In 2007 I rented a bike in Idaho Springs and slogged up the 28 miles to the summit of Mt. Evans. By my calculation that gained 6600′ over 28 miles or 4.5%. Today’s ride gained 5800′ over 20 miles or 5.5%. It was hot, it reached 91 degrees and my Trek Domane is not built for climbing.
Leaving Grand Junction
The day began riding down to downtown Grand Junction then joining the Ride the Rockies route. We rode along their new River Trail alongside the Colorado River until we were forced to ride on the road. And by on the road I mean a five-mile stretch of Interstate 70.
Interstate-70 just east of Paradise
We were confined to the shoulder separated from traffic by cones. Yet for the impatient I saw a father being trailed by his probably 12 year-old son jump in the traffic lane of I-70. Brilliant! This guy should be nominated for Dad of the Year. He could have taught his son patience, respect for the law, but most of all, respect for life without making risky decisions.
There were a number of pace lines that formed and I occasionally jumped in one. But when I’m carefully watching the wheel in front of me I’m missing some of the scenery.
Right before Mesa the road turned up. This was the start of the 20 mile climb. It was tough. I cursed my decision to bring the Domane. I can’t get as low gearing on it as I can on my Trek Pilot.
Aid Station
The entire time up the climb I kept looking for another gear. It wasn’t there. It really was a slog.
Looking back from Powderhorn Mountain Resort
We had already ridden 36 miles, I may have had 40 at that point, when we reached Mesa. There the climb began. It was one pedal after another and not much more. I stopped, without guilt, at the aid station at 11 miles up just to get more water. I drank nine bottles on the day.
Grand Mesa
On the climb I passed a few people but I was passed by many more than passed me. One that I did pass was a mother and her son, probably in his late teens, on a tandem. He appeared to have Down Syndrome. Wow. What an inspiration.
Polka-dot jersey. I passed him.
Even as I reached the top of the Grand Mesa it still had some rollers to tease me with before beginning a 20 mile downhill to Cedaredge. I bombed the descent passing many and not being passed by anyone. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it enough. But I enjoyed it by going fast. I averaged 32 mph for more than 19 miles.
At the rest stop I met Dave, from yesterday, and his friend Jamie. I started to offer Dave a free rooming package since my roommate could not make the trip. But there were two of them, “a team,” Dave explained. They headed off for the last 20+ miles to Hotchkiss.
I left Cedaredge and started climbing again. “What was that?” my legs screamed out. Once over that first climb the route trended downhill with some flat sections. I caught Jamie and asked him what about being a team. Dave had left him. I rode with the big guy for a while before taking off myself.
Island Lake
Arriving Hotchkiss, many in the town came out to greet the riders. I had ridden 99 miles.
I turned around and went looking for food. I found Subway, which was probably the nicest building in town. I finished the ride, left the bike in the bike corral and boarded a bus to Montrose, the lodging location for this night.
That was a long day. Alarm went off at 3:45 and I proudly resisted the urge to ask for 10 more. At 4:15 a.m. I met Dave Fitzgerald who agreed to drive me to the airport.
At DFW
The flight left DCA at 5:50 and arrived DFW at 8:20 which was the boarding time for my flight to Grand Junction. I scurried over to Terminal B and made my flight. I didn’t think my bike would.
Looking at Colorado National Monument from Airport
But after I settled into my seat I saw the bike sitting on the Tarmac. And it made it.
Information Stand for Ride the Rockies
The check-in day for Ride the Rockies can be a little intimidating. My last schedule change had me flying into Grand Junction and staying at the Clarion Inn. I called the hotel and they sent a shuttle for me and my bike.
I assembled the bike and had a panic attack as I could not get the rear dérailleur to shift. I thought I could ride it to the main campus and have a bike mechanic look at it. Out in the parking lot I realized it worked. In the room I had been shifting down and it was already on the lowest cog – duh!
Bike path on Horizon Drive
The shuttle driver at Clarion Inn took my bike and me and my empty bike box to the campus at Colorado Mesa University. I offloaded the box then biked back to the hotel.
In the afternoon I went exploring. I went to the mall in town, after being told the only way there was one exit on I-70. It’s amazing how people only view transportation through a dashboard.
Downtown Grand Junction
I found the downtown. It is very nice. Lots of statues or sculptures too.
