Rest in Peace - Pete McKeon

[yngpunk]

Posted on Velocipede salon

http://www.velocipedesalon.com/forum/f2/pete-mckeon-38572.html

[jr59]

RIP Pete, our little world will miss you!

[dogdriver]

Good man. You will be missed.

[vqdriver]

oh no. this is horrible news. rest in peace Pete. one of the best.

[thwart]

Aw, that's terrible news.

A sweet man who herded cats here as well as anyone possibly could.

RIP, Pete. You will be missed.

[thegunner]

and i never got to have any red with him... :(

[William]

Rest in Peace Pete, I'll be tipping a glass of red for you.






William

[dekindy]

Oh no! He really took me under his wing at NAHBS Indianapolis. Introduced me to Ben and Dario and other builders. Heck of a guy.

[texbike]

Oh man... God Bless you Pete. Sad to see you go. :(

I still have a message in my inbox from him titled "Friends are Dear". He was definitely one of the good guys on the forum.

Texbike

[93legendti]

Oh no. How terrible. Pete was such a good guy!

[AngryScientist]

i "met" Pete here, and then a few times in person. a true gentleman. rest in peace to a guy who really lived life. cheers Pete.

[Birddog]

He was frequently the "voice of reason". RIP

[rugbysecondrow]

Sad to hear...Pete was a good man. I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times. Was it the cancer he had battle the past few years?

[RedRider]

Pete had a real love for life, his Family, his friends, fine wine, great bicycles and beautiful cars. He will be missed by many and especially around here.

[Bruce K]

Rode a Copper Triangle with Pete

I've never met anyone so universally respected and liked

RIP

BK

[avalonracing]

He always seem like a great guy. He was level-headed and a voice of reason here while always staying positive and sending along good vibes to others.

May we all try to do the same...

[wc1934]

damn - what a shame - tough news to hear - rip friend.

[nighthawk]

Terrible news.

Pete was the best, a wonderfully gracious man. He'll definitely be missed.

[texbike]

Was it the cancer he had battle the past few years?

I was wondering the same thing....

and i never got to have any red with him... :(

Perhaps we should all agree on a specific East Coast time and collectively raise a glass of red in Pete's memory...

Texbike

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and a nicer guy you could not find.

BBD

[pdmtong]

Pete made a lot of things happen regarding Serotta

His contributions to the forum were immense.

RIP and DRINK RED (I am right now)

[roguedog]

Oh no. Sad to hear. Raisin a 'nana :banana: and a red to you, Pete.

May the wind be at your back, the wheels under you, and smile on your face wherever your travels have taken you, friend.

[buldogge]

R.I.P Pete…

-Mark in St. Louis

[Buzz]

I met Pete some years ago and had the good fortune of spending a couple of weeks riding with him when he was out in California over the years attending Steve Hampsten's camps. Pete inspired me to get an S&S coupler and to travel to Europe. He was a tough guy hanging on the wheels of guys 20 and 30 years younger than him. I remember one time he was cranking along with with the white spit drying up in the corners of his mouth. I asked him if he wanted to soft peddle the last ten miles but he said there was no need to. With a wink he said:"It's downhill and with a tailwind all the way back...let's go!" Great spirit and positive attitude. We are all lucky to have had him in our midst.

[rounder]

Wow....Pete was a good guy. I met him several times at Smiley's parties for Kelly Bedford. He was an IBM guy who used to run the Serotta forum. A smart decent guy. When I was picking out my K. Bedford bike, I almost went with Pete's colors because his bike was so beautiful. Go Pete. Live forever.

[Keith A]

This is a sad day indeed. I've had many chats with Pete over the years while he was helping with the forum. He was a great guy and would give you the shirt off his back or his bike to ride. I feel blessed to have known him and be able to associate with him.

Love you Pete!

[bluesea]

RIP Pete.

[FlashUNC]

A life well lived.

See you on down the road Pete.

[VTCaraco]

Death sucks.
Hope his family finds revels in the good memories and finds some sense of peace with it all...

[Len J]

Rip pete.



Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk

[veloduffer]

Sad indeed. RIP Pete - you'll be missed.

[bobswire]

You're going to be missed Pete, never had the pleasure of meeting you in person but you made me feel like an old friend.

[Ken Robb]

I think you have to be my age to fully appreciate his passing. We were such cheerleaders for each other (and other geezers). I mean, you kids are fine and all but I want my contemporaries to last forever.

Maybe we should have had a clue because his last post was on 9/8/14. It wasn't like him to be silent that long.

[Matt-H]

RIP Pete. A glass of red in your honor tonight.

[gasman]

If the world was full of men with the kindness of Pete the world would be so much better.
So sad.

He's a glass of red to you. RIP

[chuckroast]

So sad to see this, rest in peace.

