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We all lost a great friend, brother, son, boyfriend and teammate on Friday. I knew John for only about a year but I found he was a great all around guy and will be very missed. Everything I know about cycling I learned from him. He was always excited to teach, or talk about nutrition and fitness. I will miss that so very much. My heart goes out to everyone who knew him, especially Cindy and his mother. He is missed by us all. RIP John Peckham
It is with great sadness that I write this. John Peckham
is someone that I will never forget.
On many occasion I had
the opportunity to ride with him and he always kicked my butt,
he motivated me to ride just a little harder everytime. He was a strong rider
who worked very hard at it every day.
One thing that really touch me was when I had an accident at
Cherry Pie Crit. John was the first person who visited me before surgery.
He brought me Jamba Juice because he knew that would be all I
would be able to eat.
It is the small things that people do that really show how big their heart is.
John Peckham will be greatly missed by all.
I spoke with Maryann (John’s mom) on the phone the other day but I wanted to send you my condolences now that I am thinking a bit clearer. I have been in a haze the entire weekend after hearing news of John’s death.
John was a very close friend of mine. We kept in regular contact, and over the past few months we became closer, spending some hours on the phone talking about life in general really, family, and happiness. A few weeks ago we were talking about John moving back to Santa Rosa to be closer with his friends. We’ve missed having him around. John was like some kind of adhesive that held us all together, and when he left for the south bay area people started to lose touch. We all miss him very much and cannot readily comprehend what has happened. I can’t begin to imagine what this must be like for those of you who were so close to him. I know that you have probably received many offers from loved ones to help. But I realize that nothing can be done to make right what went wrong.
John was an amazing human being, and very goal-oriented. When we first met, we drove around in our sportscars, raced, and spent a lot of money on gas, partied, and burnt off the remainder of our excess childhood-like behaviors. At the time, John’s goal was to have a faster car than me - to be the first of us to run a sub 12-second 1/4 mile at the track in that pimped out Eclipse - the only one on the planet with red flames. John was as unique of an individual as they come. He never pulled off that sub 12-second 1/4 mile run, but his car was a hell of a lot faster than mine. We spent so much money trying to make them look cool and go faster that we hardly had enough left over to have our own place to live. So finally one day we both looked at each other and saw how ridiculous we must have seemed from an outsider’s perspective. It’s amazing that in your mid-20’s you could still be growing up with such regularity as we both were.
We occasionally mountain biked together, and then one day we started to take it more seriously - right around the time we started to give up on making our cars faster and more dangerous. We started to agree that it made more sense to put our hard work and energy into something that would give us something in return. Our friend Russell called it “an investment in yourself”. It begged the question that at the end of the day, if your possessions were gone, would they have given you something by having them in the first place, or would they merely be gone?
One day, John made a wild proposal… He said there was some crazy twenty-four hour mountain bike race that he heard about through a friend and wanted to put together a team. When it came to cycling I was as crazy about it as he was, so we went for it, and met many people who would soon become our very close friends. What happened over the course of the next several years was nothing short of defining the rest of our lives, who we were, and who we would become.
We were in Tahoe one year later, racing in the Sierra’s together with our friends Shane, Bettina, and Bryan. We had been riding much more than usual leading up to that weekend in the mountains - training now that we knew what we were in for. We were faster, stronger, and our lap times actually seemed to matter this time as a benchmark for our efforts. I beat John’s best lap by three minutes through the rocky and technical descents at Northstar resort. I didn’t say much, but I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face when John said his new goal was to be faster than me. It reminded me of the days with our cars - something underlying was still there. The reason that made me feel so good wasn’t because I was proud to have beat his best lap. Instead, it was because I knew it takes good friends to share threatening goals, and be able to laugh about them. John made me work harder, and in the process I started to see our lives very differently.
You might wonder why it matters to become a stronger cyclist - it doesn’t. What does matter is the fact that for us, whether it was becoming a stronger cyclist, a better guitar player, or a better driver, it was a metaphor for who we were in life - stronger individuals with a will to persevere in the face of adversity and challenge. Of all the difficulties in life, cycling is where John and I found clarity. With each pedal stroke forward with as much effort as we could summon from inside, we internalized and churned up the day-to-day petty stuff we faced in our normal lives and turned it into energy. It seemed to disappear. A by-product was that we became athletes. It didn’t change the fact that we were human, and had human struggles just like everyone else.
John did become a stronger rider than me. I was in awe, but not surprised. After all, this is John we’re talking about. And it wasn’t merely to prove that he could do it. But instead, it was to prove that it could be done - that obstacles could be overcome, and that triumph merely meant setting your mind to a thing, and overcoming it. He did such things with precision, and talked about the mechanics of it. It made perfect sense for him to be an engineer. He applied that skill to everything he did.
To that end I admire John. We each bring many unique qualities to this world. John’s were those that helped others to see that nothing is ever impossible if you set your mind to it, and use a slide-rule.
We stopped challenging each other only when we reached the top of the climb and there was nowhere else to go. Turning around and looking back, we saw our city, and our lives. Neither of us were ever very anxious to go back down. But when we did, we did so pressing against the walls of our envelopes. That’s how we grew.
I knew John more through friends than I did directly. I talked to him briefly at races, and he dropped by my former job as a bartender once with Nick and Andy…what I remember about John more than anything was that he always seemed to be smiling. From what I have gathered from those that know him he was an uplifting, caring, giving and honest person. I truly wish I had taken the opportunity to ride with him, learn from him, and get to know him. Those that did are blessed to have known him, and my condolences go out to them. You will be missed John. What a loss…
I write this with such a heavy heart. John and I started with AV at about the same time, we were lucky enough to have an AV coaching scholarship and did our first field test together up OLH on a cold, wet rainy early Spring day a couple of years ago. It was great to ride with him, for a while, that day. I quickly saw the back of him as he gave it his alI that day. I was so impressed with his ability to be unafraid to go to his limits. I thought, man, this guy has real talent and must have a huge heart. I also realized that Spring that he had a huge heart in life as well.
To his family, and his close friends, my heartfelt sympathy for your incalcuable loss. There wil be a permanent loss in the peloton that AV will feel, and for you, I know, much more than that. A great young man was lost last week, and we are all diminished.
I was on a clinical rotation at the Mills-Peninsula ER on
Friday when I heard from the Paramedics that a cyclist
was killed in Palo Alto by a drunk driver. Later, in
the evening I found out that the rider was our very own
John Peckham.
And ever since I have been trying to make sense of this
tragedy and his untimely death. John was a great guy
who was always ready to help others. So many times he
offered his help and did help me with my Ritchey orders.
Once we both found ourselves climbing OLH and we chatted
about everything and nothing till we got to the top. Then
I found out that he was in the middle of his hill intervals
when I interrupted him and I apologized, but he told me that
he enjoyed our conversation more than the intervals. This
is how I’ll always remember John….
A few thoughts on life that I have learned from those who
have touched my life:
- Your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t
even know you.
- Even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries
out to you, you will find the strength to help.
- You should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the
last time you see them.
“…
Look as long as you can at the friend you love,
no matter whether that friend is moving away from you
or coming back toward you.” — Rumi
The first distinct memory I have of John was at the CVC circuit race in Fresno in early 2005. He had just upgraded from a 5 a couple weeks earlier. John was, I thought, unusually confident about winning the pack sprint when we talked during the race. Our friend Matt won on a 2 man break, and I was pretty fried from trying to help him, and as usual, I had nothing for the sprint at the end. But John was up there.
Immediately after the race I asked John how he did, although the answer was glaringly obvious from his usual ear-to-ear smile: “Did you get it?”
John’s reply: “OOOHHH……..YYYEEEAAAHHH!!!” Like some kind of rockstar.
“Who is this guy?” I thought. Normally, this kind of cockiness would bug me, but with John it was refreshing.
Through the next two seasons, he kept winning those sprints. He definately had that ellusive “IT” factor. That part of racing that is just ingrained in your attitude, the killer instinct, the fearlessness, the knee-jerk reaction that tells you how to win. He made it look easy, and I still can’t quite get a handle on it.
Since then, I’ve ridden with John countless times, sat with him post-race at a few small town In-n-Out Burgers, and shared a love for this wierd bike racing lifestyle. But, I never had the humility to just ask him how he made those sprints look so easy. I’ll regret that for a long time.
My heart goes out to his family, friends, and Cindy. I wish I could carry some of your burden. May we never forget John, and may he inspire us to move forward as better people.
I was on the noon ride when we were stopped by a couple other noon riders who had discovered the accident. The accident, what do you call it? We were discouraged from going to see it ourselves. so none of us did. We didn’t know who he was, just a younger Alto Velo rider was all the description we had. Grief, disbelief, anger, the belief that it could have any one of us, or several of us. We rode away after the emergency vehicles arrived. We were dirge-like. Yesterday, Monday, we rode out in silence, trying to honor John. Thank you for posting these notes. I am sorry for your loss.
