Tucson
Contact: Jean Gorman <--Send email
Distance: 9 miles
Notes: 2010 Ride of Silence Route for Tucson Central Location: (3 other rides exist)
The Tucson ride starts at Reid Park at west side Ramada #22, located at the Park’s northernmost parking lot on Country Club Road. Meet at 5:45 pm for light refreshments and send-off. The ride will commence at 6:00 pm, and the distance is nine miles.
From the parking area, head south on Country Club Rd., west on 22nd Street, north on Tucson Boulevard, east on E. Elm St. which becomes Pima St., south on Columbus Blvd., west on 22nd Street, north on Country Club Rd., and turn into parking lot.
Contact: Jean Gorman Karen Berchtold
prairiejean@aol.com keberchtold@yahoo.co
520 885 5299 520 207 5864

I can’t make it, but would like to. Hopefully the wide circulation of information about this ride makes my late notice of it irrelevant.

EBR

This story is awful in every way. (Link to story on Drunkcyclist, not always completely SFW). See more about the memorial ride here, including lots of photos.

–EBR

Trailhead near Mt. Lemmon to remember cyclist

author
Quinn Schuler

Tucson, AZ – It’s not easy going there but Jean Gorman and her husband still do.

“It’s just devastating without him,” Gorman said.

On his birthday and on holidays they visit the cross along the side of Catalina Highway. It’s the exact place where their son was killed.

Brad Gorman, 41, died in 1999 when a car hit him from behind. He was training for the annual El Tour de Tucson.

“Hit him at 50 plus miles per hour and killed him instantly,” Gorman said.

Since then she has pushed to have the bike lanes widened on Catalina Highway and the road re-named, “The Brad P. Gorman Memorial Bikeway.”

“My first thought was we had to make something good out of this situation,” Gorman said.

She says her work isn’t done.

Near the base of the mountain, they are planning another memorial. The county donated the land years ago, which is in a flood plain and not buildable.

She says with county money and donations they will begin construction in a few weeks. It will be a trailhead with parking, benches, water, an air pump for bike tires and most importantly it will be a safe place.

“This is a very dangerous area for cyclists at the base of Mt. Lemmon with no place to park,” Gorman said.

Jean Gorman seems to be everywhere advocating for bicyclist’s safety, and she is always there for others who, like her, have lost a loved one due to a motor vehicle accident. She’s a powerhouse who doesn’t seem to tire. Check out the first comment to the above article, and her response:

TUCSON CYCLISTS = ORGAN DONORS

12/9/2009 at 7:32AM

That’s what i call them. Every cyclists i see…i think….that’s a new kidney riding down the road. just a matter of time before he/she gets hit by a drunk illegal

Jean M. Gorman

12/9/2009 at 11:46AM

# 1. So sorry you feel this way. I do not totaly disagree with you, but join us in trying to improve the laws. The point of Memorials such as ours, Dan’s, Paul’s and Allen’s on Old Spanish Trail, Jose JR, on Broadway, David Bell Path around Reid Park, I could go on forever with names, Ghost Bikes and Crosses, never mind the injured by the 100,000’s in wheelchairs, or lost jobs, lost limbs. Memorials remind you that as a driver, pedestrian, or cyclist to be Aware, have gratitude not attitude, and respect each other life is precious, because it can happen to you. Help prevent that because a death or an injury has too many victims! Stay Safe Always

I think we could all learn a lot from Jean Gorman.

–Erik Ryberg

I got an email not long ago from a person asking my thoughts on placing geocaches at ghost bikes around town. I spent some time thinking about it but never got back to him since I didn’t really know what he was even talking about.

Now this. Notice the comments section — very different from the sort of vitriol you see on the comments section of the AZ Star articles about bicyclists.

And it is nice to see that Laura Varela’s ghost bike is still up.

–Erik Ryberg

Share the road
Aug. 14 marked the anniversary of Chuck Nystrom’s death on Tanque Verde Road. My husband was struck and killed by an impaired and impatient driver that day. Also, that day, four nurses stopped to offer the benefit of their professional skills. We have never been able to thank these women for everything they did. We would also like to thank the witnesses.

On Friday afternoon we decorated Chuck’s Ghost Bike at Udall Park. It is our hope that drivers will see this and remember to share the road.

Teresa Nystrom
Doctoral student, teaching and teacher education, University of Arizona, Tucson

More on Charles Nystrom here. Teresa Nystrom and her daughter Zoe have spoken with many reporters about this accident and have become advocates for the need for better law enforcement efforts.

–Erik Ryberg

Articles and pictures here:

AZ Daily Star
Tucson Weekly
Tucson Citizen

Check out what they did with that massive ordinary bike wheel!