[tiretrax]

RIP, Pete. I had the pleasure of spending a week in Colorado with Pete and Bruce K a few years ago after finding this forum while looking for information on Colorado rides. I will miss him and his continual optimism, even through the depths of his fight to beat cancer. Pete was truly one of the best and a model for all.

[bobswire]

I think you have to be my age to fully appreciate his passing. We were such cheerleaders for each other (and other geezers). I mean, you kids are fine and all but I want my contemporaries to last forever.

Maybe we should have had a clue because his lasting post was on 9/8/14. It wasn't like him to be silent that long.

Yeah, I just checked his member list ( http://forums.thepaceline.net/member.php?u=217016 ) He visited here one last time on :
Last Activity: 10-02-2014 05:28 AM

When I read the friends list it states" Pete Mckeon has not made any friends yet". That bought a smile to my face,if wealth could be measured by the friends one has he's richer than Bill Gates.

[MattTuck]

Never met him in person, but he was one of the nicest guys on here. He always had a positive comment to any thread I posted. Usually involved getting a new custom frame.

Sad to hear this news.

[Fishbike]

Never had the honor of meeting the man, but appreciated from afar his wisdom and tremendous attitude. He clearly knew what was important. And isn't that all any of us could ever wish for?

Peace to Pete, his family and all who knew him.

[OtayBW]

A very even keel around here. RIP Pete.

[mgm777]

RIP Pete. My condolences to his family and friends. Sad day.

[christian]

Raising a glass of red to a good man and a good friend. He set an example.

[Steve in SLO]

Tailwinds, Pete...

[Elefantino]

This is very sad. His gentleness, good humor and wisdom will be missed.

[jimcav]

Pete was among the best of the forumites it was my pleasure to PM and email over the years. I always hoped to meet him in person. i will open my last bottle of chronic cellars sofa king bueno this weekend and think of him fondly

[JAGI410]

I didn't get the chance to meet Pete, but it sure seems that he wasn't just liked, he was loved. Whatever he did in life, it seems that he did it right. Rest in peace Pete.

[weisan]

An old conversation we used to have...

"Pete-pal, did you really only have ONE bike?"
And he replied without any hesitation:
"Yes!"

You lying bastard! :p

Some pictures I had of Pete in our finger lakes ride.
Admiring dbrk's collection in the basement
http://alicehui.com/serotta/FLRambler06/9.jpg

Him in the background behind BBdave and Dbrk. Pete loves his Serotta Ti bike.
http://alicehui.com/serotta/FLRambler06/3.jpg

Pete's "prophetic" last post (I think).
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=1618076&postcount=65

Yes, you can, old friend! Party on.

[rwsaunders]

I didn't expect to be reading this tonight for sure. Pete was a class act and a gentlemen and he always managed to stay above the noise. RIP Pete and I'll raise a glass of red in your honor.

[Keith A]

Weisen - Thanks for posting the pictures. I didn't remember that first one with me in the picture with Pete.

[weisan]

Weisen - Thanks for posting the pictures. I didn't remember that first one with me in the picture with Pete.

You bet!

You and Tom Byrnes. I haven't seen or heard from Tom-pal for a while, I sent him a PM a few weeks ago, wonder how he's doing.

Speaking of which, I remembered this thread started by Tom on behalf of Pete:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=87958

[David Kirk]

Pete was a warm and generous man and I was lucky to call him a friend. He left smile on the face of everyone he spent time with. He will be sincerely missed.

Thanks for everything Pete. I hold my glass of red high in your honor.


Dave

[54ny77]

That is sad to hear of any forum member's passing. Our condolences to his family & friends--the latter of which it sounds like there are many. A life well lived indeed.

[phcollard]

Oh no. That is so sad :( :(

I never met Pete but I had lengthy virtual discussions with him about Serotta and other american brands. He was always ready to help. He was such a generous and special guy. I will miss him...

Farewell Serotta_Pete. I hope you get to ride tailwinds where you are now...

[soulspinner]

I will try and remember his example. Thanks Pete.

[LegendRider]

I didn't know Pete, but as an active participant on the forum for a decade, I certainly felt close to him. He was clearly a kind and generous man. RIP.

[Climb01742]

Good, kind, gentle, loved. If your life adds up to those four words, you did well. And Pete sure did.

Thank you, Pete. Without you, this forum probably wouldn't have survived all the ups and downs through the years. A little place where people can come together. What better tribute to you...save maybe a winery?;)

[Mr. Squirrel]

dear mr. pete,

you will be missed greatly. you earned a free pass on the road with your kindness, and may you have many more uncontested rides in the future. we salute you mr. pete.

mr. squirrel

[Gothard]

Good man, godspeed.

[jghall]

Only knew Pete in the forum world, but even there he was one of the kindest people I've ever met.

