This past Sunday a Ghost Bike Ride and Memorial o Ceremony was held by Sahuarita -Green Valley Cycling Club in memory of Fred Dillemuth who was involved in a tragic, fatal car -bike accident early on Labor Day Morning on a descent from Madera Canyon.
For those unfamiliar with the term Ghost Bike. It is a bike painted white and placed near the accident site as a memorial and reminder to us all of the perils of cycling.
Fred was an accomplished, passionate rider he left behind many friends which included fellow cyclists, neighbors, non-cycling friends and family which included his wife Amy and two children.
Amy was my yoga instructor and I came to be a “Strava Friend” of Fred’s. Too slow and too old to keep up with his group, Fred and I stayed connected through social media. We occasionally passed each other on the road, but I never had the pleasure of riding with him.
Fred was a great source of inspiration and encouragement to me After every ride I posted he would be one of the first to give me a thumbs up “well done”. When I responded in kind to his rides I noticed many started at 5 am so he could ride before work. And they were typically quick. His commitment rubbed off on me to a degree.
Fred was a local ambassador for many of us wanna be riders. When I learned of his tragic accident while I was home in Michigan it troubled me for days.
People commonly say “He will be missed” in these instances. I say “He is missed”! By good friends, colleagues, guys like me and especially his family.
He lives on in our hearts and the bodies of the people fortunate enough to be recipients of his organ donations.
Rip Fred!
A friend posted the image below. I believe it’s a reminder to us. “We know not the place or hour”
This is one reason,among the many, I am doing this Trans-America ride. I have more summers behind me than ahead. The time to act is now!
But the message goes deeper. We should remember to say “I love you” or call that friend you have been meaning to call, to apologize, or simply say “I appreciate you”. We have no guarantees and we need to live in the moment rather than putting things off. You have all heard the cliches so I won’t repeat them here.
While we will regret some of the things we have done in life, we will also regret the things we have not done. Let’s minimize them.
My late Uncle, a priest, may have said it best. He told me “they call it the present because it’s a gift. We should treat it that way, enjoy it and embrace it and those we love.”
I realize I’m rambling a bit, but this is a difficult post for me. I will leave you with the following:
We riders take a risk each time we put on the Lycra and shoes (not just a fashion risk). We must be vigilant when on the roads. Bikers rarely fare well in collisions with cars. Use your safety lights, be visible and be aware. Drivers today are distracted. Talking on phones, texting, messing with the touch screen etc. It’s easy to not see us. And we need to do our part be careful out there as well. It only takes a second’s lapse of attention or assuming an unnecessary risk to result in an accident. That’s it for today.
So until next time may you have smooth roads , the wind at your back and a safe journey
The Necessity of a Place- 30 years at the Water’s Edge 