I ride with the Alto Velo Cat 3 team. I first started hearing about John from his race reports as he was moving through the Cat 4 ranks. I was excited when he moved up because he was obviously a strong sprinter having done well in so many crits. At the same time he was getting coached by Dan Smith of SportVelo and posting is training logs. It was obvious he was taking the sport seriously.
When i met john I was a little surprised… he was tall, handsome (according to my wife) and confident. To me he came off like a Cippolinni or Boonen type of character. He totally had the attitude and style it takes to make it as a sprinter.
The interesting thing for me was that despite having that cocky sprinter thing going John was a perfect teammate. He was vocal about offering his help at races and services for other riders. He was equally vocal about when he wanted a result, and had the talent to bring in the win or podium when he was going for it. It was the kind of thing that creates confidence in your fellow riders.
On a more personal level, my cycling career has slowed down as i get older. I downgrade and I spend less time training and more time complaining about getting fat. When I would send out some complaint or request for help John would often get back with an offer of wheels or advice. Most importantly John sent me several notes to “hang in there” when he would hear I was feeling unmotivated. It was a supportive, caring gesture, which he offered frequently to me.
Of all the results I think about, I was most impressed by his podium at the Menlo Park Grand Prix in the spring of 2006. I worried that was going through periods of being de-motivated, and frustration that riders encounter when they upgrade, but he hung in there. Despite only being a Cat 2 for a few months he was able to bring in second place at the Grand Prix. I got excited when i heard about it because it was a real result, and I knew it would keep him going knowing that he did “have it.”
On behalf of “Form Fitness Racing Team” I would like to extend our condolences to John Peckhams family, friends, and teammates. Although most of our guys did not know John very well we always had a great deal of respect for him as a cyclist, competitor, and a person.
Both on the track and on the road he was always respected for his heart and courage to ride strong. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, may he rest in peace.
On Monday’s Noon Ride, the one after that terrible day, Janet Gahagen, in an emotional voice, called for a ride of silence down Old Page Mill. The somber quiet was broken by, ironically, an oncoming car, a rare event on the road. As usual, the car was slow, passing without incident, but it was a shock, anyway.
Later, on Arastradero, a narrow, semi-rural road with poor sight lines, an overtaking car accelerated to at least 50 mph to pass us in the oncoming traffic lane. An oncoming cyclist was able to avoid it, though. The reckless disregard for the value of human life continues to appall. I hoped it would get hung up at the Alpine Road intersection, so I could release some of my frustration. My tolerance was hair-thin. Unfortunately, it passed through the intersection quickly, a gesture of contempt all I could manage.
How many more Johns will there be before the carnage on the roads is treated seriously, before licenses are withheld or withdrawn, where drivers are rigorously tested and retested then held responsible for their actions? Maybe this case was so egregious, so clear, so severe that it will be treated seriously, that this guy will be off the roads for a long, long time. But there’s so many other cases, so much abuse, so much contempt for humanity on the roads. We diminish ourselves.
I was introduced to John by a mutual friend several months back. Since then, I have spoken with John on many occasions during training rides and local events. John struck me as a genuine person: caring, strong and brave.
As I have read and heard, John touched lives and inspired many different people during his life. I hope and pray that despite this huge loss, we, survivors of John, continue to move forward, inspiring and blessing others with the same spirit, selflessness and love that John has given.
To John’s family, friends and loved ones, my deepest condolences for your loss.
My thoughts are with all of John’s friend and family. Although I didn’t know John personally, I know the pain of loosing a close friend to an accident. As a fellow cyclist, this tragedy hits very close to home. RIP John.
John did a lot of indoor cycling as part of his training. That’s how I was lucky enough to meet him and his mom Mary Ann. She was here visiting him in ‘03; he bought her some workout clothes and brought her to my spin class at Gold’s (she kicked butt too, by the way). What a cool mom, what a great son.
John’s enthusiasm, energy, and sense of fun were just as contagious and motivating when he was riding indoors as outdoors. He always worked extra hard in class, so I started asking him what kind of music he’d like. This led to a creative collaboration that produced some pretty a$$-kicking spin CDs and some killer workouts over the years. I can really hear John’s spirit in those CDs (which is why I can’t bear to listen to them now). But I’m glad to have them as a reminder of him.
I should add that John also motivated his classmates just by sitting in the front row and looking so damn good. I nicknamed him Eye Candy and told him it was his responsibility to the class to show up every week. He was okay with that. Among his many other good qualities, he accepted responsibility well.
Most of last year we raced together, but I will always remember you at a race in Fremont getting 3 and at Davis getting the second place after leading our team mate to victory. With the smile on your face and an ecstatic laughing in your eyes. The pure joy of something hard worked for and justly earned.
To John’s family, friends, and teammates, I offer my deepest condolances. Admittedly, I only knew John through bicycle racing, but I always admired his skills and enjoyed chatting him up in bike races and on the Spectrum Ride. If we live our lives the way we participate in the sport, I think it is safe to say that John was a winner while at the same time remaining professional, affable, and considerate.
I am truly saddened by this needless loss to our small community and the community at large.
My daughter Cindy was John’s girlfriend. I met John about a year ago, when they first started dating, and I remember thinking “Cool, he rides too” when Cindy said he was a cyclist. And then I found out that he races. I ride for recreation, I am not in the same league that John was. When John bought his condo, they moved in together, and have been inseparable ever since. They so loved one another, and for the happiness that he brought to my daughter, I’ll be eternally grateful.
I always wanted to ride with John, but since he was sooo much better than I, I thought that there would never be an opportunity. But recently, as he slowly got back on the bike after a tumble that he took in a race in San Jose, we rode together. This was his first real ride after the fall, and we went for about 35 miles throughout the foothills of Los Altos, Woodside, Portola Valley, it was a glorious ride. This was just two weeks ago. He asked me last weekend to ride again, and I had to decline, but we were hoping to ride this last Sunday, but it was not to be.
John, were were a wonderful man, and you will be truly missed.
I met John in the spring of this year in the course of our work. The first day, we discovered that we had the bike in common. (Though I must say our bicycle lives differed quite a bit as John’s hours went up and up!)
The last couple days, I’ve been working on finishing up one of John’s final engineering projects. It’s good to have something of his to work on in these days. A rare opportunity to reflect on his character, his work, life, and endings.
More than one paradox was contained in John’s wraparound grin. A smokin’ intensity and an easy-goingness. A driving competitiveness and an unstoppable teammate-loyalty. John’s manner was to join your side, to be your ally, which made you want to join his, to make common cause with him.
This spring was so rainy; John was going nuts wishing for more sunshine. When the rains finally broke, he was so glad. He said he hoped I was getting in some “good long rides in the great weather we’ve been having.” At the time, I had committed to ride the Climb to Kaiser for the first time, and I had a serious gearing retrofit and some training to do. I told him half-seriously I wasn’t sure there was any such thing as a “good long ride” and tacked on a question I was mulling over.
He responded in his characteristic encouraging way, “I like longer rides. It took a while to build up to them, but once you get there you just keep going and going and going w/o ever really pushing yourself too hard. I was wiped out after 10 hours on the bike Saturday, but still got another 6 on Sunday.” Still cracks me up. Maybe some of you remember this weekend with John.
With John’s “go get ‘em” behind me, I had a good ride on the Climb to Kaiser, which I rode as a memorial to a friend of my wife’s who had just died suddenly in the flower of life. Now Climb to Kaiser ‘06 is a double memorial for me, a signpost of a couple of rare characters who could lighten a tough spot.
May our community rise above this gut-wrenching ending. May we look and look until we find the heart and find the knowledge that sets free from the fear of all endings. May we break away from the things that hold us back. May the work of John’s mind (engineering), body (biking), and spirit (everything) bear fruit in his absence. May we finish the course that he had just started.
So here goes. Like others, I have to pick up a couple things he was holding and get them going again. Handlebars. Product ideas. Mundane stuff. But stuff infused with a transcendence, something worth digging deep for, the way John did. And I can’t wait for the sun to break out, the Day when this kind of news won’t ever come again.
Oh, for a better day.
Todd D
“You just keep going and going and going without ever pushing yourself too hard.” John Peckham
I met John through doing the 24 Hours of Adrenalin at Laguna Seca by Monterey in the Spring of 2003. John was our captain and it was just four of us doing our first ever 24 hour race including Carlos who was some hockey stud just getting into mountain biking at that time. I remember being quite nervous about it and John opened up his home to us, myself, a complete stranger, the night before the race. My nervousness left immediately as John opened his door and greeted me with a warm smile…the same smile that is posted on this website for his memorial. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done, but John lead us through it and made it fun, so that each us continued to do additional similar ultra-endurance events afterward our first 24 hour experience together. Thank you John!