He will be missed. Thoughts and prayers to his friends and loved ones.

[572cv]

Pete's posts were wonderful. If a spirit of hope or enthusiasm or encouragement or sometimes ' just look at the bright side and enjoys hints more' was ever expressed more individually or personally, I don't know where it could be. It would have been fun to meet him, but settling for the shared forum, and of course, wonderful Serottas and an appreciation of a nice red... Not a bad substitute. It has been great to read the tributes. Blessings, Pete!

[Nooch]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Pete a few times, in fact, I believe I met him before I had even stumbled upon the forum. Truly a class act, and his presence will be noticeably missed.

From what I know, the cancer that he'd been fighting, that had been in remission, returned and from all accounts, it was quick.

Honored to have shared a glass of red with you, Pete.

[Keith A]

Just sharing a couple of links of Pete on Facebook...not sure why he had two accounts:
https://www.facebook.com/peter.mckeon.908?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/pete.mckeon3?fref=ts

Funeral home information...
http://brown-wynne-east-millbrook.tributes.com/dignitymemorial/obituary/Peter-Joseph-McKeon-101756988

[oldpotatoe]

Oh my goodness..horrible news..may you rest well Pete, I enjoyed our conversation. I was impressed by your grace and calmness.

[chuckred]

Condolences to his family. Sad news indeed.

[tuxbailey]

RIP. A sad day indeed.

[DRZRM]

Pete was an ambassador for the Serotta brand and for cycling overall. He will be missed. I'll have to pick up a nice bottle of red today.

[R2D2]

Hate to wake up to hear this.
RIP

[Saint Vitus]

From reading all the genuine responses to this thread I can only say that I wished I could have had the honor in meeting him. One thing I can take away from the personal recollections is to better follow the lines he (and others) have carved before me. Rest in peace Mr McKeon and salut!

[SamIAm]

Really, what else can be said? The comments here really say it all. What an impact Pete made! What a life well lived!

I am truly privileged to have know Pete well, here and in person. My life is richer as a result.

[fiamme red]

I never met Pete, but being acquainted with his online persona (including a few PM exchanges between us), I know that he was a true gentleman. He seems to have had a full, rich life, and it's sad that it was cut short when he still had such a capacity for enjoying it. RIP. :(

[MarleyMon]

I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Serotta Pete at NAHBS Indy, both at the show and at our Serotta forum dinner. He was so warm and engaging, he nearly had me talked into splurging on the upcoming Hampsten Spring Training ride. He knew I had volunteered for the show and at the end of the last day he asked if I had a copy of the program and the "original six" postcards. When I said I had missed a lot of that swag he promptly handed over his bag stuffed with all his goodies! Today I dedicate my ride to Pete and tonight I toast him with RED!

[firerescuefin]

He was the first face of the forum when I started coming here.

I sent him a team kit and a card during his Cancer treatment period, and the day he received it, he called me and was as excited as one could be.

Good dude. The world needs more...not less of them.

Thoughts and prayers to his family and close friends.

[alembical]

sad to hear this. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but always liked and respected him.

[Liberace]

A wonderful guy. He will be missed by all.

[CNY rider]

You may not all be familiar with the term "mensch" but you need not look it up.
If you had the good fortune to know Pete, he was the embodiment of the term.

[Point Grey]

will be sadly missed as Pete was such a positive force.

[AFS]

RIP Serotta Pete.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Condolences.

[Tim Porter]

I got to ride with him once at a Signature Cycles function for Serotta. RIP Pete, enjoy that heavenly RED. Tim

[mosca]

So sad to hear this, he was one of the folks who made this such a great place.
Thanks Pete.

[Bradford]

If you rounded up a bunch of us who have been here for over a decade and asked us to list the five or ten most interesting forum voices, we would surely have different lists, but couple of names would be on most of them. Pete would be on my list, and I suspect he would be on many other lists as well, if not most. He was a gentleman, generous, and a pleasure to be around. I enjoyed reading his posts and, much more than that, enjoyed meeting him in person on several different occasions.

The last time I saw Pete in person was at Ride the Rockies a few years ago. We didn’t get to ride together that time, which is good, because the last time I rode with Pete he dropped me going up Independence Pass. I remember talking to Bruce at the top of the pass about how Pete was just flying that day.

Those two days are what I’m thinking about today. First, how much I enjoyed talking to Pete in Crested Butte, and second, the sight of him getting smaller going up Independence Pass. Keep riding Pete, I’ll catch up to you someday and we can have a glass of red when I do.

[William]

:cool:

[Smiley]

Pete is a great guy and its always the good guys we lament losing the most. Pete always came to my Bedford parties and we loved having him here. I spoke to Pete last week and wished I could have driven down to see him but I do cherish the memories of his last visit last summer when Kelly came down and we spent the weekend together. GREAT guy will be missed.

