There's a white ghost bike decorated with flowers alongside a highway that passes through the Laguna Pueblo Reservation in New Mexico.
It marks the location where 19-year-old John Anczarski, right, was struck and killed by a motorist in mid-June. The Ringgold, PA, resident and student at University of Colorado was riding cross-country with three friends to raise funds for breast cancer research when the tragedy happened.
This Labor Day weekend, a small group of friends, family, and a local bicycling group gathered to honor the man and dedicate the site. Jennifer Buntz, president of the Duke City Wheelmen Foundation, told KOB.com:
“It's really moving. I hope it's helpful for John's family. I can't imagine their loss.”
Pink Pedal
Anczarski and his three friends — Travis Brown, Ty Bereskie and Nicholas Gober — set off from their homes in May to ride their bicycles to San Diego on the fund-raising bike tour. They were accompanied by a van that carried their gear.
They called the ride “The Pink Pedal: Riding Hard to Fight Breast Cancer.” They created a blog and a Facebook page for their endeavor. The ride was associated with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.
The group was about 10 days from San Diego when Anczarski was hit by the SUV. They returned home after the crash.
Earlier in August, friends and family in Ringtown gathered to remember Anczarski on what would have been his 20th birthday.
Bicycle awareness
The ghost bike had been placed earlier, but the New Mexico Department of Transportation had removed it. KOB.com says supporters recovered the bicycle and put it in an approved location.
Members of the Laguna Pueblo also blessed the bike at the ceremony.
The Duke City Wheelmen Foundation and Bike ABQ is presenting the “Can You See Us Now?” bicycle ride on Sept. 19. It honors all bicyclists killed on highways in New Mexico. All proceeds to go Ghost Bike placements in New Mexico.
More about this story: “Tribute to fallen charity cyclist John Anczarski,”June 28, 2010.
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