|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Ken Kifer one year on
At the end of 1997 I got hooked up to the Internet and discovered the
international cycling newsgroups. I soon discovered I had happened upon the most wonderful community. There were cyclists of all types from all around the world. Even if there were a few lunatics and some rude people the vast majority were there to share. People that became and remained friends, people destined never to meet but to be united for ever by their interest in cycling. The first cyclist that I exchanged private emails with was Ken Kifer. Over the next few years we remained net friends and my admiration and respect for Ken never faulted. He was always willing to join in discussions and debate a vast variety of cycling issues, his language on the net was polite and correct, but never dull, When Ken first dreamed up the idea of his own website he set up a test version and sent the link to chosen few, myself included as I was already running a website. I must say that Ken's first effort was. shall we say a case of "could do better". His site was unreadable unless you were using a specific browser at a specific resolution. To say that he developed his home page skills is an understatement and within months he was out of my league. As we all know his website developed into one of the most respected on the Internet and won awards, respect and acclamation from around the world. Ken was always willing to help, never short of advice and a great guy to share cycling anecdotes with. Even if Ken and I didn't maintain our initial frequent email contact over the years he never became a stranger. After a period without contact I asked his advice in the fall of 2000 when my then girlfriend - a design student at university - was involved in a futuristic concept for a car-free city. Ken became a source of inspiration and his ideas were of great value to the project. At Christmas that year Ken sent me some kind words and wished me all the best. I will light a candle for him this year. Our Mr Kifer was an advocate of safer cycling and it is no wild guess that there are some cyclists alive today that have survived or avoided would-be fatal accidents because of something learnt from Ken's website, if not through direct contact with the man himself. Ken's legacy lives on through his website and I am delighted that it is still hosted. It is of great importance and will undoubtedly continue to help, delight and charm cyclists the world over. I often refer and link to his site in cycling forums. I remember that Ken once stated that although there are plenty of safety measures you can take as a cyclist there really is nothing you can do about the drunk driver coming in the other direction. To that I add that is safer to cycle than not to cycle and at least you get to live and experience life from a interesting fulfilled perspective non-cyclists remain ignorant of. If I have one regret it is that I never met the man himself, but perhaps that is testimony to the cycling community on the web. We know each other through words and views and that is the very essence of how and why we know each other. It suffices. It was with great sadness I received news of Ken's death, one year ago today. I am sure that Ken rides on, in that car free city in the sky where all the winds are following. Ride on Ken, ride on. Garry Jones English Cyclist ResIDING in Sweden |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
That is sad news. I hadn't heard from Ken in a while. I didn't expect to
hear that he was dead. I did have the opportunity to meet Ken. He stayed over a couple of days when making one of his epic cycling journeys. He was the same man in person, that he presented himself to be on the web. He is sorely missed. Jack Dingler Garry Jones wrote: At the end of 1997 I got hooked up to the Internet and discovered the international cycling newsgroups. I soon discovered I had happened upon the most wonderful community. There were cyclists of all types from all around the world. Even if there were a few lunatics and some rude people the vast majority were there to share. People that became and remained friends, people destined never to meet but to be united for ever by their interest in cycling. The first cyclist that I exchanged private emails with was Ken Kifer. Over the next few years we remained net friends and my admiration and respect for Ken never faulted. He was always willing to join in discussions and debate a vast variety of cycling issues, his language on the net was polite and correct, but never dull, When Ken first dreamed up the idea of his own website he set up a test version and sent the link to chosen few, myself included as I was already running a website. I must say that Ken's first effort was. shall we say a case of "could do better". His site was unreadable unless you were using a specific browser at a specific resolution. To say that he developed his home page skills is an understatement and within months he was out of my league. As we all know his website developed into one of the most respected on the Internet and won awards, respect and acclamation from around the world. Ken was always willing to help, never short of advice and a great guy to share cycling anecdotes with. Even if Ken and I didn't maintain our initial frequent email contact over the years he never became a stranger. After a period without contact I asked his advice in the fall of 2000 when my then girlfriend - a design student at university - was involved in a futuristic concept for a car-free city. Ken became a source of inspiration and his ideas were of great value to the project. At Christmas that year Ken sent me some kind words and wished me