[djg]

I'm very sorry for this news -- I did not know Pete well at all, but I was fortunate to meet him, with bikes involved, once upon a time, and I know that many forum-folks were glad to have Pete around, from virtual chat to actual rides. My sympathies to his family and friends.

[flydhest]

First met Pete over a decade ago at a Carpenter-Phinney bike camp. Ride with home dozens of times, stayed with him and Linda the summers I taught at Duke. He stayed at my house more than once. Met his daughters. Cried when he lost Labs. Drank too much with him on many occasions. As often happens, hadn't talked to him in a while and assumed I had more time to. He didn't get to meet my kids, sadly. A New Jersey boy transplanted to North Cackalackey. The best of the north and the south in him.

Miss you, my friend.

[Dash Riprock]

“I am always saddened by the death of a good person. It is from this sadness that a feeling of gratitude emerges. I feel honored to have known them and blessed that their passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive, share, explore, and love. I can think of no greater way to honor the deceased than to live this way.”
― Steve Maraboli

[jmeloy]

When I first started hanging here he was always the voice or reason. He put out more fires than I thought possible, always in a kind manner. We'll miss you Pete.

[Keith A]

Posted on Facebook from Pete's daughter...

With a saddened heart, I wanted to let my father's friends know that he passed away on Monday morning. He fought a 4 year battle with brain cancer. He will be greatly missed by all. A Celebration of Life will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home located at 1701 E. Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC on Saturday, October 11 from 3-5. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.

[malcolm]

I've been out of town and just saw this.
I never met Pete but knew him for years from here. I don't recall him ever being anything other than a voice of reason and willing to help anyone.

[wooly]

Just saw this too. So sad. He seemed to be such a wonderful guy, even tho we only interacted on the forum for many years. My wife teases me on how much time I spend on the forum but with guys like Pete it's easy and fun. What a community.

God bless to Pete and his family.

[Ti Designs]

I had the pleasure of sharing a glass of red with Pete at the unofficial Serotta open house, known better as the Giro Del Toga. We had spoken a few times before that and messaged back and forth a lot, so it was like meeting and old friend for the first time.

[mnoble485]

I went to NAHBS in Indianapolis and met Pete in the hotel lobby. First time but seemed like an old friend. Said he was having breakfast with a guy named Ben and why didn't I join them.

A great person for making you feel at home.

RIP

Mike

[weaponsgrade]

I just know Pete from his posts. Seems like a wonderful guy. Condolences to the family. I'll be sure to have glass of red tonight. Cheers Pete.

[texbike]

A copy of his obituary. Tailwinds Pete!

Texbike

[bironi]

^^^^^^^^^Thanks.

[Hawker]

Very sad. My condolences and prayers to his family.

[Chris]

This is so sad. There was no one better than Pete on the forum. I am going to have a glass of red (and I hate wine) in his honor. I would also ask that the moderators consider having the forum go dark one day this weekend out of respect to Pete if that isn't too difficult of a task to achieve.

[MilanoTom]

Very sad news. He will be deeply missed.

Regards,
Tom

[thwart]

This is so sad. There was no one better than Pete on the forum. I am going to have a glass of red (and I hate wine) in his honor. I would also ask that the moderators consider having the forum go dark one day this weekend out of respect to Pete if that isn't too difficult of a task to achieve.
I second that motion...

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . but I've been writing down my thoughts this past week and I think this sums it up for me.

BBD

--------------------------

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember exactly when I met Pete McKeon for the first time, but it must have been at the 2002 or 2003 Serotta factory event. I remember he had a slightly gravelly voice that might at first have led you to think he wasn’t very friendly. But I quickly found out that nothing could be further from the truth.

Pete was one of the friendliest and most helpful guys you could ever meet, and he proved it again and again over the following years as I continued to read the Serotta Forum and eventually became a moderator at Pete’s invitation.

Pete was a huge Serotta fan and had been a customer of Ben’s for many years. When Ben needed help to build the new factory on Geyser Road in Saratoga in, he started the Founder’s Club, and Pete was one of the first to step up. He bought one of the first Ottrott’s and my understanding is he had the #1 Founder’s Club plaque on the top tube.

Pete always joked that he only had ONE bike. I found out that wasn’t quite true when I eventually went to visit him. He never would admit it, but I suspected that his private joke was that the ONE bike he always insisted he had was the ONE he happened to be riding at any particular time. Let’s just say he had more than one, and that many were Serottas.

He wasn’t your typical tall, lanky cycling enthusiast. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who enjoyed getting out on a bike more to get in some miles with friends. Always good natured, always considerate, always riding like a gentleman.

