20 April, 2008: Rick's Memorial Service
We held the memorial service this morning. It was how Rick would have wanted it. The venue was Roger Soler's Sports, a local cycling/triathlon store a few miles from Rick's house that was also the site of Rick's last race. Almost 100 people were there, most of whom had never met each other. We spent nearly an hour sharing memories of Rick--Rick giving away photos and bicycle forks; Rick urging on a friend at a race so effectively that his friend passed out cold at the finish line; Rick scribbling on walls with Michael; Rick spoiling surprise endings; Rick harassing co-workers and nurturing patients; Rick throwing fried chicken and starting a food fight with Elle and her friends...I was amazed though not surprised to see how Rick had touched so many different people in so many different ways, but always with the same energy and passion for life.
After the gathering, ten of Rick's cycling buddies rode one of Rick's favorite roads. I had the honor of riding Rick's bike (the nicest bike I've ever ridden, actually--weighs under 15 pounds; and I didn't even have to adjust the saddle). After we reached the top of Toutant Beauregard, Jeremy (the son of Larry Hill, a friend of Rick's from college, and a regular training partner of his) and I carried Rick's ashes down the descent. Rick loved speed, and was known for flying down hills. We spread some of his ashes along the road, trailing the group. Then Jeremy said, "Why don't we blow by these guys?" And I thought, "That is exactly what Rick would have done." Rick's last breakaway. We passed everyone at over 50 kilometers per hour. I looked back, saw the pack fading, and let the breeze carry away more of his ashes.
When we returned from the ride, Rick's work colleagues had just finished swapping more "Rick stories" over lunch at Floore's Country Store. I had mentioned ricksride.org during the memorial, and I was incredibly moved when Rick's friend Debbie Jennings handed me an envelope with over $500 in donations from Rick's co-workers. "We had been strugglng to find the right cause, one that Rick would have supported," Debbie said. "When we heard about BORP and about your ride, we agreed that this was it."
Rick rides on, in the lives of those he has affected and in the lives of those his legacy will continue to impact.
