Lost a friend and fellow rider

[Lincoln]

Yesterday, a local rider/racer Bill Corliss was killed while on a training ride. Reports through the grapevine say that the news report is pretty accurate:
Salt Lake Tribune story (http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3640893) It must have been a truly freak accident in order for a random small crash in his group to take him down just as the truck was going by; it occured in a very low traffic area.

Bill moved to Park City Utah in the 90's when Vetta located their HQ here. He was an engineer working on the design of their computers and HRMs. Vetta went through a tough spell and Bill ended up doing freelance work before going to work for Sports Instruments' computers.

A great guy, a strong rider (won state TT--overall, not age group or class--in his late 30s, iirc) and a true bike geek's bike geek. He will be missed by all his two wheeled friends. The real tragedy is that he leaves behind a wife and 12yr old son (adopted out of a foster care situation a few years ago).

Please be careful out there.

[Serotta PETE]

very sad.........................

PETE

[catulle]

God bless.

[e-RICHIE]

so sad - my condolensces to the family.
this resonates with me, esp based on the
recent thread about chances and envelopes.

be careful. life is fragile and all too often
too short.

[Len J]

so sad - my condolensces to the family.
this resonates with me, esp based on the
recent thread about chances and envelopes.

be careful. life is fragile and all too often
too short.

well said e-richie........

very sad & shows how tenuous life is......hug those you love.

My condolences to the family.

Len

[Ahneida Ride]

Lincoln

God Bless ! I am sorry.

A close friend of mine was just informed that her father sustained a
serious head injury. They found him on the side of the road. He is a competent rider. This occurred right outside Prague, Czech Republic.

[chrisroph]

Very sad. Be careful out there.

[EdK]

I knew Bill when he lived on Southern Ca. All around nice guy! Words escape me....... So very sorry for his family.

[Sandy]

Too often tragedy occurs so quickly as a function of almost simultaneous events. A true tragedy.



Sandy

[Fixed]

bro so sad to hear. I feel for his family and friends .
park city must be sad it seems everyone is a cyclist there it is a nice place to be a cyclist. I may have rode with him when i was there I met a lot of cool bros there .

[vaxn8r]

That's disheartening. Are you from Park City as well? I've often thought that roads are not real conducive to road riding in Utah. Too few roads. Too many cars. Not enough bike shoulders. That's my limited experience around that area and SE Utah as well. Curious what you think.

[Fixed]

I was there for the nats a couple of years ago I loved it there .cheers

[Lincoln]

That's disheartening. Are you from Park City as well? I've often thought that roads are not real conducive to road riding in Utah. Too few roads. Too many cars. Not enough bike shoulders. That's my limited experience around that area and SE Utah as well. Curious what you think.

Yes, and I really enjoy the riding here. You don't get as many small paved back roads like back in New England (I grew up in VT) but there are plenty of good low-traffic roads and many of the busier ones have decent shoulders. I enjoy the terrain of the riding around here much more than NE. I just dig LONG tempo climbs that you don't get much of back East. The only road riding I've done in So. UT was for races. That's the place to take the fat tires. All that's for another thread, another day.

The area where the accident occured is a very unpopulated one, very little traffic and (as is typical here) long sightlines. I just can't fathom the odds that were at play for a guy with that much experience to go down in a small group (of other experienced riders) just as a vehicle was going past in that area.

Vaxn8r: another cycling buddy of mine moved to Eugene last Summer. His name is Dave Tsai, he's prob. racing as a 3. Super good guy and usually riding something pretty sweet (I think he has a Co-Mo on order).

Fixed: Thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed nats out here. Hopefully they will do it again.

On a weird note, the Vetta computer/HRM that Bill gave me back in the 90's decided not to start up when I went for my ride yesterday (before I heard the news). I'm sure it's just the battery, but still...

[gasman]

What a sad story of a freak accident.

About 700 bicyclists are killed every year in the US-be careful out there.

Lincoln- Vax and I have both ridden with David Tsai. He's a great guy and a strong rider. We are on the same team he is a cat 3 but I'm a lowly 4/5 Master's over 50.

[vaxn8r]

...Vaxn8r: another cycling buddy of mine moved to Eugene last Summer. His name is Dave Tsai, he's prob. racing as a 3. Super good guy and usually riding something pretty sweet (I think he has a Co-Mo on order)...


I rode with David yesterday on an unusually wet ride. Sure it rains here but yesterday there was no let-up. David is a strong rider and seems like a really good guy. He's got a Co-Motion Ristretto coming soon. Jealous!

[Serpico]

Sorry about your friend.

[bigbill]

I was in a road race in Asheville NC about 12 years ago and a guy on the other side of the pack from me was killed in almost the same way. Can't ever get that image out of my head. It affected me for the rest of the season.

[William]

So sad. I'm very sorry.



William

[Lincoln]

Here's the procession after Bill's service (heading to his favorite restaurant on Main St. Park City):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/LCD/DCP_7437small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/LCD/DCP_7438small.jpg

[Sandy]

A very caring and meaningful tribute. One that they all will remember. Good for them.



Sandy

[Fixed]

bro one of the first races i did a jr.racer came around over the yellow line and got hit head on by a truck died that was about 15 years ago still wonder why . .my friend who was hit a couple of weeks ago with the broken back is home now she has a body cast. she weighs about 80 pounds cheers