John, we will always remember you and think of you as a leader. Peace be with you!
I hope you are still doing 24 hour races somewhere out there.
My sincere condolances on your lost. This tragic accident hits close to home with many of us in the cycling community. Our thoughts and prayers are with you through this difficult time.
John was a strong rider with strong character and a big smile. It was always fun to ride with him or chat with him off the bike. My deepest sympathies and condolances to all of his family and friends and my prayers are for them.
On behalf of myself and the Arete’ Racing team, I offer our most sincere condolances. John and I had a few head to head battles in various races as we moved through the categories. And most of those, he won. John had strong character and an intimidating stature. Riders like John are what friendly competition is all about.
I am truly saddened to hear of John’s death. I didn’t know John, but he is in every one of us who rides a bike. There are no right words for his family and friends, but I hope you will find some comfort in knowing the number of lives he touched, which is apparent by the entries posted. When a fellow cyclist loses his life we all feel the loss and we will now remember John every time we get on a bike. But to his family, friends and teammates I am deeply sorry for your loss and for the pain you are experiencing while trying to try to make sense of this tragedy.
I first met John when he joined my “for fun only” 24 Hour Mtn Bike Team to race down in Idylwild, Ca. Super handsome, strong, funny and arrives at the venue with 4 or 5 different race bikes to test ride. Obviously had a lot of good friends, with kick ass bikes, I thought. I was stoked to have he and his buddy Carlos on my team. He and Carlos were always competing for the fastest lap times, and man, were they fast, and smiling the entire time. They kept our team out of last place for sure. We had fun.
We have not ridden together in many months, he just got too damn fast for me. But I always knew we would ride together again one day, or that I would at least see him at the 24 Hour race events. Now, my plan is to continue to live life to its fullest, and ride with John everyday, well, at least 2 - 3 times a week.
I am currently in Boulder studying and sad that I can not be there, with mutual friends, and Johns family, at the memorial services today. My thoughts are with all of you; friends, family, girlfriend (Cindy, I’m sorry we have yet to meet, but you must be a wonderful woman, stay strong) co-workers, teammates. John lives on in all of us.
BTW, the picture at the top was taken at Cat’s Hill. I remember riding with John earlier that day, on the Spectrum Ride. I was feeling pretty good with myself because I “beat” John in the valley sprint. Afterwards, he even said “nice sprint”, as I recall. Little did I know that he would finish that ride, then ride all the way to Los Gatos to line up for the P12 race. Not only that, I was told that he did W. Alpine and Skyline on the way there. He rode for something like 9 hours that day, then showed up to hammer on the A ride the next day.
I worked with John on and off for almost two years at Boston Scientific and I can say that I have never met a more honest, thoughtful, and interested (yes, interested) person as John. He was always interested in what and how others were doing. I had deep respect for him nearly immediately. It was obvious to me his skill at work and as we talked more and more. I learned about his exploits on two wheels. As a former MTB racer, I could tell that he was no common, doing it for fun, racer. I think that if he had his choice he would rather have been riding professionally, but his carrer as a design engineer seemd to be very satisfying for him as well.
It’s hard for me to imagine that John is no longer here. I won’t be able to say hi at the races, or meet him for a road ride which we always planned on taking. Frankly I was a little chicken to ride with the guy, his skills were so good. But I doubt he would have dropped me, that wasn’t his style. He would have hung back there with me giving me encouragement, helping me along. I know that.
I had spoken to John Peckham via email/IM few times and have always gotten the same feeling everybody had. He was geninue and always willing to help another person out.
I’m sorry for what has happened. We now know John is cycling forever.
I first met John at the beginning of this year. I had recently joined Alto Velo on the Cat 3 team when John sent out an email to the team asking if any of the new guys needed a jersey for the cherry pie crit. When I went over to John’s house in Sunnyvale (before he moved to Mt. View) to pick up the jersey he welcomed me in, and introduced me to Cindy and Andy who were both there. I stayed a while and talked with John.
John and I raced together at the Cherry pie crit soon after, I gave him a leadout (while wearing his borrowed jersey) and he came in 2nd place. I remember how great it felt to see John come flying by me up the final hill that day, as he came by he turned to me and said, “Thanks man”. John and I started riding/racing together more and more as the season went on. We started swapping leadout/sprinter duties at our final races in the 3’s. John was constantly learning and reflecting after every race. We often had long discussions during the week about the previous weekend’s race.
The most memorable ride I remember with John (as there were many) was some time in March when it was raining off and on. John sent me an IM and asked if I wanted to ride that evening. I met John at Starbuck’s, where he was hanging out with Cindy, and we left for a night ride. The reason the ride was so memorable is when we got to Arastadero and Alpine, the bottom of the clouds fell out on top of us. I have never ridden in such cold and rainy conditions in all my years of riding. I asked John if he wanted to turn back and he said, “Nah, we are already out here, so we may as well get some training in”. We kept riding and had a great time. We talked about everything you could imagine. He often talked about Cindy. It was obvious he loved Cindy with his entire heart. Every time he talked about her his smile would get even bigger (which is saying a lot if you know John).
John upgraded to the 2’s and kept encouraging me to do the same. I did, and was again glad to be riding on the same team with John. Due to injuries weren’t able to start many races together in the 2’s but we continued to go on the occasional training ride.
John and I are both Design Engineers for Medical Device companies. As if we didn’t get enough time together on the bike, we entered into what seemed like a contest of trying to recruit each other into our own respective companies. I guess you can say that competition was a tie.
Labor day weekend I called John up to see if he wanted to join my wife and I for a bike trip to Angel Island. John declined, saying his mother was in town. He was very excited because they had just gotten her setup on a bike and were going to ride around the Portola Valley area. The week leading up to his death we talked a few times. He expressed how great it was having his mom here to visit. And also how every day he and Cindy would come home from work and something in the house had been rearranged by his mom. I could tell in his voice that he really enjoyed having his mom around for that week.
John and I talked on the morning of Friday 9/8/06 and had made plans to go on an “injured persons” recovery ride together the next morning. Needless to say, we never had our ride together. One of the hardest things I have ever done was to go on a ride that Saturday, I went alone and was in shock the entire ride. I couldn’t bring myself to ride past the area on OPM where John was killed. However, the following day, Sunday, I did go to OPM and paid my respects my lost friend.
To John’s mother, Cindy, his family and friends. I cannot offer any words on how to deal with the loss of such an AWESOME person as John, for I have not truly figured out how to deal with it myself. What I can offer you is the truth, John died a very happy person, he loved living life, his family and all of his friends.
To John, I will never forget you. You made me laugh and smile on so many occasions. You always listened with open ears and an open heart. You made me proud to be your friend. Some day we will have a chance to ride together again.
I wasn’t fortunate enough to have met John personally but like many I did read his race reports and posts to the AV list, and in fact I made a point of reading them for his strong, levelheaded perspective.
To John’s friends, family and teammates, I’ve been reading your posts on the list and on this page, and it saddens me greatly to know the depth of the loss you all feel. I am sorry that you have to go through this, but it’s also apparent how fortunate you all have been.
[…] People on the Peninsula and in the South Bay by now are pretty well aware that last Friday, another cyclist was killed on local roads. His team even put up a repository for comments and memories. […]
My condolences to John’s friends and family. I am the mother of Alan Liu, who was also killed by a drunk driver while on a training ride in Santa Rosa with his girfriend, Jill Mason, on Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004. Jill survived, but has permanent injuries. So, I know firsthand what you are going through. I am so sorry that another family has to go through what we and the Mason family have. John also sounds like an outstanding young man who contributed much to the world. Another tragic and senseless loss! I would love to talk to Maryann, whenever you are up to it. Please feel free to contact me. My heart and prayers go out to you.
My first memories of John are through his very first race reports to the AV list last January 2005. Winning his first crit! I was impressed, even if it was an early bird “practice” crit. But that wasn’t the end, he kept on winning, and with what seemed great ease. I remember him coming to the club meetings and the first impression of his large physical stature. But then that smile broke out and it was obvious that this was someone with great heart.
John moved into the 3s so quickly, it was impressive. We did several races together in the 3s. If John wasn’t the designated rider, he put everything in to helping his teammates. I remember the Burlingame crit in 2005. Near the end of the race we were trying to keep control of the peloton, and keep the pace high. John set a ripping pace for quite a few laps to help set up our designated riders, completely putting aside the finish for himself. He was like that, he’d put everything in to what he did, whether it was for himself or someone else.
One of the most fun rides I had with John was at the second Beat the Clock TT a week after Burlingame. Rob MacNeill and I were scheduled to do a 2-man TT, but we got John in on doing a 3-man TT with us. We were all tired from having already done individual races, but we knew we could go fast with the three of us. Of course we started out a bit too hard, and John was just DRILLING it. He wanted to put everything he had in to the race. Unfortunately we didn’t pace things so well, and John put so much in to the first half that he was really hurting the second half. But, all three of us came to the line together, and we put in a good time. That was just so much fun, putting in that close teamwork with John and Rob, and with John just putting it all on the line. We were racing against a team of Peter Tapscott, Bruce Wilford, and Dan Smith (John’s coach). Afterwards we all had a nice time recounting the efforts, giving the other team a hard time, and taking some great pictures. There is that smile, he was always smiling when he was riding.
A couple of days latter was the Davis 4th of July Crit. John and I were the designated riders for the race, and we ended up going 1-2 on the podium. I was very happy and privileged to share the podium with John. He was always gracious, and always had nice things to say about his teammates and his fellow competitors.
John and I didn’t get to race too much together on the road this year, but we did race together on the track. We had a great time, and again John was the perfect teammate, helping me out frequently. I was riding right behind him when he crashed a couple months ago and it put him off the bike. I remember calling him the next day to see how he was doing, and he had such a positive attitude. He was sore and not sure how long he’d be off the bike. But, he looked at it positively - now he had an excuse to get in some couch time, and relax and eat chips and salsa, and of course, drink some beer. Just last Friday we went for a ride together for the first time since that night at the track, and he said he had gotten the couch, chips and salsa, and beer out of his system now, and was ready to get back to some serious training, and planning for next season.
John was always supportive of the club as well. He helped at the finish line for the Pescadero Road Race for the past couple of years. He had just started to work with the sponsorship team, and was really excited to help the club with sponsorship issues.
One of my best memories of John was actually via an email he sent to the list. He was looking for a bike for his mom to ride while she was visiting him earlier this year. Someone in the club loaned John a Trek, just like his. John was so excited because he knew his mom would be excited to ride the same bike as her son was riding.
John always had great things to say about his mom, Mary Ann. He was constantly recruiting people to come back to St. Louis with him for the Gateway Cup series of races. Sure, the racing was good according to John, but what struck me were the other selling points he had for coming to do the races. These points included his family owning a place often voted “Best Burger in St. Louis,” offers for places to stay, and of course offers for his mom’s cooking that would be sure to “feed us until our bellies pop.” John didn’t make it out to the Gateway Cup this year because of his injuries. I think I might be inclined to go next year and try the racing, and of course one of those burgers.
I was fortunate to have ridden with him a week before his death. John had IM’d me early on Friday September 01 to see if I was going to ride. Rob, Ossum, John and I agreed to meet up for an easy ride together. It was a great sunny, warm day, perfect for riding. I had not seen John since the night at the track when he was injured. As always, he was happy to be out riding. It was good to catch up with him. We ended up doing the noon ride that day, and John was so happy to be out riding with other racers again. At the end of the ride, we agreed to make it a point to ride regularly together, since John was working near by my office, it would be easy to meet up at lunch time to ride.
Over the past few days, I’ve actually learned a lot more about John. I new him mostly on the bike and through racing. I had spoken with him in the past about his work, and I knew he was having fun designing medical devices, and he took great pride in the fact that the work he did helped save people’s lives. What I didn’t realize about John, is how far reaching his impact was on others lives. So many people have great stories to share about John, it’s quite remarkable.
My heart goes out to his mother Mary Ann, his family, and his close friends. I’m grateful I got to share a little bit of John’s time on this earth, and I will carry those moments with me forever. I will miss our rides and races together. I will miss our frequent discussions on training and the latest gear. I will miss that sly smile, the narrow eyes with the soul piercing look, and the hearty greetings he always shared when we met for a ride or a race.
I was on the Noon Ride today, one week after John’s tragic death. I made a little speech to the Noon riders about the memorial service and funeral yesterday and thanked the riders for their support and how much it mattered to the family, John’s Mom and Cindy. Of course it mattered a lot to each of us as well. Thanks to everyone who has entered a blog, or even read one.
I announced the John Peckham Memorial ride on Sunday September 24, 2006. Starts at 8:30am from the Veterans Hospital near Gun High School. (See the altovelo.org website for more info) A number of riders said they would join the ride. Several people thanked me for the little speech, showing they needed some recognition of John for their own closure.
Hard to believe that only two weeks ago John was out on the Noon Ride giving Rob and me a screaming leadout to the Woodside town limit sprint. Thanks, John, I won it for you two weeks ago. And again today, but with a much heavier heart.
Today I was wearing my Livestrong jersey that we received when Patt hit her goal for funding the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The left sleeve has a yellow band showing my support for my wonderful Patt as well as Lance Armstrong. But the most compelling reason I was wearing it was the WHITE band on the right sleeve supporting my fallen comrade, big John Peckham.
Once again, I am struck by how much this club means. All the great people who offered something to us, Cindy and the family. The outpouring at the memorial service was great from Alto Velo and so many, many people from the cycling community.
- Peter Tapscott
Former President, Webcor/Alto Velo
Today I read of John’s death on cyclingnews.com. Although I did not know him in the slightest and am writing from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it is a loss to us all when a cyclist and a true man of his stature is killed by someone who is as selfish as to drive drunk. Rest in peace John. May your family have strength in this time of need.
I went to hellyer track today to watch my boyfriend race and when I sat down in the stands the first thing that came out of the announcer’s mouth was that if John Peckham were here he would be out doing this race. He then went on to say how John had been killed recently while riding…
I met John New Year’s Eve 2004. He came up to me and I was blown away with how handsome he was. He had the most amazing smile and the most amazing eyes. I asked him what he was going to be doing for the new year and he said that the next day he would be racing in a new year’s day ride on San Bruno mountain. I thought he was absolutely crazy to want to go riding early in the morning after a late night of partying. But as I got to know John, that is exactly how he is. He was so extremely dedicated and loved cycling so much. The only solace I take from this extreme tragedy is that he died doing something he absolutely loved. He was a gentle and kind spirit and will be truly missed.
As a former PenVelo rider (before I moved back East) it was always a pleasure to latch on to an Alto Velo group and I have many fond memories of doing so. I’m shocked and saddened by the tragedy that has befallen your club and extend our condolences. Let us ride safe in memory of John and advocate safer riding for all.
For the past few days, I have been trying to make some sense of this senseless tragedy; I have failed. Although I did not know John as well as many in Alto Velo, I did have the pleasure to work a couple of Pesky races
with him, as well as share a ride or two.
Reading through the volumes of tributes to John has given me great insight into a person whose passing has affected me far more deeply than I ever imagined. Not only was he an accomplished cyclist, he was a fellow engineer — one who was proud to be helping his fellow man designing stents to treat disease. He was a loyal friend to many, sincere in his efforts and blessed with an wonderful smile. The world will be a lesser place without him.
John, you are now free to ride as much as you wish, unencumbered by worldy worries. I truly regret not making the effort to know you better — save me a place in the peloton and we can chat when I get up to the big velodrome in the sky.
John, I know that you are still riding hard where ever you soul has taken you…until we are able to ride together again, take care my AV brother…you will be forever missed
We bikers love what we do and when John was killed, he was doing something he loved. My boyfriend Alan and I were hit by a drunk driver in April 2004 as we were training for the bike portion of a May triathlon called Wildflower we were signed up for. He was killed instantly and I was in a coma for 2 months. I’m now in a wheelchair and I suffered head trauma. I would not ever take away the time I had with Alan. Just know that I’m thinking about all those who have been affected by this tradgedy.
September 11th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
We all lost a great friend, brother, son, boyfriend and teammate on Friday. I knew John for only about a year but I found he was a great all around guy and will be very missed. Everything I know about cycling I learned from him. He was always excited to teach, or talk about nutrition and fitness. I will miss that so very much. My heart goes out to everyone who knew him, especially Cindy and his mother. He is missed by us all. RIP John Peckham
September 11th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
It is with great sadness that I write this. John Peckham
is someone that I will never forget.
On many occasion I had
the opportunity to ride with him and he always kicked my butt,
he motivated me to ride just a little harder everytime. He was a strong rider
who worked very hard at it every day.
One thing that really touch me was when I had an accident at
Cherry Pie Crit. John was the first person who visited me before surgery.
He brought me Jamba Juice because he knew that would be all I
would be able to eat.
It is the small things that people do that really show how big their heart is.
John Peckham will be greatly missed by all.
September 11th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Keep on hammerin’ John! - Kev
September 11th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
To John’s friends and family,
I spoke with Maryann (John’s mom) on the phone the other day but I wanted to send you my condolences now that I am thinking a bit clearer. I have been in a haze the entire weekend after hearing news of John’s death.
John was a very close friend of mine. We kept in regular contact, and over the past few months we became closer, spending some hours on the phone talking about life in general really, family, and happiness. A few weeks ago we were talking about John moving back to Santa Rosa to be closer with his friends. We’ve missed having him around. John was like some kind of adhesive that held us all together, and when he left for the south bay area people started to lose touch. We all miss him very much and cannot readily comprehend what has happened. I can’t begin to imagine what this must be like for those of you who were so close to him. I know that you have probably received many offers from loved ones to help. But I realize that nothing can be done to make right what went wrong.
John was an amazing human being, and very goal-oriented. When we first met, we drove around in our sportscars, raced, and spent a lot of money on gas, partied, and burnt off the remainder of our excess childhood-like behaviors. At the time, John’s goal was to have a faster car than me - to be the first of us to run a sub 12-second 1/4 mile at the track in that pimped out Eclipse - the only one on the planet with red flames. John was as unique of an individual as they come. He never pulled off that sub 12-second 1/4 mile run, but his car was a hell of a lot faster than mine. We spent so much money trying to make them look cool and go faster that we hardly had enough left over to have our own place to live. So finally one day we both looked at each other and saw how ridiculous we must have seemed from an outsider’s perspective. It’s amazing that in your mid-20’s you could still be growing up with such regularity as we both were.
We occasionally mountain biked together, and then one day we started to take it more seriously - right around the time we started to give up on making our cars faster and more dangerous. We started to agree that it made more sense to put our hard work and energy into something that would give us something in return. Our friend Russell called it “an investment in yourself”. It begged the question that at the end of the day, if your possessions were gone, would they have given you something by having them in the first place, or would they merely be gone?
One day, John made a wild proposal… He said there was some crazy twenty-four hour mountain bike race that he heard about through a friend and wanted to put together a team. When it came to cycling I was as crazy about it as he was, so we went for it, and met many people who would soon become our very close friends. What happened over the course of the next several years was nothing short of defining the rest of our lives, who we were, and who we would become.
We were in Tahoe one year later, racing in the Sierra’s together with our friends Shane, Bettina, and Bryan. We had been riding much more than usual leading up to that weekend in the mountains - training now that we knew what we were in for. We were faster, stronger, and our lap times actually seemed to matter this time as a benchmark for our efforts. I beat John’s best lap by three minutes through the rocky and technical descents at Northstar resort. I didn’t say much, but I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face when John said his new goal was to be faster than me. It reminded me of the days with our cars - something underlying was still there. The reason that made me feel so good wasn’t because I was proud to have beat his best lap. Instead, it was because I knew it takes good friends to share threatening goals, and be able to laugh about them. John made me work harder, and in the process I started to see our lives very differently.
You might wonder why it matters to become a stronger cyclist - it doesn’t. What does matter is the fact that for us, whether it was becoming a stronger cyclist, a better guitar player, or a better driver, it was a metaphor for who we were in life - stronger individuals with a will to persevere in the face of adversity and challenge. Of all the difficulties in life, cycling is where John and I found clarity. With each pedal stroke forward with as much effort as we could summon from inside, we internalized and churned up the day-to-day petty stuff we faced in our normal lives and turned it into energy. It seemed to disappear. A by-product was that we became athletes. It didn’t change the fact that we were human, and had human struggles just like everyone else.
John did become a stronger rider than me. I was in awe, but not surprised. After all, this is John we’re talking about. And it wasn’t merely to prove that he could do it. But instead, it was to prove that it could be done - that obstacles could be overcome, and that triumph merely meant setting your mind to a thing, and overcoming it. He did such things with precision, and talked about the mechanics of it. It made perfect sense for him to be an engineer. He applied that skill to everything he did.
To that end I admire John. We each bring many unique qualities to this world. John’s were those that helped others to see that nothing is ever impossible if you set your mind to it, and use a slide-rule.
We stopped challenging each other only when we reached the top of the climb and there was nowhere else to go. Turning around and looking back, we saw our city, and our lives. Neither of us were ever very anxious to go back down. But when we did, we did so pressing against the walls of our envelopes. That’s how we grew.
I wanted you to know.
Carlos
September 11th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
I knew John more through friends than I did directly. I talked to him briefly at races, and he dropped by my former job as a bartender once with Nick and Andy…what I remember about John more than anything was that he always seemed to be smiling. From what I have gathered from those that know him he was an uplifting, caring, giving and honest person. I truly wish I had taken the opportunity to ride with him, learn from him, and get to know him. Those that did are blessed to have known him, and my condolences go out to them. You will be missed John. What a loss…
September 11th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
I write this with such a heavy heart. John and I started with AV at about the same time, we were lucky enough to have an AV coaching scholarship and did our first field test together up OLH on a cold, wet rainy early Spring day a couple of years ago. It was great to ride with him, for a while, that day. I quickly saw the back of him as he gave it his alI that day. I was so impressed with his ability to be unafraid to go to his limits. I thought, man, this guy has real talent and must have a huge heart. I also realized that Spring that he had a huge heart in life as well.
To his family, and his close friends, my heartfelt sympathy for your incalcuable loss. There wil be a permanent loss in the peloton that AV will feel, and for you, I know, much more than that. A great young man was lost last week, and we are all diminished.
September 12th, 2006 at 9:42 am
From Jalal:
I was on a clinical rotation at the Mills-Peninsula ER on
Friday when I heard from the Paramedics that a cyclist
was killed in Palo Alto by a drunk driver. Later, in
the evening I found out that the rider was our very own
John Peckham.
And ever since I have been trying to make sense of this
tragedy and his untimely death. John was a great guy
who was always ready to help others. So many times he
offered his help and did help me with my Ritchey orders.
Once we both found ourselves climbing OLH and we chatted
about everything and nothing till we got to the top. Then
I found out that he was in the middle of his hill intervals
when I interrupted him and I apologized, but he told me that
he enjoyed our conversation more than the intervals. This
is how I’ll always remember John….
A few thoughts on life that I have learned from those who
have touched my life:
- Your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t
even know you.
- Even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries
out to you, you will find the strength to help.
- You should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the
last time you see them.
“…
Look as long as you can at the friend you love,
no matter whether that friend is moving away from you
or coming back toward you.” — Rumi
Take care.
Jalal
September 12th, 2006 at 10:43 am
My condolences to John’s family and friends.
I never had the chance to meet John, but as part of the cycling community, both commuting and racing (ZteaM), my heart is very heavy.
Let us all try to ride and live life even fuller in his memory.
September 12th, 2006 at 11:01 am
My heart goes out with condolences to to John’s family and teammates,
These difficult events affect all of us as riders and racers.
I hope we may all live stronger in John’s memory.
Thank you for posting this site.
Eric Hale, Team Taylor
September 12th, 2006 at 12:02 pm
The first distinct memory I have of John was at the CVC circuit race in Fresno in early 2005. He had just upgraded from a 5 a couple weeks earlier. John was, I thought, unusually confident about winning the pack sprint when we talked during the race. Our friend Matt won on a 2 man break, and I was pretty fried from trying to help him, and as usual, I had nothing for the sprint at the end. But John was up there.
Immediately after the race I asked John how he did, although the answer was glaringly obvious from his usual ear-to-ear smile: “Did you get it?”
John’s reply: “OOOHHH……..YYYEEEAAAHHH!!!” Like some kind of rockstar.
“Who is this guy?” I thought. Normally, this kind of cockiness would bug me, but with John it was refreshing.
Through the next two seasons, he kept winning those sprints. He definately had that ellusive “IT” factor. That part of racing that is just ingrained in your attitude, the killer instinct, the fearlessness, the knee-jerk reaction that tells you how to win. He made it look easy, and I still can’t quite get a handle on it.
Since then, I’ve ridden with John countless times, sat with him post-race at a few small town In-n-Out Burgers, and shared a love for this wierd bike racing lifestyle. But, I never had the humility to just ask him how he made those sprints look so easy. I’ll regret that for a long time.
My heart goes out to his family, friends, and Cindy. I wish I could carry some of your burden. May we never forget John, and may he inspire us to move forward as better people.
Mark
September 12th, 2006 at 12:28 pm
I was on the noon ride when we were stopped by a couple other noon riders who had discovered the accident. The accident, what do you call it? We were discouraged from going to see it ourselves. so none of us did. We didn’t know who he was, just a younger Alto Velo rider was all the description we had. Grief, disbelief, anger, the belief that it could have any one of us, or several of us. We rode away after the emergency vehicles arrived. We were dirge-like. Yesterday, Monday, we rode out in silence, trying to honor John. Thank you for posting these notes. I am sorry for your loss.
Dan
September 12th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
I ride with the Alto Velo Cat 3 team. I first started hearing about John from his race reports as he was moving through the Cat 4 ranks. I was excited when he moved up because he was obviously a strong sprinter having done well in so many crits. At the same time he was getting coached by Dan Smith of SportVelo and posting is training logs. It was obvious he was taking the sport seriously.