Pete also got a lot of mileage out of his self-professed love for “a good glass of Red,” as he called it. He seemed to feel that just about any problem or disagreement in life was solvable if the disputing parties could just sit down for a good glass of Red and talk it out. I think if he had been appointed Secretary of State there would be a lot fewer problems in the world today.

He could also laugh at himself about it, too. I remember one time somebody posted a photo of some people lounging in a hot tub filled entirely with Red, and he took all the ribbing in stride.

Pete asked me to be a moderator in 2007, I think. I’m also a little embarrassed to not remember that date exactly, either. He had agreed to take on the job for Ben several years before when Serotta took over administration of the old forum run by Kahuna (Gary). Once I was on the inside, I saw just how much unseen time and effort he put into running the forum.
It was a lot of work to run our 24/7/365 neighborhood cycling tavern, but I never saw him get annoyed with it without really good cause. I found out he often spent several hours a day on it, and he seemed to understand that when you throw open the virtual doors to everybody, that’s exactly who’s going to walk in. Every tavern has a few difficult customers and a few crazies, both harmless and otherwise. Sometimes you have to be patient, and sometimes you have to toss out somebody who won’t respect the rules. He dealt with them all and made it all work and taught the rest of us to do it, too.

In the fall of 2008 I was laid off unexpectedly from my journalism job of 17 years and was calm about it on the outside. But on the inside I was freaking out about what I would do to keep things going in the short term and make a future career. Pete invited me to come down to visit him in Raleigh and he and Linda opened their home to me—one of many times they hosted Pete’s cycling friends, from what I’ve heard. I remember sitting with him in his kitchen with his dogs, drinking coffee and getting some great advice from his years of experience as a project and IT manager.

It’ll be OK, he said. Have confidence in yourself and your experience and skills and other people will, too. So I tried my best and he was right. It all worked out. I’ve had some setbacks since then, but his advice has always been valuable.

Then we went out for some rides on his favorite roads through the local fields and pine forest. One day I got to ride his newest “ONE bike,” Kelly Bedford’s frame number one, a beautiful cream-colored steel frame and fork that reminded me of how good a masterful frame, built by a master craftsman, can feel. I can still remember the spring in that frame and how good it felt, not just to be riding it, but also to be riding with Pete.

The next day we went out I got to ride his Meivici. That was my choice, but he made it clear I could ride whichever bike I wanted from his stable. I didn’t take any photos on either of those rides. Now I wish I had.

I haven’t seen Pete very often in the last couple of years. That unfortunately happens way too much in today’s world. There’s so much going on, and it seems that every time you look back you think you just blinked and a year has gone by. But I got the feeling that once he found out his time might be limited, Pete got to work on enjoying life as much as possible, riding as much as possible, enjoying a glass of red with as many old and new friends as possible, and spending as much quality time as possible with the ones who counted to him.

If you belong to The Paceline today and enjoy what goes on here, then you owe a debt of gratitude that you probably never knew about to your friend, Pete McKeon. If it hadn’t been for all his work and support, this forum would not exist now and you’d have to find some other virtual cycling bar to hang out in.

Now I hope he is somewhere where he can do all his favorite things without having to worry about time running out. It’s a place where the Red is always perfectly chilled, where he and his ONE bike will always have perfect new pavement to ride on, and there will never be any flat tires.

Tailwinds, Pete. Always tailwinds. Godspeed.

[thwart]

. . . but I've been writing down my thoughts this past week and I think this sums it up for me.

BBD

--------------------------

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember exactly when I met Pete McKeon for the first time, but it must have been at the 2002 or 2003 Serotta factory event. I remember he had a slightly gravelly voice that might at first have led you to think he wasn’t very friendly. But I quickly found out that nothing could be further from the truth.

Pete was one of the friendliest and most helpful guys you could ever meet, and he proved it again and again over the following years as I continued to read the Serotta Forum and eventually became a moderator at Pete’s invitation.

Pete was a huge Serotta fan and had been a customer of Ben’s for many years. When Ben needed help to build the new factory on Geyser Road in Saratoga in, he started the Founder’s Club, and Pete was one of the first to step up. He bought one of the first Ottrott’s and my understanding is he had the #1 Founder’s Club plaque on the top tube.

Pete always joked that he only had ONE bike. I found out that wasn’t quite true when I eventually went to visit him. He never would admit it, but I suspected that his private joke was that the ONE bike he always insisted he had was the ONE he happened to be riding at any particular time. Let’s just say he had more than one, and that many were Serottas.

He wasn’t your typical tall, lanky cycling enthusiast. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who enjoyed getting out on a bike more to get in some miles with friends. Always good natured, always considerate, always riding like a gentleman.

Pete also got a lot of mileage out of his self-professed love for “a good glass of Red,” as he called it. He seemed to feel that just about any problem or disagreement in life was solvable if the disputing parties could just sit down for a good glass of Red and talk it out. I think if he had been appointed Secretary of State there would be a lot fewer problems in the world today.

