Thursday, August 09, 2007

four-wheeled indifference takes another one

it's happened again
. . .
details are minimal at this point, some 17 hours later,
but this much is known:
. . .
a 53 year-old boone resident,
mark snopek,
was struck as he rode his bicycle home, and was left to die
by an as-yet unknown motorist on a county road.
snopek was traveling north on boone county r-18.
the road, which runs south from ski valley, now seven oaks,
is the south-bound leg on the old shangri-la loop.
[r-38 to e-57 to r-18 to r-26 and back in]
authorities say a witness describes the automobile as "dark."
snopek was wearing a helmet.
. . .
i have communicated with the reporter from boone covering this death,
telling her of our plans to ride to the funeral.
i would anticipate riders from ames and boone will do likewise,
and all information will be posted here as soon as i know it.
. . .
despite our efforts to be careful and vigilant,
also be mindful that what we do-
-ride bikes-
-is seen as irritating to many motorists.
the least we can do is make sure that
we enjoy the hell out of our time on our bikes.
. . .
no lectures.
have fun.
be safe.
. . .
i am planning to resume production of dead bikemen jerseys,
an original one of which is seen at the top of this post.
they won't necessarily look exactly like this,
but the point will be the same.
money from the sale of these will go into a fund
which will do something to help stop the slaughter of us.

1 comment:

Travel Gravel said...

Rev, I cannot believe this news. I just came home from a few days away and this is not the type of news I would ever have expected. I don't know the man personally, or as a cyclist,(Boone is small but I don't know everybody who rides a bike,)but will make every effort to get to the ride. Take care out there, and as you said, just enjoy life.