When i met john I was a little surprised… he was tall, handsome (according to my wife) and confident. To me he came off like a Cippolinni or Boonen type of character. He totally had the attitude and style it takes to make it as a sprinter.
The interesting thing for me was that despite having that cocky sprinter thing going John was a perfect teammate. He was vocal about offering his help at races and services for other riders. He was equally vocal about when he wanted a result, and had the talent to bring in the win or podium when he was going for it. It was the kind of thing that creates confidence in your fellow riders.
On a more personal level, my cycling career has slowed down as i get older. I downgrade and I spend less time training and more time complaining about getting fat. When I would send out some complaint or request for help John would often get back with an offer of wheels or advice. Most importantly John sent me several notes to “hang in there” when he would hear I was feeling unmotivated. It was a supportive, caring gesture, which he offered frequently to me.
Of all the results I think about, I was most impressed by his podium at the Menlo Park Grand Prix in the spring of 2006. I worried that was going through periods of being de-motivated, and frustration that riders encounter when they upgrade, but he hung in there. Despite only being a Cat 2 for a few months he was able to bring in second place at the Grand Prix. I got excited when i heard about it because it was a real result, and I knew it would keep him going knowing that he did “have it.”
It is tragic and unfair. I will not forget him.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
On behalf of “Form Fitness Racing Team” I would like to extend our condolences to John Peckhams family, friends, and teammates. Although most of our guys did not know John very well we always had a great deal of respect for him as a cyclist, competitor, and a person.
Both on the track and on the road he was always respected for his heart and courage to ride strong. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, may he rest in peace.
Respectfully,
Sassan G.
Form Fitness Racing
September 12th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
On Monday’s Noon Ride, the one after that terrible day, Janet Gahagen, in an emotional voice, called for a ride of silence down Old Page Mill. The somber quiet was broken by, ironically, an oncoming car, a rare event on the road. As usual, the car was slow, passing without incident, but it was a shock, anyway.
Later, on Arastradero, a narrow, semi-rural road with poor sight lines, an overtaking car accelerated to at least 50 mph to pass us in the oncoming traffic lane. An oncoming cyclist was able to avoid it, though. The reckless disregard for the value of human life continues to appall. I hoped it would get hung up at the Alpine Road intersection, so I could release some of my frustration. My tolerance was hair-thin. Unfortunately, it passed through the intersection quickly, a gesture of contempt all I could manage.
How many more Johns will there be before the carnage on the roads is treated seriously, before licenses are withheld or withdrawn, where drivers are rigorously tested and retested then held responsible for their actions? Maybe this case was so egregious, so clear, so severe that it will be treated seriously, that this guy will be off the roads for a long, long time. But there’s so many other cases, so much abuse, so much contempt for humanity on the roads. We diminish ourselves.
John, we’ll miss you.
September 12th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
I was introduced to John by a mutual friend several months back. Since then, I have spoken with John on many occasions during training rides and local events. John struck me as a genuine person: caring, strong and brave.
As I have read and heard, John touched lives and inspired many different people during his life. I hope and pray that despite this huge loss, we, survivors of John, continue to move forward, inspiring and blessing others with the same spirit, selflessness and love that John has given.
To John’s family, friends and loved ones, my deepest condolences for your loss.
Russell Clark
September 12th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
My thoughts are with all of John’s friend and family. Although I didn’t know John personally, I know the pain of loosing a close friend to an accident. As a fellow cyclist, this tragedy hits very close to home. RIP John.
September 12th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
John did a lot of indoor cycling as part of his training. That’s how I was lucky enough to meet him and his mom Mary Ann. She was here visiting him in ‘03; he bought her some workout clothes and brought her to my spin class at Gold’s (she kicked butt too, by the way). What a cool mom, what a great son.
John’s enthusiasm, energy, and sense of fun were just as contagious and motivating when he was riding indoors as outdoors. He always worked extra hard in class, so I started asking him what kind of music he’d like. This led to a creative collaboration that produced some pretty a$$-kicking spin CDs and some killer workouts over the years. I can really hear John’s spirit in those CDs (which is why I can’t bear to listen to them now). But I’m glad to have them as a reminder of him.
I should add that John also motivated his classmates just by sitting in the front row and looking so damn good. I nicknamed him Eye Candy and told him it was his responsibility to the class to show up every week. He was okay with that. Among his many other good qualities, he accepted responsibility well.
John, I miss you so much.
September 12th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Most of last year we raced together, but I will always remember you at a race in Fremont getting 3 and at Davis getting the second place after leading our team mate to victory. With the smile on your face and an ecstatic laughing in your eyes. The pure joy of something hard worked for and justly earned.
In deepest sadness,
Bernhard
September 12th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
To John’s family, friends, and teammates, I offer my deepest condolances. Admittedly, I only knew John through bicycle racing, but I always admired his skills and enjoyed chatting him up in bike races and on the Spectrum Ride. If we live our lives the way we participate in the sport, I think it is safe to say that John was a winner while at the same time remaining professional, affable, and considerate.
I am truly saddened by this needless loss to our small community and the community at large.
September 12th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
My daughter Cindy was John’s girlfriend. I met John about a year ago, when they first started dating, and I remember thinking “Cool, he rides too” when Cindy said he was a cyclist. And then I found out that he races. I ride for recreation, I am not in the same league that John was. When John bought his condo, they moved in together, and have been inseparable ever since. They so loved one another, and for the happiness that he brought to my daughter, I’ll be eternally grateful.
I always wanted to ride with John, but since he was sooo much better than I, I thought that there would never be an opportunity. But recently, as he slowly got back on the bike after a tumble that he took in a race in San Jose, we rode together. This was his first real ride after the fall, and we went for about 35 miles throughout the foothills of Los Altos, Woodside, Portola Valley, it was a glorious ride. This was just two weeks ago. He asked me last weekend to ride again, and I had to decline, but we were hoping to ride this last Sunday, but it was not to be.
John, were were a wonderful man, and you will be truly missed.
Forever your riding buddy,
Mark Sanford
September 12th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
I met John in the spring of this year in the course of our work. The first day, we discovered that we had the bike in common. (Though I must say our bicycle lives differed quite a bit as John’s hours went up and up!)
The last couple days, I’ve been working on finishing up one of John’s final engineering projects. It’s good to have something of his to work on in these days. A rare opportunity to reflect on his character, his work, life, and endings.
More than one paradox was contained in John’s wraparound grin. A smokin’ intensity and an easy-goingness. A driving competitiveness and an unstoppable teammate-loyalty. John’s manner was to join your side, to be your ally, which made you want to join his, to make common cause with him.
This spring was so rainy; John was going nuts wishing for more sunshine. When the rains finally broke, he was so glad. He said he hoped I was getting in some “good long rides in the great weather we’ve been having.” At the time, I had committed to ride the Climb to Kaiser for the first time, and I had a serious gearing retrofit and some training to do. I told him half-seriously I wasn’t sure there was any such thing as a “good long ride” and tacked on a question I was mulling over.
He responded in his characteristic encouraging way, “I like longer rides. It took a while to build up to them, but once you get there you just keep going and going and going w/o ever really pushing yourself too hard. I was wiped out after 10 hours on the bike Saturday, but still got another 6 on Sunday.” Still cracks me up. Maybe some of you remember this weekend with John.
With John’s “go get ‘em” behind me, I had a good ride on the Climb to Kaiser, which I rode as a memorial to a friend of my wife’s who had just died suddenly in the flower of life. Now Climb to Kaiser ‘06 is a double memorial for me, a signpost of a couple of rare characters who could lighten a tough spot.
May our community rise above this gut-wrenching ending. May we look and look until we find the heart and find the knowledge that sets free from the fear of all endings. May we break away from the things that hold us back. May the work of John’s mind (engineering), body (biking), and spirit (everything) bear fruit in his absence. May we finish the course that he had just started.
So here goes. Like others, I have to pick up a couple things he was holding and get them going again. Handlebars. Product ideas. Mundane stuff. But stuff infused with a transcendence, something worth digging deep for, the way John did. And I can’t wait for the sun to break out, the Day when this kind of news won’t ever come again.
Oh, for a better day.
Todd D
“You just keep going and going and going without ever pushing yourself too hard.” John Peckham
September 12th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
I met John through doing the 24 Hours of Adrenalin at Laguna Seca by Monterey in the Spring of 2003. John was our captain and it was just four of us doing our first ever 24 hour race including Carlos who was some hockey stud just getting into mountain biking at that time. I remember being quite nervous about it and John opened up his home to us, myself, a complete stranger, the night before the race. My nervousness left immediately as John opened his door and greeted me with a warm smile…the same smile that is posted on this website for his memorial. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done, but John lead us through it and made it fun, so that each us continued to do additional similar ultra-endurance events afterward our first 24 hour experience together. Thank you John!
