I'm going to have to talk about it eventually, but be warned of overly verbose sentiments contained within.

Like everybody in our extended cycling community, I've been deeply saddened by the death of Kristy Gough and Mike Peterson. I raced with Kristy at Snelling. Okay, not with so much with as far, far behind. Besides the sadness, there's also a feeling of vulnerability. People with such strength and vitality as Kristy, and Mike, possessed, seem almost invincible to me. Like superheros. Yet in reality, regardless of our strength and lust for life, we're all mortal. None of us can stop a speeding car. Scary. I'm feeling something like survivor's guilt. That's stupid - I wasn't there, I didn't know them, and there's no way our places could have been switched. But still the emotion is there, tangled up in a confusion of sadness and a desire to have known them. Stupid, again, but the truth. What I take from this isn't some dire lesson about vigilence on the bike and the fragility of life, although those are worthy lessons. My lesson is that each person is worth knowing. The hearts of those who have shown so much love and empathy and support to the friends and family of Matt and Kristy would be equally warm were the loss any other member of our community, and we would in turn greive for each of them. It's a brilliant yet sad reminder of how much love humans have to give. Sometimes its easy to forget. So I hope everyone is well and safe tonight. I hope that the memorial ride tomorrow is healing. I know that in the moment of silence before the Land Park crit tomorrow that we'll remember Matt and Kristy and be thankful for what we have.