We are sad to report that Gary Thomsen, BCI Member #4290 died while on the Tuesday Ride this week on Laguna Canyon Road.
He joined BCI in April 2010 and just celebrated his 78th birthday on June 14th.
There may have been a medical situation before he impacted the back of a CalTrans truck that was stopped on the shoulder of the road, and after effort to revive him failed, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Our deepest condolences to Fern, his widow, their family & loved ones, and all the friends of Gary.
Sandi & John Carpenter are neighbors and close friends & have provided this brief remembrance an photo of Gary & Fern:
Gary and Fern were married for 54 years. They have three children and two grandsons.
He was always athletic, played football in college, then began running and after
retiring from IBM he became an active cyclist. He loved working on bikes and decided to go to the Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs Colorado and be certified. He volunteered at the Bone Adventure Dog Day Care Center for many years. He and Leigh loved to travel.
Gary being the kind, gentle person became our local go-to bike mechanic in the neighborhood as he was always willing to help. He was dubbed the "Fix bike for a beer" man.
He will be deeply missed by many.
The Register published a brief report of the news, http://www.ocregister.com/2017/09/26/bicyclist-78-dies-in-irvine-after-hitting-parked-car/ and word is just getting to many of the BCI family.
Thanks to Randy @ Trails End for the frame, BCI for the paint, sign, flowers & chain & Bill & Dev for placement early October 1st, near the spot Gary crashed on the Class 3 Bike Route on Sept 26th.
Update: Gary was laid to rest in a small ceremony on Sunday, October 1st.
A "celebration of life" event will be scheduled in the future.
Autopsy indicated Blunt Force Trauma as cause of his death.
His Ghost Bike has received many loving visits:
Monday, October 9