John, we will always remember you and think of you as a leader. Peace be with you!
I hope you are still doing 24 hour races somewhere out there.
Shane
September 13th, 2006 at 11:22 am
My sincere condolances on your lost. This tragic accident hits close to home with many of us in the cycling community. Our thoughts and prayers are with you through this difficult time.
With warmest regards,
Dennis Hopp
Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Team.
September 13th, 2006 at 11:29 am
John was a strong rider with strong character and a big smile. It was always fun to ride with him or chat with him off the bike. My deepest sympathies and condolances to all of his family and friends and my prayers are for them.
Keith Szolusha
September 13th, 2006 at 11:35 am
On behalf of myself and the Arete’ Racing team, I offer our most sincere condolances. John and I had a few head to head battles in various races as we moved through the categories. And most of those, he won. John had strong character and an intimidating stature. Riders like John are what friendly competition is all about.
Team Arete’ Racing
September 13th, 2006 at 11:59 am
I am truly saddened to hear of John’s death. I didn’t know John, but he is in every one of us who rides a bike. There are no right words for his family and friends, but I hope you will find some comfort in knowing the number of lives he touched, which is apparent by the entries posted. When a fellow cyclist loses his life we all feel the loss and we will now remember John every time we get on a bike. But to his family, friends and teammates I am deeply sorry for your loss and for the pain you are experiencing while trying to try to make sense of this tragedy.
We will never forget.
Kerri
Team Spine
September 13th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
I first met John when he joined my “for fun only” 24 Hour Mtn Bike Team to race down in Idylwild, Ca. Super handsome, strong, funny and arrives at the venue with 4 or 5 different race bikes to test ride. Obviously had a lot of good friends, with kick ass bikes, I thought. I was stoked to have he and his buddy Carlos on my team. He and Carlos were always competing for the fastest lap times, and man, were they fast, and smiling the entire time. They kept our team out of last place for sure. We had fun.
We have not ridden together in many months, he just got too damn fast for me. But I always knew we would ride together again one day, or that I would at least see him at the 24 Hour race events. Now, my plan is to continue to live life to its fullest, and ride with John everyday, well, at least 2 - 3 times a week.
I am currently in Boulder studying and sad that I can not be there, with mutual friends, and Johns family, at the memorial services today. My thoughts are with all of you; friends, family, girlfriend (Cindy, I’m sorry we have yet to meet, but you must be a wonderful woman, stay strong) co-workers, teammates. John lives on in all of us.
Ride ON!
xoamy
September 13th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
I came across this, which seems appropriate for John as well:
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060913/NOISE18/609130316/1083/news05
BTW, the picture at the top was taken at Cat’s Hill. I remember riding with John earlier that day, on the Spectrum Ride. I was feeling pretty good with myself because I “beat” John in the valley sprint. Afterwards, he even said “nice sprint”, as I recall. Little did I know that he would finish that ride, then ride all the way to Los Gatos to line up for the P12 race. Not only that, I was told that he did W. Alpine and Skyline on the way there. He rode for something like 9 hours that day, then showed up to hammer on the A ride the next day.
Here’s to a life well lived.
September 13th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
I worked with John on and off for almost two years at Boston Scientific and I can say that I have never met a more honest, thoughtful, and interested (yes, interested) person as John. He was always interested in what and how others were doing. I had deep respect for him nearly immediately. It was obvious to me his skill at work and as we talked more and more. I learned about his exploits on two wheels. As a former MTB racer, I could tell that he was no common, doing it for fun, racer. I think that if he had his choice he would rather have been riding professionally, but his carrer as a design engineer seemd to be very satisfying for him as well.
It’s hard for me to imagine that John is no longer here. I won’t be able to say hi at the races, or meet him for a road ride which we always planned on taking. Frankly I was a little chicken to ride with the guy, his skills were so good. But I doubt he would have dropped me, that wasn’t his style. He would have hung back there with me giving me encouragement, helping me along. I know that.
I’m going to miss you, John!
Todd
September 13th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
I had spoken to John Peckham via email/IM few times and have always gotten the same feeling everybody had. He was geninue and always willing to help another person out.
I’m sorry for what has happened. We now know John is cycling forever.
September 13th, 2006 at 8:08 pm
I first met John at the beginning of this year. I had recently joined Alto Velo on the Cat 3 team when John sent out an email to the team asking if any of the new guys needed a jersey for the cherry pie crit. When I went over to John’s house in Sunnyvale (before he moved to Mt. View) to pick up the jersey he welcomed me in, and introduced me to Cindy and Andy who were both there. I stayed a while and talked with John.
John and I raced together at the Cherry pie crit soon after, I gave him a leadout (while wearing his borrowed jersey) and he came in 2nd place. I remember how great it felt to see John come flying by me up the final hill that day, as he came by he turned to me and said, “Thanks man”. John and I started riding/racing together more and more as the season went on. We started swapping leadout/sprinter duties at our final races in the 3’s. John was constantly learning and reflecting after every race. We often had long discussions during the week about the previous weekend’s race.
The most memorable ride I remember with John (as there were many) was some time in March when it was raining off and on. John sent me an IM and asked if I wanted to ride that evening. I met John at Starbuck’s, where he was hanging out with Cindy, and we left for a night ride. The reason the ride was so memorable is when we got to Arastadero and Alpine, the bottom of the clouds fell out on top of us. I have never ridden in such cold and rainy conditions in all my years of riding. I asked John if he wanted to turn back and he said, “Nah, we are already out here, so we may as well get some training in”. We kept riding and had a great time. We talked about everything you could imagine. He often talked about Cindy. It was obvious he loved Cindy with his entire heart. Every time he talked about her his smile would get even bigger (which is saying a lot if you know John).
John upgraded to the 2’s and kept encouraging me to do the same. I did, and was again glad to be riding on the same team with John. Due to injuries weren’t able to start many races together in the 2’s but we continued to go on the occasional training ride.
John and I are both Design Engineers for Medical Device companies. As if we didn’t get enough time together on the bike, we entered into what seemed like a contest of trying to recruit each other into our own respective companies. I guess you can say that competition was a tie.
Labor day weekend I called John up to see if he wanted to join my wife and I for a bike trip to Angel Island. John declined, saying his mother was in town. He was very excited because they had just gotten her setup on a bike and were going to ride around the Portola Valley area. The week leading up to his death we talked a few times. He expressed how great it was having his mom here to visit. And also how every day he and Cindy would come home from work and something in the house had been rearranged by his mom. I could tell in his voice that he really enjoyed having his mom around for that week.
John and I talked on the morning of Friday 9/8/06 and had made plans to go on an “injured persons” recovery ride together the next morning. Needless to say, we never had our ride together. One of the hardest things I have ever done was to go on a ride that Saturday, I went alone and was in shock the entire ride. I couldn’t bring myself to ride past the area on OPM where John was killed. However, the following day, Sunday, I did go to OPM and paid my respects my lost friend.
To John’s mother, Cindy, his family and friends. I cannot offer any words on how to deal with the loss of such an AWESOME person as John, for I have not truly figured out how to deal with it myself. What I can offer you is the truth, John died a very happy person, he loved living life, his family and all of his friends.
To John, I will never forget you. You made me laugh and smile on so many occasions. You always listened with open ears and an open heart. You made me proud to be your friend. Some day we will have a chance to ride together again.
September 13th, 2006 at 10:52 pm
I wasn’t fortunate enough to have met John personally but like many I did read his race reports and posts to the AV list, and in fact I made a point of reading them for his strong, levelheaded perspective.
To John’s friends, family and teammates, I’ve been reading your posts on the list and on this page, and it saddens me greatly to know the depth of the loss you all feel. I am sorry that you have to go through this, but it’s also apparent how fortunate you all have been.
September 14th, 2006 at 1:24 am
[…] People on the Peninsula and in the South Bay by now are pretty well aware that last Friday, another cyclist was killed on local roads. His team even put up a repository for comments and memories. […]
September 14th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of John.
Palo Alto Firefighters
B Shift
September 15th, 2006 at 11:34 am
My condolences to John’s friends and family. I am the mother of Alan Liu, who was also killed by a drunk driver while on a training ride in Santa Rosa with his girfriend, Jill Mason, on Easter Sunday, April 11, 2004. Jill survived, but has permanent injuries. So, I know firsthand what you are going through. I am so sorry that another family has to go through what we and the Mason family have. John also sounds like an outstanding young man who contributed much to the world. Another tragic and senseless loss! I would love to talk to Maryann, whenever you are up to it. Please feel free to contact me. My heart and prayers go out to you.