I wonder what awful things Tom “I would trade a year’s worth of “arts” funding for 20 good minutes of fireworks” Danehy is going to say about this.

–Erik Ryberg

To get there: take St. Marys to Main, which is just East of I-10. Go North on Main a block to Davis.

–EBR

Friday, August 14, marks one year since Chuck was killed. We want to remember this day by decorating his Ghost Bike so that drivers will see it and be reminded to share the road. We are gathering at 5:30pm. The bike is located at the west entrance to Udahl Park on Tanque Verde Rd. Join us if you can.

Zoe and Teresa Nystrom

More on Charles here.

–Erik Ryberg

I met Alejandro’s girlfriend and sister at the small memorial that is placed at the site where Mr. Nunez was killed. They visit it frequently, trying to understand what happened there. They had not even been given a copy of the police report by TPD! TPD has not painted the street to identify the location of crash debris to try to sort out what happened. At least one witness thinks the van that hit Mr. Nunez ran the light. Mr. Nunez’s family and friends all tell me that he was an extremely cautious bike rider.

I think Mr. Nunez and his family deserved a whole lot better from TPD.

Here is the obituary that ran in the Star:

Friday, July 10, 2009

Alejandro Havier Nunez, 49, formerly of Flagstaff, died suddenly July 2, 2009, in Tucson. He was born on April 24, 1959, to Manuel Nunez and Regina Havier.

He loved to travel and made friends wherever he went. He was a great friend and brother to all. Mr. Nunez is survived by his daughter; his sisters, Frances Nunez, Martha Nunez (Jaime), Manuela Valdivia (Armond), Yolanda Smith (James) and Lucinda Sanchez (Ray); his brothers, Michael Nunez (Susie), Ignacio Nunez (Barbra), Louie Nunez (Rose), Ramon Nunez (Joann), Danny Nunez (Dora) and Bobby Nunez; and aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, stepbrothers, stepsisters and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Manuel Nunez; mother Regina Havier; and brother Manny Nunez.

And this is from an on-line guest book at his memorial. It seems bicycles were a part of his life from an early age!

July 14, 2009
Beaver, the memories we have of you comfort us we know you are in good hands now. we will forever celabrate your life. we thank our heavenly father for blessing us with having you in our family and in our lives. you will live in our hearts forever. we love you.
Kama & Adam Garcis & family &
Mary Grace Nunez
~

July 12, 2009
Beaver, the Lord took you so quickly and I’m so glad you did not suffer. I will miss you and and memories you left with me when we were growing up. You made us all laugh and you loved so much.I will never forget the time you and Yakito took my ten speed and then brought it back with the tire all bent out of shape. You were laughing so much, I thought you were gona pee, you took off running I took a stick and beat you with it, you said stop Geronimo or I’ll scalp you, we laughed so much and then hugged. That was my best memory of you, Thankyou, May God Show His Face To You And Hold You In His Arms. I Love You, to all of his family and to all of my Primo’s my condolences.
~
Sheri Ramirez,
Spokane, Washington
July 10, 2009
BEAVER,you went home before our hugs,that’s o.k. that”s for later. Our i love yous were so strong and welded together.We were together so much it was like being brothers.Now that your looking down at us saying” its o.k. i am with family and its BEAUTIFUL here” I feel your in peace.God Bless You and the Family. So goodby to my cousin,brother,and most of all my Friend.
~
Yaquito Ramirez,
Spokane, Washington

July 09, 2009
Beav, who’s going to be my story teller? I’m going to miss you deeply. I know you are comforted in the arms of Our Lord and those who have passed before us. Love you ALWAYS! Your sis.

Rest in Peace Alejandro, you sound like someone I would have really liked to have known.

–Erik Ryberg

Memorial Service for Drake G. Okusako

To be held at:
Randolph Golf Complex, Copper Room
600 S. Alvernon
Monday
June 29, 2009

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Drake G. Okusako, 55
Please join Randolph Soccer Club as we honor the memory of a fine man, Drake G. Okusako. Coach Oak was a youth soccer coach and avid bicyclist whose life was cut short on Friday, May 29, 2009, when he was fatally struck by a motorist on Alvernon near Broadway.

We would like to invite you to attend and share in honoring his memory. In keeping with Drake’s lifestyle, this will not be a formal affair but rather a more casual, come as you are, celebration of his life. Please contact Karen Hymer-Thompson, Vice-President of the Randolph Soccer Club, at 240-7075 or khymerthompson@gmail.com to share your memories, thoughts, or photos to be included in the service.

–EBR