He could also laugh at himself about it, too. I remember one time somebody posted a photo of some people lounging in a hot tub filled entirely with Red, and he took all the ribbing in stride.

Pete asked me to be a moderator in 2007, I think. I’m also a little embarrassed to not remember that date exactly, either. He had agreed to take on the job for Ben several years before when Serotta took over administration of the old forum run by Kahuna (Gary). Once I was on the inside, I saw just how much unseen time and effort he put into running the forum.
It was a lot of work to run our 24/7/365 neighborhood cycling tavern, but I never saw him get annoyed with it without really good cause. I found out he often spent several hours a day on it, and he seemed to understand that when you throw open the virtual doors to everybody, that’s exactly who’s going to walk in. Every tavern has a few difficult customers and a few crazies, both harmless and otherwise. Sometimes you have to be patient, and sometimes you have to toss out somebody who won’t respect the rules. He dealt with them all and made it all work and taught the rest of us to do it, too.

In the fall of 2008 I was laid off unexpectedly from my journalism job of 17 years and was calm about it on the outside. But on the inside I was freaking out about what I would do to keep things going in the short term and make a future career. Pete invited me to come down to visit him in Raleigh and he and Linda opened their home to me—one of many times they hosted Pete’s cycling friends, from what I’ve heard. I remember sitting with him in his kitchen with his dogs, drinking coffee and getting some great advice from his years of experience as a project and IT manager.

It’ll be OK, he said. Have confidence in yourself and your experience and skills and other people will, too. So I tried my best and he was right. It all worked out. I’ve had some setbacks since then, but his advice has always been valuable.

Then we went out for some rides on his favorite roads through the local fields and pine forest. One day I got to ride his newest “ONE bike,” Kelly Bedford’s frame number one, a beautiful cream-colored steel frame and fork that reminded me of how good a masterful frame, built by a master craftsman, can feel. I can still remember the spring in that frame and how good it felt, not just to be riding it, but also to be riding with Pete.

The next day we went out I got to ride his Meivici. That was my choice, but he made it clear I could ride whichever bike I wanted from his stable. I didn’t take any photos on either of those rides. Now I wish I had.

I haven’t seen Pete very often in the last couple of years. That unfortunately happens way too much in today’s world. There’s so much going on, and it seems that every time you look back you think you just blinked and a year has gone by. But I got the feeling that once he found out his time might be limited, Pete got to work on enjoying life as much as possible, riding as much as possible, enjoying a glass of red with as many old and new friends as possible, and spending as much quality time as possible with the ones who counted to him.

If you belong to The Paceline today and enjoy what goes on here, then you owe a debt of gratitude that you probably never knew about to your friend, Pete McKeon. If it hadn’t been for all his work and support, this forum would not exist now and you’d have to find some other virtual cycling bar to hang out in.

Now I hope he is somewhere where he can do all his favorite things without having to worry about time running out. It’s a place where the Red is always perfectly chilled, where he and his ONE bike will always have perfect new pavement to ride on, and there will never be any flat tires.

Tailwinds, Pete. Always tailwinds. Godspeed.

Perhaps no need to state the obvious, but well said.

[johnmdesigner]

Thank you Dave, that was beautiful.
I'll never forget my first handshake with Pete. He always made you feel like an old friend.
Having a glass of wine and a little cry right now...

[CNY rider]

Thank you Dave, that was beautiful.
I'll never forget my first handshake with Pete. He always made you feel like an old friend.


Could not put this any better myself.

[Johny]

RIP Pete. Many years have passed since we first met at Douglas' place. Still remember sitting down chatting with you and Kelly on that afternoon (did we just skip a ride and have some beers instead? :) Talking about bikes and life, of course.) I take comfort in knowing you will always carry us over the next hill. Cheers.

[aoe]

Very well said and thanks for posting. I'll always have fond memories of Serotta Pete and what he brought to the old forum and the Paceline.

[Ray]

I don't come around here much anymore, but felt compelled to check in. I guess this is what I needed to find out. I've only met and ridden with a handful of folks from this forum, but Pete was among the first and last and, as so many here know, there isn't a nicer guy in the world. I hadn't been in touch with Pete for a while, but I'll definitely raise a few glasses of red in his honor. And I'll miss him.

RIP Pete - you did life right...

-Ray

[SPOKE]

Last Saturday afternoon we had a very nice celebration of Pete's life. There were many friends & family that came from near and far. What I found really cool is there was a bunch of folks there that probably would have never met one another but because of Pete we have developed lasting friendships. Because of Pete my life is so much richer. :beer:

[alessandro]

Damn that was a well-written, heartfelt, and beautiful reflection. Thank you Dave for giving me some insight into a man I never knew.

