A sad day for local cyclists

Colorado Springs is known as one of the fittest cities in the country. For sure there are a lot of fitness enthusiasts here, as well as the Olympic Training Center, which takes it to another level altogether. Cycling is a huge sport in the Springs, especially in my part of town (very close to the Olympic Training Center). There are so many hardcore cyclists here that I run across several of them every day on the roads. Some Colorado Springs residents like to complain about them, but I say if you're going to live here you might as well get used to it. Cycling is an integral part of our city's culture. I for one think that's pretty cool.

Last August there was a terrible tragedy where two popular local cyclists were killed by a lady in a humongous truck. Apparently she was under the influence of prescription drugs (morphine), and she was also driving without her required glasses or contact lenses. She mowed her pickup into a group of cyclists just a few blocks from her house. I can't believe she didn't see them. Guys at this level wear very colorful uniforms, and it was daylight out. A senseless accident. The driver expressed extreme remorse, saying it was she who should have died, since she is terminally ill. The large Colorado Springs cycling community was devastated. This is what you call a lose-lose situation for certain.

There is a shrine to the cyclists in the spot where the accident occured on the west side (and I took a photo of it last year but never blogged it). On Thursday I noticed this ghost bike shrine on Tejon Street near Wooglins Deli, far from 26th and Westend. As you can see, the local cycling community is still mourning the loss of EJ Juarez and Jason Kilroy.