Downtown
I found my way down to the river trail but stopped as I saw a wedding in the botanical gardens. I wonder if they noticed me?
Wedding
I followed a river trail next to the Colorado River until I found the trail bridge across the river. Once on the other side I visited my second cousin, Linda Shaver, and her family. We had never met before today.
Crossing the Colorado River
I explored a little more of the city on the way back to the hotel. It was a long day and Ride the Rockies start tomorrow.
It was listed as a “CC” ride out of Gainesville. I had hoped that Terry Moran would go and I would shepherd him through the 39 or 49 mile ride. But he was injured so I thought I would go myself, even though the pace was slower than what I normally ride.
Although I had turned the cue sheet into a GPX file and downloaded that to my Garmin, I have ridden everyone of these roads before so directions were no problem. I pulled into the parking lot at 8:55 a.m. (wheels down, 9:00 a.m.) and quickly got ready to roll out.
Rolling through Gainesville
The first riders took off and I quickly joined them. I was following a couple who were riding two abreast and his Gatorade came flying off the bike, almost causing an accident. We have water bottle cages on our bikes designed to hold water bottles – not Gatorade bottles. I wasn’t sure about riding in this group.
Just two miles from start we passed Antioch Road. As I rolled past I decided to go back and ride solo. I did a U-turn, the last I would see the group. I turned then went up Antioch Road and figured I would add a couple of miles then fall in behind the group at The Plains. The group ride would be fun because I would be in chase mode. Not hammer mode, just casually riding knowing that I would catch the group.
Hopewell Road, near The Plains
I miscalculated. The distance from Antioch Road to The Plains via Rte 55, the way the group went, was 7.4 miles. I figured my route was 2-3 miles father. It was actually only one mile farther, and even riding conservatively, it would only add four minutes to my time.
On the road joining the route at The Plains, I figured I was behind the last rider and that I would soon catch some riders. I didn’t, but neither did I worry about it because I was just out for my own ride. Approaching Great Meadows I thought I saw a couple of riders ahead which I timed them at two minutes before I stopped to take pictures. I caught them at Marshall where Greg and Jennifer had pulled over with a derailleur issue.
Greg got the chain back on her big gear which would enable Jennifer to finish the ride. Although she talked of calling a cab, I suggested that she simply turn around and ride back to her car in the big gear. I’m wasn’t sure where they were from but Greg asked if there was a shortcut back and I assured him that staying on Rte 55 was the shortest way. I told them, correctly, that it was about 12 miles.
They headed back and I headed to Marshall. Then the thought struck me. Even chasing, I really wasn’t having much fun on the bike. I went about a quarter of a mile then turned around. I had remembered Haymarket Bikes is in The Plains. I caught them in The Plains and told Jennifer there was a bike store here.
Jennifer, who was walking her bike up a hill since it was stuck in the big gear, said that she would ride on and take the bike to her local bike shop. This, in my opinion, was not a good decision. The bike shop could have fixed her cable in 20 minutes and she could be on her way. But we often don’t make good decisions on the bike. Or while pushing it.
I turned around then went back Hopewell and Antioch Roads, thinking again I was adding 3-4 miles more than Rte 55. I now know it was just one mile farther.
I made one stop. I passed a wine glass alongside the road. I know people throw out bottles and cans but a wine glass? I stopped and picked it up lest it broke and there was glass on the shoulder.
I thought I might catch Greg and Jennifer but didn’t. I assumed they were ahead of me and beat me back to my car. They probably weren’t.
It wasn’t the group ride I expected. Only in looking at the route I took do I now realize I only added one mile to my chase and, except for Greg and Jennifer, had probably came in ahead of the group at The Plains. I wasn’t chasing at all. I was still ahead of the group.
When I had caught them they didn’t act as though they were off the back of the group and was surprised to see a rider. In fact, in retrospect, they acted more like a couple of people off the front of a ride and weren’t surprised that I came along when I did.
Gainesville, Va.
It was fun trying to support them although they really didn’t take my advice. But I had gone into the red yesterday climbing Mount Weather and a recovery ride was in order today.
Four hours later and my legs are like Jell-O. Or feel like crap. Take your pick. The last time they felt this way after a ride was 11 months ago on the climb to San Pellegrino (Italy). And this was no San Pellegrino.
