A True Loss

"Long Bays" will always be "Kristy's Ride".



When I first came down to New Zealand in 2006 Kristy was one of the first people that I met. We were living in the same place and she saw me lying on a giant trampoline that was in the yard and just came over, jumped on and tried to "bounce me off it" and then laughed. She knew I had come by myself and was just being friendly. Her boyfriend at the time, Class, had not showed up yet. The two of us kept each other company for that first week in NZ and shared our love of tasty snacks from the bulk bins.

Kristy had taken me out on a few rides that week so that I would know where I was going. One of those rides is called Long Bays that takes you through the hills and then around some very scenic bays. I did that ride yesterday and was reflecting on my first trip down here and how much I had changed as a rider and person. I gave a lot of thought to my first Long Bays ride two years ago with Kristy. I had come to this section of the ride where she and I stopped to take a picture and once again got off my bike to take a moment. I was really just reflecting on myself and the good times that we all had that year. It made me think that this may be the last time I come down to Christchurch as the tri scene has seemed to fade away.

When I got back from the ride I had put on my check list to e-mail Kristy and see how she has been doing and find out if she was going to be racing Wildflower. She was there last year and I wanted to make sure that we had the chance to catch up if she was racing again.

I am in shock of the news that she was killed yesterday in bike accident. Apparently she was out riding with a friend of hers. They were both struck by a police car that crossed over the double yellow line and killed instantly. A third person was also injured in the crash.

This is a very tragic sad time for anyone that knew Kristy. I think it is a tragic time for anyone that rides a bike. We all know the risk is ever present and each year it seems that you are only a few degrees away from someone that has been killed. It never makes sense and always feels like it could have been avoided.


I will miss Kristy and her loving, spunky, outwardly introverted self. She was one of a kind and will be part of my memories from a time that was very special to me.

R.I.P