ride for Val Kleitz

Val Kleitz, bike mechanic, and great guy died of cancer last week.  The last time i saw him he was in good spirits and was on his bike.  He said nothing was working so they were going to try doing nothing.  He was still riding his extracycle 10 miles each way to work.  With cancer.  I don't have to tell anyone in Seattle that we've lost a giant.

We did the only thing we could for him.  We rode bikes.  A HUGE number of people showed up.  I wasn't surprised at all.

I had a special bond with Val. We were good friends.

I wasn't the only one. Hundreds of people had a special bond with Val -- he was that kind of guy. I really don't think it was fake, he really cared about people and he made you feel like you were important to him. Because you were. Everyone was. I don't feel slighted or disappointed that i wasn't the only one. I'm thrilled. Val was truly an amazing guy. He doesn't just leave a hole in this city, or in the bike culture.  He leaves a hole in my life. He will be missed very much.

Bikesmith was only my regular bike shop for about 4 years, (out of 40 years of regular cycling) but to me now, and probably for always, it is THE DEFINITIVE bike shop. It was the pinnacle. It's the bike shop i dream of.  And Val is standing there with a wrench.

Val was bigger than life in many ways, he was fun to talk to, fun to hang out with and HOLY CRAP was he an amazing mechanic.

My mechanics (and friends) Kent & Eric and i celebrate Val.

Val and i share a laugh.

This  map is the route of the Val Kleitz memorial Cargo Bike Ride.  Click to enbiggen.
We rode 8.6 miles, 364 feet of elevation gain, so a bit on the flat side for a ride in Seattle.

me with the Dreadnought.  What an honor.

Ryan and Val eat potato salad with a cone wrench just like Val used to do in the shop all the time... it actually works really well.  Aaron had a case of cone wrenches and we all got one. It was an inspired gesture.  There were lots and lots of people and lots of really wonderful bikes out in the park to celebrate Val.  At the end of the ride i took some photos of the bikes.

Tom

Robert

Aurilee

Eric Berg

Carl

Kent Peterson

Marie

Wayne