. . . but I've been writing down my thoughts this past week and I think this sums it up for me.

BBD

--------------------------

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember exactly when I met Pete McKeon for the first time, but it must have been at the 2002 or 2003 Serotta factory event. I remember he had a slightly gravelly voice that might at first have led you to think he wasn’t very friendly. But I quickly found out that nothing could be further from the truth.

Pete was one of the friendliest and most helpful guys you could ever meet, and he proved it again and again over the following years as I continued to read the Serotta Forum and eventually became a moderator at Pete’s invitation.

Pete was a huge Serotta fan and had been a customer of Ben’s for many years. When Ben needed help to build the new factory on Geyser Road in Saratoga in, he started the Founder’s Club, and Pete was one of the first to step up. He bought one of the first Ottrott’s and my understanding is he had the #1 Founder’s Club plaque on the top tube.

Pete always joked that he only had ONE bike. I found out that wasn’t quite true when I eventually went to visit him. He never would admit it, but I suspected that his private joke was that the ONE bike he always insisted he had was the ONE he happened to be riding at any particular time. Let’s just say he had more than one, and that many were Serottas.

He wasn’t your typical tall, lanky cycling enthusiast. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who enjoyed getting out on a bike more to get in some miles with friends. Always good natured, always considerate, always riding like a gentleman.

Pete also got a lot of mileage out of his self-professed love for “a good glass of Red,” as he called it. He seemed to feel that just about any problem or disagreement in life was solvable if the disputing parties could just sit down for a good glass of Red and talk it out. I think if he had been appointed Secretary of State there would be a lot fewer problems in the world today.

He could also laugh at himself about it, too. I remember one time somebody posted a photo of some people lounging in a hot tub filled entirely with Red, and he took all the ribbing in stride.

Pete asked me to be a moderator in 2007, I think. I’m also a little embarrassed to not remember that date exactly, either. He had agreed to take on the job for Ben several years before when Serotta took over administration of the old forum run by Kahuna (Gary). Once I was on the inside, I saw just how much unseen time and effort he put into running the forum.
It was a lot of work to run our 24/7/365 neighborhood cycling tavern, but I never saw him get annoyed with it without really good cause. I found out he often spent several hours a day on it, and he seemed to understand that when you throw open the virtual doors to everybody, that’s exactly who’s going to walk in. Every tavern has a few difficult customers and a few crazies, both harmless and otherwise. Sometimes you have to be patient, and sometimes you have to toss out somebody who won’t respect the rules. He dealt with them all and made it all work and taught the rest of us to do it, too.

In the fall of 2008 I was laid off unexpectedly from my journalism job of 17 years and was calm about it on the outside. But on the inside I was freaking out about what I would do to keep things going in the short term and make a future career. Pete invited me to come down to visit him in Raleigh and he and Linda opened their home to me—one of many times they hosted Pete’s cycling friends, from what I’ve heard. I remember sitting with him in his kitchen with his dogs, drinking coffee and getting some great advice from his years of experience as a project and IT manager.

It’ll be OK, he said. Have confidence in yourself and your experience and skills and other people will, too. So I tried my best and he was right. It all worked out. I’ve had some setbacks since then, but his advice has always been valuable.

Then we went out for some rides on his favorite roads through the local fields and pine forest. One day I got to ride his newest “ONE bike,” Kelly Bedford’s frame number one, a beautiful cream-colored steel frame and fork that reminded me of how good a masterful frame, built by a master craftsman, can feel. I can still remember the spring in that frame and how good it felt, not just to be riding it, but also to be riding with Pete.

The next day we went out I got to ride his Meivici. That was my choice, but he made it clear I could ride whichever bike I wanted from his stable. I didn’t take any photos on either of those rides. Now I wish I had.

I haven’t seen Pete very often in the last couple of years. That unfortunately happens way too much in today’s world. There’s so much going on, and it seems that every time you look back you think you just blinked and a year has gone by. But I got the feeling that once he found out his time might be limited, Pete got to work on enjoying life as much as possible, riding as much as possible, enjoying a glass of red with as many old and new friends as possible, and spending as much quality time as possible with the ones who counted to him.

If you belong to The Paceline today and enjoy what goes on here, then you owe a debt of gratitude that you probably never knew about to your friend, Pete McKeon. If it hadn’t been for all his work and support, this forum would not exist now and you’d have to find some other virtual cycling bar to hang out in.

Now I hope he is somewhere where he can do all his favorite things without having to worry about time running out. It’s a place where the Red is always perfectly chilled, where he and his ONE bike will always have perfect new pavement to ride on, and there will never be any flat tires.

Tailwinds, Pete. Always tailwinds. Godspeed.

[rounder]

. . . but I've been writing down my thoughts this past week and I think this sums it up for me.

