Memorial Day 2006

Eve Ueltzen, May 1999
I raced with Eve at a race called Hiddenbrooke circuit race in 1998. We had a pretty good size field of 21 women in the 3/4s which was good back then. There was a big hill in the race, and I was dropped along with Eve. During the race when it was just us two, she started signing a song “I love the mountains; I love the shinny skies etc…” She also had this unique way of descending where she tucked her hand over her back, like a speed skater. I’ve tried it, and it was not very comfortable or fast, for me. I remember how weird it seemed that the next year she was out on her bike and was killed by a drunk driver. I still remember the song. When I am racing and dropped on hills, I most always remember the tune, but I never sing it.

Cecy Krone, September 1999
I raced with Cecy at the Burlingame Crit a few months before she was killed by a drunk driver. I had won a pair of running shorts and a cycling undershirt. The shorts were small little things that runners wear and that I would never wear. I asked Cecy if she wanted them. She didn’t but she said her niece would like them so I gave them to her. I kept the undershirt, and I still wear it. I often think of Cecy when I put it on.

Nicole Rinehardt, September 2000
I first saw Nicole descending on Tunnel Road: sitting up and zipping up her Saturn jacket. My thoughts “she’s good, she must be a pro.” I met her a few months later on Tunnel when my friend Joe introduced her to me. She seemed like a nice woman. That year, there was a BMC triple crown for women. Nicole had won two of the three races. The weekend of Nicole’s death, Zsa Zsa and I had just flown in from Hawaii, and I couldn’t wait to look on cyclingnews to see if Nicole had won the final race. It was shocking to get the call from Zsa Zsa that Nicole had crashed and died in the race.

Clay Mankin, November 2005
I bought my first racing bike from Clay. It was a green Serotta named “Beryl” after Beryl Burton. After Clay died of a heart attack while riding his bike, I thought of him a lot and was bothered by his death. I’m still not sure why I was so bothered, maybe because he was leaving behind a 4 year old son, maybe because Clay had a personality that touched people he met in a strong but subtle way. Or maybe, because it was just weird to think how life can seem so perfect and in place and then over so fast.