At the end of 1997 I got hooked up to the Internet and discovered the
international cycling newsgroups. I soon discovered I had happened upon
the most wonderful community. There were cyclists of all types from all
around the world. Even if there were a few lunatics and some rude people
the vast majority were there to share. People that became and remained
friends, people destined never to meet but to be united for ever by
their interest in cycling.
The first cyclist that I exchanged private emails with was Ken Kifer.
Over the next few years we remained net friends and my admiration and
respect for Ken never faulted. He was always willing to join in
discussions and debate a vast variety of cycling issues, his language on
the net was polite and correct, but never dull,
When Ken first dreamed up the idea of his own website he set up a test
version and sent the link to chosen few, myself included as I was
already running a website. I must say that Ken's first effort was. shall
we say a case of "could do better". His site was unreadable unless you
were using a specific browser at a specific resolution. To say that he
developed his home page skills is an understatement and within months he
was out of my league. As we all know his website developed into one of
the most respected on the Internet and won awards, respect and
acclamation from around the world.
Ken was always willing to help, never short of advice and a great guy to
share cycling anecdotes with. Even if Ken and I didn't maintain our
initial frequent email contact over the years he never became a
stranger. After a period without contact I asked his advice in the fall
of 2000 when my then girlfriend - a design student at university - was
involved in a futuristic concept for a car-free city. Ken became a
source of inspiration and his ideas were of great value to the project.
At Christmas that year Ken sent me some kind words and wished me all the
best. I will light a candle for him this year.
Our Mr Kifer was an advocate of safer cycling and it is no wild guess
that there are some cyclists alive today that have survived or avoided
would-be fatal accidents because of something learnt from Ken's website,
if not through direct contact with the man himself. Ken's legacy lives
on through his website and I am delighted that it is still hosted. It is
of great importance and will undoubtedly continue to help, delight and
charm cyclists the world over. I often refer and link to his site in
cycling forums.
I remember that Ken once stated that although there are plenty of safety
measures you can take as a cyclist there really is nothing you can do
about the drunk driver coming in the other direction. To that I add that
is safer to cycle than not to cycle and at least you get to live and
experience life from a interesting fulfilled perspective non-cyclists
remain ignorant of.
If I have one regret it is that I never met the man himself, but perhaps
that is testimony to the cycling community on the web. We know each
other through words and views and that is the very essence of how and
why we know each other. It suffices.
It was with great sadness I received news of Ken's death, one year ago
today. I am sure that Ken rides on, in that car free city in the sky
where all the winds are following.
Ride on Ken, ride on.
Garry Jones
English Cyclist
ResIDING in Sweden