Ride pays tribute to those injured or killed in bicycling accidents

Arizona Ride of Honor Pays Tribute to those Injured or Killed in Bicycling Accidents

Mesa, AZ – Four years ago, Dara Schulenberg was reminded that accidents can happen on our roads at anytime, anyplace.

 ”I was hit while riding midday less than five miles from my home in East Mesa,” Schulenberg said. “My inexpensive cycling helmet proved to be my life-saver, along with the amazing care of the City of Mesa Fire Department Paramedics of Station 214.”

Many think that the hardest part of recovery from an accident with multiple serious injuries is physical, but Schulenberg found the challenge to be more significant.

“Navigating the health care and legal systems was difficult with a head injury fogging my judgment; yet, as a single mother I was even more concerned with how to work and put food on the dinner table. If not for the generosity of friends and neighbors, my recovery would have been far more emotionally and financially devastating than physically tough. I vowed to someday give back to the community that helped me regain my life.”

That opportunity came in 2008 when she heard about another single mother cyclist, Dee Scott, who was seriously injured when hit by a car from behind while riding in the bike lane. What began as a simple effort by Schulenberg and Sterling Baer, President of the Red Mountain Brumbys Cycling Club, to deliver meals and assistance to Scott, became the Not One More Foundation.

“The accident changed my life forever,” Scott said, who suffered a broken back, ribs, head injury and punctured lung. The Not One More Foundation was able to come to Scott’s aid financially and emotionally, alleviating stress so she could focus on recovery. 

“It does not matter who you are or what you do, the foundation is there to support injured cyclists in every way,” Baer said.

Together Schulenberg and Baer are leading the effort for a growing group of cyclists and public safety organizations who say, let not one more cyclist needlessly die or be seriously injured on Arizona roads.

The Not One More Foundation, Red Mountain Brumbys Cycling Club and the City of Mesa Transportation Department are planning a “Ride of Honor” on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.  The ride is in memory of all cyclists who have been injured or killed in collisions with motorists.

The Ride of Honor is free and open to cyclists of all abilities from casual riders to professionals.  Helmets are required. The ride is from 10 a.m. to noon and the pace is 10 mph within the bike lane. 

The ride will begin at Gene Autry Park in Mesa and make a loop using McKellips, Recker, Adobe and Lindsay Roads.

Source: City of Mesa

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