Mourning and learning

Today I learned that B4T9 isn’t just about the women who are on the team, it’s about all female cyclists; about women who share a love of the bike, about mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, grandmothers and partners. Some of us are bike racers, some are recreational cyclists, some philanthropists, even some who don’t ride a bike at all.  We all share a love of the sport; for how it empowers women and helps us achieve a healthy fitness level. Cycling allows us to share time with friends, explore new places and meet new people. Every time we throw a leg over the bike and start to pedal we are brave—whether that moment is at a charitable event, a ride with the kids to the beach or even when there’s a chance at standing on the podium at a local bike race.  Every pedal stroke or new mountain top we reach makes us happy, but with that we know and accept that, as with any activity, there are risks of injury and sadly sometimes death.  It is not something we take lightly, accept or want to happen.  Yet, unfortunately it happened this past weekend and we lost Suzanne Rivera and we as a collective group are mourning.  Our team is like family; we share rides, meals, houses, carpools, victories and losses.  We laugh and cry together. …and we have learned that our family is larger than just the team from the amazing outpouring of support from women who ride, race and/or just follow our journeys.  From professionals to beach cruiser gals we have felt so much love and understanding that it is hard to grasp.  As we grieve today and in the days to come, coping will be more difficult than the longest climbs or the hardest races we will ever participate in. If you were lucky enough to meet Suzanne you knew instantly her strength and her joy and for those who did not meet her we know that you would have been inspired by her.  We as a team and a world of female cyclists know that the men, women and children who allow us to follow our passions have strength greater than any of us and this does not go unnoticed.  We grieve for you too, for your sacrifices, your losses and your worry.