BBD

--------------------------

I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember exactly when I met Pete McKeon for the first time, but it must have been at the 2002 or 2003 Serotta factory event. I remember he had a slightly gravelly voice that might at first have led you to think he wasn’t very friendly. But I quickly found out that nothing could be further from the truth.

Pete was one of the friendliest and most helpful guys you could ever meet, and he proved it again and again over the following years as I continued to read the Serotta Forum and eventually became a moderator at Pete’s invitation.

Pete was a huge Serotta fan and had been a customer of Ben’s for many years. When Ben needed help to build the new factory on Geyser Road in Saratoga in, he started the Founder’s Club, and Pete was one of the first to step up. He bought one of the first Ottrott’s and my understanding is he had the #1 Founder’s Club plaque on the top tube.

Pete always joked that he only had ONE bike. I found out that wasn’t quite true when I eventually went to visit him. He never would admit it, but I suspected that his private joke was that the ONE bike he always insisted he had was the ONE he happened to be riding at any particular time. Let’s just say he had more than one, and that many were Serottas.

He wasn’t your typical tall, lanky cycling enthusiast. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who enjoyed getting out on a bike more to get in some miles with friends. Always good natured, always considerate, always riding like a gentleman.

Pete also got a lot of mileage out of his self-professed love for “a good glass of Red,” as he called it. He seemed to feel that just about any problem or disagreement in life was solvable if the disputing parties could just sit down for a good glass of Red and talk it out. I think if he had been appointed Secretary of State there would be a lot fewer problems in the world today.

He could also laugh at himself about it, too. I remember one time somebody posted a photo of some people lounging in a hot tub filled entirely with Red, and he took all the ribbing in stride.

Pete asked me to be a moderator in 2007, I think. I’m also a little embarrassed to not remember that date exactly, either. He had agreed to take on the job for Ben several years before when Serotta took over administration of the old forum run by Kahuna (Gary). Once I was on the inside, I saw just how much unseen time and effort he put into running the forum.
It was a lot of work to run our 24/7/365 neighborhood cycling tavern, but I never saw him get annoyed with it without really good cause. I found out he often spent several hours a day on it, and he seemed to understand that when you throw open the virtual doors to everybody, that’s exactly who’s going to walk in. Every tavern has a few difficult customers and a few crazies, both harmless and otherwise. Sometimes you have to be patient, and sometimes you have to toss out somebody who won’t respect the rules. He dealt with them all and made it all work and taught the rest of us to do it, too.

In the fall of 2008 I was laid off unexpectedly from my journalism job of 17 years and was calm about it on the outside. But on the inside I was freaking out about what I would do to keep things going in the short term and make a future career. Pete invited me to come down to visit him in Raleigh and he and Linda opened their home to me—one of many times they hosted Pete’s cycling friends, from what I’ve heard. I remember sitting with him in his kitchen with his dogs, drinking coffee and getting some great advice from his years of experience as a project and IT manager.

It’ll be OK, he said. Have confidence in yourself and your experience and skills and other people will, too. So I tried my best and he was right. It all worked out. I’ve had some setbacks since then, but his advice has always been valuable.

Then we went out for some rides on his favorite roads through the local fields and pine forest. One day I got to ride his newest “ONE bike,” Kelly Bedford’s frame number one, a beautiful cream-colored steel frame and fork that reminded me of how good a masterful frame, built by a master craftsman, can feel. I can still remember the spring in that frame and how good it felt, not just to be riding it, but also to be riding with Pete.

The next day we went out I got to ride his Meivici. That was my choice, but he made it clear I could ride whichever bike I wanted from his stable. I didn’t take any photos on either of those rides. Now I wish I had.

I haven’t seen Pete very often in the last couple of years. That unfortunately happens way too much in today’s world. There’s so much going on, and it seems that every time you look back you think you just blinked and a year has gone by. But I got the feeling that once he found out his time might be limited, Pete got to work on enjoying life as much as possible, riding as much as possible, enjoying a glass of red with as many old and new friends as possible, and spending as much quality time as possible with the ones who counted to him.

If you belong to The Paceline today and enjoy what goes on here, then you owe a debt of gratitude that you probably never knew about to your friend, Pete McKeon. If it hadn’t been for all his work and support, this forum would not exist now and you’d have to find some other virtual cycling bar to hang out in.

Now I hope he is somewhere where he can do all his favorite things without having to worry about time running out. It’s a place where the Red is always perfectly chilled, where he and his ONE bike will always have perfect new pavement to ride on, and there will never be any flat tires.

Tailwinds, Pete. Always tailwinds. Godspeed.

Beautiful write-up Dave. I did not know Pete, but met him several times. He seemed exactly as you described.

[amg]

Rest in Peace, Pete.

[brownm68]

Rest in Peace, Pete. You are truly appreciated and will be missed immensely