September 15th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
My first memories of John are through his very first race reports to the AV list last January 2005. Winning his first crit! I was impressed, even if it was an early bird “practice” crit. But that wasn’t the end, he kept on winning, and with what seemed great ease. I remember him coming to the club meetings and the first impression of his large physical stature. But then that smile broke out and it was obvious that this was someone with great heart.
John moved into the 3s so quickly, it was impressive. We did several races together in the 3s. If John wasn’t the designated rider, he put everything in to helping his teammates. I remember the Burlingame crit in 2005. Near the end of the race we were trying to keep control of the peloton, and keep the pace high. John set a ripping pace for quite a few laps to help set up our designated riders, completely putting aside the finish for himself. He was like that, he’d put everything in to what he did, whether it was for himself or someone else.
One of the most fun rides I had with John was at the second Beat the Clock TT a week after Burlingame. Rob MacNeill and I were scheduled to do a 2-man TT, but we got John in on doing a 3-man TT with us. We were all tired from having already done individual races, but we knew we could go fast with the three of us. Of course we started out a bit too hard, and John was just DRILLING it. He wanted to put everything he had in to the race. Unfortunately we didn’t pace things so well, and John put so much in to the first half that he was really hurting the second half. But, all three of us came to the line together, and we put in a good time. That was just so much fun, putting in that close teamwork with John and Rob, and with John just putting it all on the line. We were racing against a team of Peter Tapscott, Bruce Wilford, and Dan Smith (John’s coach). Afterwards we all had a nice time recounting the efforts, giving the other team a hard time, and taking some great pictures. There is that smile, he was always smiling when he was riding.
A couple of days latter was the Davis 4th of July Crit. John and I were the designated riders for the race, and we ended up going 1-2 on the podium. I was very happy and privileged to share the podium with John. He was always gracious, and always had nice things to say about his teammates and his fellow competitors.
John and I didn’t get to race too much together on the road this year, but we did race together on the track. We had a great time, and again John was the perfect teammate, helping me out frequently. I was riding right behind him when he crashed a couple months ago and it put him off the bike. I remember calling him the next day to see how he was doing, and he had such a positive attitude. He was sore and not sure how long he’d be off the bike. But, he looked at it positively - now he had an excuse to get in some couch time, and relax and eat chips and salsa, and of course, drink some beer. Just last Friday we went for a ride together for the first time since that night at the track, and he said he had gotten the couch, chips and salsa, and beer out of his system now, and was ready to get back to some serious training, and planning for next season.
John was always supportive of the club as well. He helped at the finish line for the Pescadero Road Race for the past couple of years. He had just started to work with the sponsorship team, and was really excited to help the club with sponsorship issues.
One of my best memories of John was actually via an email he sent to the list. He was looking for a bike for his mom to ride while she was visiting him earlier this year. Someone in the club loaned John a Trek, just like his. John was so excited because he knew his mom would be excited to ride the same bike as her son was riding.
John always had great things to say about his mom, Mary Ann. He was constantly recruiting people to come back to St. Louis with him for the Gateway Cup series of races. Sure, the racing was good according to John, but what struck me were the other selling points he had for coming to do the races. These points included his family owning a place often voted “Best Burger in St. Louis,” offers for places to stay, and of course offers for his mom’s cooking that would be sure to “feed us until our bellies pop.” John didn’t make it out to the Gateway Cup this year because of his injuries. I think I might be inclined to go next year and try the racing, and of course one of those burgers.
I was fortunate to have ridden with him a week before his death. John had IM’d me early on Friday September 01 to see if I was going to ride. Rob, Ossum, John and I agreed to meet up for an easy ride together. It was a great sunny, warm day, perfect for riding. I had not seen John since the night at the track when he was injured. As always, he was happy to be out riding. It was good to catch up with him. We ended up doing the noon ride that day, and John was so happy to be out riding with other racers again. At the end of the ride, we agreed to make it a point to ride regularly together, since John was working near by my office, it would be easy to meet up at lunch time to ride.
Over the past few days, I’ve actually learned a lot more about John. I new him mostly on the bike and through racing. I had spoken with him in the past about his work, and I knew he was having fun designing medical devices, and he took great pride in the fact that the work he did helped save people’s lives. What I didn’t realize about John, is how far reaching his impact was on others lives. So many people have great stories to share about John, it’s quite remarkable.
My heart goes out to his mother Mary Ann, his family, and his close friends. I’m grateful I got to share a little bit of John’s time on this earth, and I will carry those moments with me forever. I will miss our rides and races together. I will miss our frequent discussions on training and the latest gear. I will miss that sly smile, the narrow eyes with the soul piercing look, and the hearty greetings he always shared when we met for a ride or a race.
Brian Peterson
President, Webcor/Alto Velo
September 15th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
I was on the Noon Ride today, one week after John’s tragic death. I made a little speech to the Noon riders about the memorial service and funeral yesterday and thanked the riders for their support and how much it mattered to the family, John’s Mom and Cindy. Of course it mattered a lot to each of us as well. Thanks to everyone who has entered a blog, or even read one.
I announced the John Peckham Memorial ride on Sunday September 24, 2006. Starts at 8:30am from the Veterans Hospital near Gun High School. (See the altovelo.org website for more info) A number of riders said they would join the ride. Several people thanked me for the little speech, showing they needed some recognition of John for their own closure.
Hard to believe that only two weeks ago John was out on the Noon Ride giving Rob and me a screaming leadout to the Woodside town limit sprint. Thanks, John, I won it for you two weeks ago. And again today, but with a much heavier heart.
Today I was wearing my Livestrong jersey that we received when Patt hit her goal for funding the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The left sleeve has a yellow band showing my support for my wonderful Patt as well as Lance Armstrong. But the most compelling reason I was wearing it was the WHITE band on the right sleeve supporting my fallen comrade, big John Peckham.
Once again, I am struck by how much this club means. All the great people who offered something to us, Cindy and the family. The outpouring at the memorial service was great from Alto Velo and so many, many people from the cycling community.
- Peter Tapscott
Former President, Webcor/Alto Velo
September 16th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
Today I read of John’s death on cyclingnews.com. Although I did not know him in the slightest and am writing from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, it is a loss to us all when a cyclist and a true man of his stature is killed by someone who is as selfish as to drive drunk. Rest in peace John. May your family have strength in this time of need.
September 17th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Rest in Peace John. We will miss you out there on the roads man. From a fellow cyclist over in Girona.
Ride On.
September 17th, 2006 at 11:08 pm
I went to hellyer track today to watch my boyfriend race and when I sat down in the stands the first thing that came out of the announcer’s mouth was that if John Peckham were here he would be out doing this race. He then went on to say how John had been killed recently while riding…
I met John New Year’s Eve 2004. He came up to me and I was blown away with how handsome he was. He had the most amazing smile and the most amazing eyes. I asked him what he was going to be doing for the new year and he said that the next day he would be racing in a new year’s day ride on San Bruno mountain. I thought he was absolutely crazy to want to go riding early in the morning after a late night of partying. But as I got to know John, that is exactly how he is. He was so extremely dedicated and loved cycling so much. The only solace I take from this extreme tragedy is that he died doing something he absolutely loved. He was a gentle and kind spirit and will be truly missed.
September 18th, 2006 at 9:42 am
As a former PenVelo rider (before I moved back East) it was always a pleasure to latch on to an Alto Velo group and I have many fond memories of doing so. I’m shocked and saddened by the tragedy that has befallen your club and extend our condolences. Let us ride safe in memory of John and advocate safer riding for all.
September 18th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
For the past few days, I have been trying to make some sense of this senseless tragedy; I have failed. Although I did not know John as well as many in Alto Velo, I did have the pleasure to work a couple of Pesky races
with him, as well as share a ride or two.
Reading through the volumes of tributes to John has given me great insight into a person whose passing has affected me far more deeply than I ever imagined. Not only was he an accomplished cyclist, he was a fellow engineer — one who was proud to be helping his fellow man designing stents to treat disease. He was a loyal friend to many, sincere in his efforts and blessed with an wonderful smile. The world will be a lesser place without him.
John, you are now free to ride as much as you wish, unencumbered by worldy worries. I truly regret not making the effort to know you better — save me a place in the peloton and we can chat when I get up to the big velodrome in the sky.
September 23rd, 2006 at 9:24 pm
John, I know that you are still riding hard where ever you soul has taken you…until we are able to ride together again, take care my AV brother…you will be forever missed
September 24th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
We bikers love what we do and when John was killed, he was doing something he loved. My boyfriend Alan and I were hit by a drunk driver in April 2004 as we were training for the bike portion of a May triathlon called Wildflower we were signed up for. He was killed instantly and I was in a coma for 2 months. I’m now in a wheelchair and I suffered head trauma. I would not ever take away the time I had with Alan. Just know that I’m thinking about all those who have been affected by this tradgedy.