lots of good gnarly stories. I wish it would have been longer. Just to have an American there, at that time, took lots of balls and imagination.
February 27, 2021
Great Story
Loved this book. Joe’s story is incredible and his writing is right there with it. If you’ve ever raced a bike you’ll love it.
Loved this book. Joe’s story is incredible and his writing is right there with it. If you’ve ever raced a bike you’ll love it.
May 3, 2021
Essential reading for a fan of cycling history
November 20, 2021
Candid story about life as a European pro cycist.
February 14, 2025
You get a real feel.for riding in Europe for a North American. Just being a regular ruder A domestic he not a superstar. The desire and initiative drive really feel.it from the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews