Last year, skiing bid a sorrowful farewell to its most influential figure ever after the ski-BASE death of Shane McConkey. And only a few weeks earlier, a freak accident had left Riley Poor paralyzed from the chest down. With two events that tragic occuring so close together, its easy to want to repeat the ubiquitous lament that "this has been such a bad year for skiing."
But then you remember that Billy Poole passed away in a skiing accident the year before. And the year before that, a skiing accident left Marc-Andre Belliveau paralyzed from the waist down. And the year before that, Norwegian Lars Veen broke his neck overshooting a jump in Mammoth. And you realize that it's not a matter of good years and bad years, exactly. It's that, for all the joy that it brings to so many people, skiing, like any other sport, brings its share of tragedy, too.
To do their part to help with skiing's sadder side, Pep Fujas, Cody Barnhill, JT Holmes, Angeli VanLaanen, Julian Carr, Max Kuszaj, Peter Olenick, and many other skiers are undertaking the Pacific Coast Cycle For A Cause. Over the month of October, the group is riding the Pacific Coast Highway from Seattle to San Diego to raise money in the names of Shane McConkey, Riley Poor, and Billy Poole for several worthy charities.
The ski industry has seen many tragedies in the past few years, from spinal cord injuries to athlete deaths. Now is a time to give back with awareness to the general public, in our case, we are giving back as fellow athletes and friends.
The plan is a charity bike ride during the month of October from Seattle to San Diego on the Pacific Coast Highway/101 to benefit the Riley Poor Foundation, The Shane McConkey Fund and Billy Poole Foundation.
Links containing information about these foundations are the following:
Through this ride I am seeking to have individuals, businesses, major corporations, etc. support my injured and fallen friends and icons in the ski industry. We will need as much support as possible.
This ride is open to anyone, friends, family, strangers, fans&.anyone.
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Contributors
John Symms
My friend is a pro. In fact, many of my friends are pros. How else do you think I got this job?
Tim Mutrie
Journalist and blog-a-neer, big mtn. correspondent Tim has a desk-sized condo in a little place called Aspen.
Seth Morrison
If you don't know who Seth is, just click out of this blog and walk away. (Seth is a big mtn. legend, you see.)
Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
Sage went from washing dishes professionally to freeskiing professionally — aka "professional growth."
Ingrid Backstrom
World traveler, prolific ripper, reader and smiler, Ingrid lives in a cabin at the base of Squaw Valley.
Nate Abbott
Driven by coffee, powder, music, laughing, books & possibilities, photographer Nate is a lurker with Leica.
Liam Downey
Vermonster, Level 1 vet and large animal veterinarian, Liam's 6'5" frame makes him a large animal himself.