Looking back, which I’m good at doing, the signs were all there. My breakfast consisted of a handful of grapes and one banana. I carried no food nor money with me. I had two water bottles on the bike.
Rectortown Road north of Rectortown
The ride started out OK. I was late, very late, to the Park & Ride lot in Marshall. Most cyclists who do this ride start out early in the morning and it was almost noon. One rider was ready to go and I thought he might come over and ask me where I was going. He did not.
One underway I turned on Rectortown Road and headed north. In no time I caught the rider. I asked him where he was headed and he said he had no idea. I asked him if he wanted to do the Blue Ridger with me and he pretty emphatically said no way. I passed him never to see him again.
Although I have said my Altoona ride in 2010 was my first post-cancer ride, in truth I had come out here a couple of weeks before the Altoona ride, to see if I was ready. So this was my first post-cancer ride five years ago. As I rode I thought about my cancer diagnosis and treatment and where my journey has taken me.
I didn’t have a goal for the day. Finish. Not stop. Yes, that’s right. Don’t even put a foot down. Don’t ask why. That’s not the smartest goal.
In Bluemont I passed the Bluemont Country Store and started the climb up the north face of Mount Weather. It was not easy. I rode my Trek Domane which is not geared as low as the Trek Pilot.
Bluemont Country Store
This was my first climb of the year. I struggled. The first section is out of Bluemont to a switch back where one can recover before climbing the final stretch on Rte 7. The climb on Rte 7 was easy. It is graded for cars to cross the mountain and its 6% grade was a recovery section. But then I turned on Blue Ridge Mountain Road and it had sustained sections of 12-14%. As I was climbing I met two hikers come down.
Route 7 near the top of Snickers Gap
“How are you,” they asked.
“Tired.”
I asked them how they were and they said they were tired too. But they were going down, I was still climbing.
On top of Mt Weather
The top of Mount Weather, well, there is no top. The road goes up and down, always teasing the rider into thinking the descent is finally here and then another climb is in the way.
One passes a secret government facility (think X-Files, if you’re old enough) which is now run by FEMA. But for six miles, what seems to be the top of the climb is a series or rollers. Serious rollers.
Ashby Inn, Paris, Va.
I did reach the top and began my descent. I turned on US 50 and hugged the white line on this busy four lane road. Thankfully, the road from Clarks Gap to Paris is zoned for 45 mph and is downhill so I was able to maintain close to that (my high speed was 44.45).
On this day I felt good until the climb. I knew it took a lot out of me. It felt good to sweat on the bike and I sweated a lot. But now was payback time.
I rolled through Paris (Va.) and came to US 17. Riding on US 17 through Crooked Valley wasn’t bad. There was a small shoulder easy enough to ride. Then I turned on Leeds Manor Road and the pavement was terrible. Uneven. Rough. Lots of holes.
A description of this route is counterclockwise is the hard way up Mount Weather and the easy way up Naked Mountain. My only hope, and what I clung to, was I at least had the easy climb on Naked Mountain.
Naked Mountain Winery
It wasn’t easy. It was hard. Damn hard. And I had two or three sweat bees constantly land on me as I tried to swat them off.
I summited the climb then began the descent off Naked Mountain on a real rough road. I felt better when I reached James Madison Highway (aka Rte 55) since the pavement was great. But I was going into a headwind.
Tired at the end
I suffered the last 10 miles and knew I wasn’t going well. Only later would I discover that that was my worst time ever ride the loop. It was my worst time up Naked Mountain, but astonishingly enough, I had my best time on the climb up Mount Weather. Perhaps pushing a higher gear than I have in the past improved my time at the expense of zapping my energy.
In October I organized a Tribute Ride for Jamie Roberts. Then I found that Rockville had an annual Ride of Silence. I wrote to the ride’s contact, David Merkin, and proposed that they dedicate this year’s ride to Jamie. They did.
It was a record turnout for the Rockville Ride of Silence. The unofficial count was between 60-70 riders. The one reluctance they expressed in dedicating the ride to Jamie was they were afraid hundreds may show up. I assured them there would be a small bump but it would not be unmanageable. And it wasn’t.
Bob Roberts
David welcome the group and introduced Bob Roberts, Jamie’s father. Bob had broke his hip in a bike crash six weeks earlier and was using a walker. On the sidewalk he spoke of Jamie and her life. And he read her summary of why she became a rider to fight cancer.
We rolled out with a police escort. While the ride was supposed to go off at 10-12 mph, there were times we were rolling along at 20 mph. There were some younger, and older, riders who couldn’t quite manage that pace and some gaps developed.
Once we left, we rode in silence. Lights on. Safety colors. Traffic was mostly respectful.
At one intersection there was a gap behind me, and I often road in the gap to drive to protect the second group. As I reached the intersection I stopped in the traffic lane to keep a car from pulling out as there were riders coming. The driver honked – just as a police car came into the intersection. I can only imagine how small he must have felt when he saw the cyclists had the right of way.
The last mile we rode down Md. 355, a six-lane highway, three in each direction. The police rode behind us blocking one lane. The problem was, a couple of riders decided to ride over the lane in the second lane as well. This was not cool. I could not tell if it was intentional defiance of taking another lane or just riding side by side and losing his line.
Arriving back at start, I said goodbye to the Roberts family, not sure when I would see them again. But the next time Jamie will be honored, I’ll be there.
It has been a long time since I have ridden in this area. Rather than spend all day in the pool, I thought I would do a version of the three-state ramble which I have done in the past. This one would be clockwise.
I left Bethany’s place and headed out Old Country Club Road. Crossing U.S. 340 it becomes a Cattail Run Road, a country road. At the end it dead ends into the Old Rte 9 where one crosses the Shenandoah River. At the end of the bridge I followed a road down to the river’s edge which was a perfect place to start the climb.
The road is a “mid-major” road. It used to be the main route over the mountain but it very windy and hilly with no shoulders. The bypass has been in for two years so it was surprising the number of cars still using this road. I assume they’re all locals.
The only decision point on the route was when the road turned for the last 3/4 mile up the mountain. Straight ahead was a road, Hostler Road, which I guessed continued under the bypass. I was right. The road was very “lumpy.” When it was build years ago there was no grading, just paving. And it showed. There were lots of little rises that were like punches to the gut.
Eventually, after a couple miles of teasing, the road turned down. I crossed a crosswalk, a painted crosswalk, out in the woods, which I knew to be the Appalachian Trail. Hostler Road had ended and became Chestnut Hill Road which ended at U.S. 340 across the Shenandoah River from Harpers Ferry.
This stretch of road is not fun. No shoulders and impatient traffic. I was in Virginia for just 0.6 miles but was glad to leave as fast as I entered.
I eyed up the long bridge over the Potomac River on U.S. 340 and decided the only place for a bike was on the road. A two lane road. I think I timed the last of the traffic from the light and took off with no traffic and got 3/4 of the way across before any traffic caught me. I took the middle of the lane so not to allow or encourage someone to try to pass where there was no room.
At the end of the bridge I climbed up towards Brunswick, Maryland, and when I saw Sandy Hook Road, knew I was supposed to follow it. It’s a narrow two lane road which goes down to the river’s edge, separate by the C&O Canal and two tracks of CSX Railroad. I heard a train coming through Harper’s Ferry and waited for it to come out of the tunnel. Then followed the road until I found a bridge over the canal.
Bridge over C&O Towpath
I rode on the towpath for about 1/4 mile then climbed the stairs up to the railroad bridge. Once in Harpers Ferry there is a half-mile hill, at times pushing 12%. A couple of guys near the top yelled to me “only five miles to the top.” I laughed. “I know this hill well,” I responded. Jerks.
I looked for an alternative to 340, went through Halltown, then found my way back. It was only 27 miles but my legs said it was much longer.
Three years ago I was introduced to a cancer group. I was a “pedal pal” for Patrick Sheridan and then two years ago, for Anthony Venida. I “guided” (term used loosely) the 2013 and 2014 versions of Team Portland through western Pennsylvania. Last year some of those same alumni invited me on a training ride and this year, Kiera Zitelman, invited me to a training ride.
Last year there were 21 alumni and friends showed up to support three riders. The numbers today were a little better – six riders total.
There were three groups of two riders plus two or three helpers. I jumped in with 2015 riders Hannah Rose and Ellie Churchville and 2013 alumni Andrew Porter and Paul Wetzstein. We were in the first group and led the way. After a rest stop, Hannah flatted and got to learn how to change a flat. The other two groups rolled by.
Once fixed, our group caught and passed the last group and I told them I would drop back and ride sweeper. Kiera was with Bruria Hammer, who was struggling getting up and over one of the rises. We encouraged her then rode together with the last group into downtown. Actually, Hilary Kaufman and I rode ahead of the group and made our way into downtown Annapolis first.
Barry and Sophie Jin
The return ride was uneventful. Well, for many it was their longest ride ever.
At the rest stop I suggested that I would shepherd Bruria back to start if she wanted to ride again. She had ridden one way and was riding back in the car. I mentioned it to Bruria who at first thought she would but, ultimately, chose not to ride with us as we left.
In the end, it was my longest ride since knee surgery which left me feeling pretty good.
You never know what awaits on the open road. Or trail. Today was a mostly meaningless ride other than to find peace on a bike. I planned to head west from Reston on the W&OD.
Three young guys, kids, rode up to me and asked if I would pump up a tire for them. I couldn’t even get the tire to register pressure before I started pumping. But I got them it pumped. They thanked me then I encouraged them to wear helmets.
It was cool. The temperature was mostly in the low 50s. I rode out the trail then stopped at the Luck Stone Quarry. There, at the overlook, was a young man sitting at a table by himself. There were balloons and the word “prom” spelled out in the fence using cups.
I asked him was this was for and he told me he was saving the place for his friend who was out riding with, I’m going to presume here, his girlfriend. He planned to ask her to the prom at Stone Bridge High School.
How great was that? I left, and headed on into Leesburg. On my return trip I came to the quarry and saw a couple eating a picnic lunch. I stopped and asked her “Did you say yes?”
She said yes!
Josh and Kelley
Names changed to protect the innocent not because
I forgot to ask them their real names
We talked for a few minutes – about Jake, Jamie, and Alex. And then I headed back. What would have been just another day on the bike left me with some special memories.
There’s not a Top Ten ride in here. There’s no great performance rides in here although the day after Christmas I had a personal best in D.C. And I had one on the W&OD near Leesburg. But riding this month wasn’t about performance.
Ashburn, Va. To left turn or not to left turn.
December should be a slow month. It is a cold month and this month was cold.
Train Station in Benson (Holsopple) Pa.
On June 2 I rode with Jamie Roberts near Bedford, Pa. We were talking about many things. She asked me how far I normally ride (year). I told her I like to get around 6,000 miles. But I was off to a slow start (then on pace for less than 3,500 miles). I expressed my doubt. She said “I think you can do it.”
W&OD decorated for Christmas, Herndon, Va.
I didn’t promise Jamie I would get to 6,000 miles. I sort of shrugged and we talked about eating at Panera in Altoona.
The Grinch, Vienna, Va.
Going into December I was far off pace when I remembered that conversation. So I rode. And rode.
David Vito, Barry Sherry
Reston, Va.
In one stretch of 11 days I covered 400 miles. I fought the winds but mostly the cold. December miles are tough miles. But I covered more in December than in January, February, March, April or November. I rode the same distance (592 miles) that I rode in May.
Early morning on W&OD, Dunn Lorring, Va.
The day after Christmas, inspired by our conversation of six months ago, I reached that “goal” that I never really set out to achieve.
Four Mile Run Trail, Alexandria, Va.
It took a lot to ride long miles in December. An hour in the cold is OK. But two to three (or longer) and it’s just cold. Fingers freeze. You think about being cold.
Union Station, Washington, D.C.
Many people ask me how far do I normally ride. I never know what to say. My average ride this year was 27 miles. In other years I think I was around 26 miles. But I don’t ride every day.
Can you guess what this is?
In December my average ride was 33 miles. That’s two hours, without stops, being outside in the cold. But I stopped. I took a lot of photos. By contrast, my average November ride was 21 miles. June was my best month, 39 miles per ride, but that was bolstered by six days of Ride the Rockies in which the average daily ride was 71 miles.
Stoney Creek, Hooversville, Pa.
Many of my descriptions of my December rides include the word “cold.” Yet I kept riding. I am sure it was my “best” December ever and if November through February constitute cold-weather months, it was my best cold weather month ever.
Stoystown, Pa.
Almost 600 miles. Had I known today I was only eight miles short of 600 for the month I would have … parked the bike anyhow. I was freezing.
Built 1813, Stoystown, Pa.
My “6000” mile day was memorable in that I rode to Catholic University to honor Jamie. And my Pennsylvania ride on December 27 was pretty good. I forgot leg warmers and rode in the cold Pennsylvania air – planning to ride 10 but rode 27 miles – just an average ride in 2014.
On June 14 I was riding on Berthoud Pass with Bradley Allen, climbing on the lower section, tears in my eyes. Then I knew I had to have a Ride of Silence for Jamie Roberts. She had been killed the day before and I was numbed by the news.
The logistics were relatively simple. We weren’t going to Kentucky so I made a decision to host it in Rockville. I had to wait for the 4K for Cancer to finish on August 9 so I was thinking mid-August. But Jamie’s team, Team Portland, suggested a date near her birthday and, working with her family, we settled on this day.
Joanna Wang
I sought permission from Ride of Silence and they told me there is the one event every May 3 but we could have a Tribute Ride. And so it was that today was the Ride of Silence Tribute Ride for Jamie Roberts.
I had no idea how many to expect. I first thought we would have a dedication circle, 4K style, but upon seeing all the people, roughly 60, we instead brought everyone into a circle, with their bikes. I welcomed the group and gave instructions on the ride (keep silent and ride on!). Jamie’s father, Bob Roberts, also thanked people and gave us more details on the route.
Although Team Portland brought more than half of their team, I asked Shelby Perkins to read a modified version of the Ride of Silence Poem. Shelby was also a 4K alum, Team Seattle, but was a college classmate and teammate of Jamie’s as well.
Barry Sherry, Anthony Venida
Today we number many but we’ll ride as one To remember Jamie whose ride is done
Our helmets on tight and heads down low, We ride in silence, cautious and slow
The dark sunglasses cover our tears Remembering her we held so dear
Today’s ride is to make others aware The road is there for all to share
To Jamie — not with us or by our side, May God be your partner on your final ride
(Credit/paraphrased from Ride of Silence Poem, by Mike Murgas)
Rock Creek Park
And then – I forgot to add a moment of silence! I suppose it wasn’t necessary since we would ride for the next hour in silence but I still wanted to do that.
We started on Bauer Drive then rode towards Rock Creek Park. It was beautiful looking back and not seeing the end of the riders.
Passing Jamie’s house
We reached Rock Creek Park and tried to maintain double file on the path since going to single file may cause a traffic jam. As we came upon a walker, Bob, who was riding side by side with me, coughed loudly to get their attention. Later, as we came upon a couple stretched across the path I announced we were coming by with a funeral procession on bikes. The guy laughed! I imagine he was embarrassed when he saw our silent procession, with black arm bands and lights flashing.
As we entered Jamie’s neighborhood there were a couple of hearts drawn on the street with Jamie’s name. As we passed her house we saw a 4K Flag and signs for 4K JR and Jamie Love.
Ariana Staffen, Julia Roberts
We rode at 10 mph and complete the 10 mile loop in one hour. Back at the school we gathered once more. Bob spoke and hugged every single rider. He asked for anyone to talk and called on me – and I was deep in personal thoughts to share with him, so I declined. But Shelby spoke and then we started saying our goodbyes.
Jackie Weiss, Shelby Perkins, Rachael Callahan, Eric Tien
Both Team Seattle and Team Portland asked me to meet them for lunch. Team Seattle was first which is the one I accepted but wish I could have gone with both groups.
Bob Roberts
It was an amazing day honoring Jamie. Friends, especially her Team Portland teammates, some “strangers” (other 4K alumni that had not met her), some of the Key to Keys riders, and total strangers joined her family in riding for her today.
4K Alimni Front – Caitlyn Epps, Katie O’Rourke Middle – Walt Drennan, Ashley Arnold, Mitchell William Parrish, Emily Lipsitz, Shelby Perkins, Chelsea Johnson Back – Taylor Mulkerin, Ariana Staffen, Anthony Venida, Margreteh Williams, Dan Johnson, Jackie Weiss, Adam Wedekind, Rachael Callahan, Chey Hillsgrove, Eric Tien, Joanna Wang, Chris Blazer, Emily Lake
I could feel Jamie’s presence in the wind and how the leaves fell. Complete silence except for the crunching of leaves under the wheels. I wish we didn’t have to have this ride but since the events of June 13 were tragically real, it was great to honor her.