all the best. I will light a candle for him this year. Our Mr Kifer was an advocate of safer cycling and it is no wild guess that there are some cyclists alive today that have survived or avoided would-be fatal accidents because of something learnt from Ken's website, if not through direct contact with the man himself. Ken's legacy lives on through his website and I am delighted that it is still hosted. It is of great importance and will undoubtedly continue to help, delight and charm cyclists the world over. I often refer and link to his site in cycling forums. I remember that Ken once stated that although there are plenty of safety measures you can take as a cyclist there really is nothing you can do about the drunk driver coming in the other direction. To that I add that is safer to cycle than not to cycle and at least you get to live and experience life from a interesting fulfilled perspective non-cyclists remain ignorant of. If I have one regret it is that I never met the man himself, but perhaps that is testimony to the cycling community on the web. We know each other through words and views and that is the very essence of how and why we know each other. It suffices. It was with great sadness I received news of Ken's death, one year ago today. I am sure that Ken rides on, in that car free city in the sky where all the winds are following. Ride on Ken, ride on. Garry Jones English Cyclist ResIDING in Sweden |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
That is sad news. I hadn't heard from Ken in a while. I didn't expect to
hear that he was dead. I did have the opportunity to meet Ken. He stayed over a couple of days when making one of his epic cycling journeys. He was the same man in person, that he presented himself to be on the web. He is sorely missed. Jack Dingler Garry Jones wrote: At the end of 1997 I got hooked up to the Internet and discovered the international cycling newsgroups. I soon discovered I had happened upon the most wonderful community. There were cyclists of all types from all around the world. Even if there were a few lunatics and some rude people the vast majority were there to share. People that became and remained friends, people destined never to meet but to be united for ever by their interest in cycling. The first cyclist that I exchanged private emails with was Ken Kifer. Over the next few years we remained net friends and my admiration and respect for Ken never faulted. He was always willing to join in discussions and debate a vast variety of cycling issues, his language on the net was polite and correct, but never dull, When Ken first dreamed up the idea of his own website he set up a test version and sent the link to chosen few, myself included as I was already running a website. I must say that Ken's first effort was. shall we say a case of "could do better". His site was unreadable unless you were using a specific browser at a specific resolution. To say that he developed his home page skills is an understatement and within months he was out of my league. As we all know his website developed into one of the most respected on the Internet and won awards, respect and acclamation from around the world. Ken was always willing to help, never short of advice and a great guy to share cycling anecdotes with. Even if Ken and I didn't maintain our initial frequent email contact over the years he never became a stranger. After a period without contact I asked his advice in the fall of 2000 when my then girlfriend - a design student at university - was involved in a futuristic concept for a car-free city. Ken became a source of inspiration and his ideas were of great value to the project. At Christmas that year Ken sent me some kind words and wished me all the best. I will light a candle for him this year. Our Mr Kifer was an advocate of safer cycling and it is no wild guess that there are some cyclists alive today that have survived or avoided would-be fatal accidents because of something learnt from Ken's website, if not through direct contact with the man himself. Ken's legacy lives on through his website and I am delighted that it is still hosted. It is of great importance and will undoubtedly continue to help, delight and charm cyclists the world over. I often refer and link to his site in cycling forums. I remember that Ken once stated that although there are plenty of safety measures you can take as a cyclist there really is nothing you can do about the drunk driver coming in the other direction. To that I add that is safer to cycle than not to cycle and at least you get to live and experience life from a interesting fulfilled perspective non-cyclists remain ignorant of. If I have one regret it is that I never met the man himself, but perhaps that is testimony to the cycling community on the web. We know each other through words and views and that is the very essence of how and why we know each other. It suffices. It was with great sadness I received news of Ken's death, one year ago today. I am sure that Ken rides on, in that car free city in the sky where all the winds are following. Ride on Ken, ride on. Garry Jones English Cyclist ResIDING in Sweden |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Karapoti Results- we want more riders next year! | GizmoDuck | Unicycling | 5 | March 25th 04 08:53 PM |
Unicycle tech- what do you want to see in the next year? | GizmoDuck | Unicycling | 54 | January 6th 04 11:43 AM |
Unicyclist and Unicycle of the Year!!! Nominate Now!!! | ur | Unicycling | 26 | November 29th 03 12:09 AM |
Bike sizes for 7 year old | Dave K. | General | 1 | September 9th 03 12:21 AM |
Armstrong: "Back Next Year" - Ullrich:"Next Years Mine"! | Keith | Racing | 10 | July 27th 03 07:10 PM |