It's Been A Year

Jacob Stevenson at Iowa Speedway, 2017

Whew...... Here we are a year removed from that terrible day in 2025. Most of you know what I am talking about, but if you are new here, you can read about what happened HERE. 

I wrote that post the day after he died. I guess I was on autopilot. I have to say the shock of losing my son unexpectedly probably hadn't sunk in quite yet there. I re-read that post and it seems so detached from reality now. 

But it was all I could say at the time. Since then, the reality has hit me several times like a big truck. Other times it is sneaky and persistent. Haunting, tortuous feelings and memories of the day one year ago are hard to escape. 

But I will not hide the fact that my faith in God has been the thing which has carried me along until this day. It is that faith which will carry me further on up the road until it is my time to leave this Earth. Without that, and God's grace, I wouldn't be here to write to you today, and I know this to be true. 

The view  from my chair on the porch now. 

Afternoons on weekdays were times I looked forward to seeing Jacob come home from work during most of 2024 and 2025. He started out driving in 2023, maybe late 2022, I don't remember now. I found a picture showing when he crashed out a lady's white fence back in February of '23, so he had been driving for a bit by then. Anyway....

I got to be kind of a 'mother hen', waiting out on the porch for him to drive up. He got off work at the Criterion machine shop at 2:30pm. He usually would drive up in front of the house by 2:45, maybe ten till three. 

I'd sit and talk with him a bit, if he was in the mood for it, then I'd leave for work at about 3:30pm to work my 4:00 - 8:00pm shift at the Collective. If I had a day off I would go inside with him and he'd usually get on the internet and play his online games. This was in nice weather, of course, not in Winter. I remember the Summertime of 2025 especially, since he had the 4Runner and seeing him pull up in that was always a relief for me. 

He was home again. 

He'd get out, look up at me over the roof of the 4Runner since he was so tall, and say "Hey Dad.", then he'd grab the messenger bag with his stuff, and come up to the porch. Sometimes he'd stop and talk, other times he'd walk right in. 

Of course, the one day he stopped and shared that meal with me a week or so before he died is really a special time for me. He had gone to Taco Johns and typically he didn't share that with me, but he did that one time before he died.....

And now it has been a year. I look out from the porch now from my chair. Something is missing. He isn't going to pull up anymore. He won't be grabbing that messenger bag out of the back seat, the bag I used to commute to work with. He won't be sharing Taco John's with me, or even just walking past me to get to his video game as quick as he could. 

Why? 

Because he went Home. That's why......

 So, I wanted to mark this day here on the blog. I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers. They mean a lot to me, as does your reading this blog. 

See ya here again tomorrow.... 
 

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Crust Bikes

 Crust Bikes Didn't Want 26+ To Die:

Crust Bikes released a new 26"er tire this week in 26 X 2.8" size, which is commonly called "plus sized" in mountain bike terms, by most folks anyway.  

The new tire is called the Mateo, and is a modestly knobbly affair with a 120TPI tubeless ready casing, foldable bead, and weighs approximately 750 grams. 

Available now via Crust Bikes website in black sidewall only and in the 2,8" width only. 

Comments: I think this is a great idea. However; there are not a lot of bicycles this tire will fit into. Some Surly bikes will allow for this to slide in, and of course, rim choice will determine fit with this tire as well. A wider rim will yield wider tire widths and narrower rims will make the same tire less wide. 

I'm not sure this would fit my Big Dummy without some modification of the rear end. I have Northstar 45mm wide rims on the bike now running 26" x 2.4" tires and that is pushing the limits already. I ran 26" x 2.5" tires on Velocity Cliffhangars on my old 1X1 single speed bike, which I loved for urban commuting. So, I almost want to get a set of these tires to try on my Big Dummy. 

Image courtesy of Surly Bikes

Speak Of The Devil:

Surly pulled the Big Dummy out of their range in 2023. However; now it is back again as a complete or as a frame set with bags. The new offering can handle 26" x 2.5" tires with fenders and comes with a center mount kickstand in the complete offering. 

Sporting a 1X Shimano CUES 9 speed drive train and Tektro two-piston hydraulic brakes, the Big Dummy is rated for 499lbs of weight bearing. 

Prices for the Twilight Zone blue complete is $2,699.00 and the frame set is in the same color for $1,999.00. See the Surly webpage for the Big Dummy HERE. 

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

32: Fargos Arriving Soon:

The Salsa Cycles Fargo, it's longest running model, takes a leap into another level with the advent of 32" wheels. According to an email blast sent out this week riders can expect to be able to grab a steel Fargo 32" frame set sometime in August. The titanium frame set will follow in the Fall, according to the email.

Also there will be wheels and tires on offer, (likely the Teravail components, but possibly something else as well), to flesh out your build. It should be noted that complete 32" bikes are not available yet from Salsa Cycles. No indication of when completes might become available with 32" wheels was made either. 

Comments: While this is great news for 32" wheel curious folks, there has been no indication of what exact pricing will be on the steel frame set. Those hoping for an inexpensive option will likely have their hopes dashed though, as I am expecting these frame sets to top out over 2K and you still need wheels and tires to boot.  

Not to say this won't be a great option, because it probably will be a great option in my opinion. It just won't be a "32 curious friendly" option. I do like what appears to be color-shift paint on the steel Fargo 32"er though. 

Image courtesy of Selle Italia

Selle Italia Introduces New SLR Gravel Range:

News came out this week about a new gravel oriented saddle range from venerable saddle maker Selle Italia. Their SLR model was one of the darlings of the early ultra-MTB scene in the early 2000's, and now this range looks to become a top choice for gravel riders. 

Focusing on rider comfort over rough terrain, this new saddle range has what Selle Italia calls a "Bow Rail System" to deal with vibrations. This particular saddle shown here, the SLR Gravel Elite, has another unique feature in the included Protective Insert. The small sliver of material fills the cut-out to help prevent riders from getting wet or from having debris contact their shorts while riding in inclement weather or over looser terrain. This insert can be left out as needed by the rider also. 

The SLR Gravel Elite comes in two widths and sells for $249.90 USD. 

Comments: Perhaps a lot of younger riders do not know Selle Italia, but their saddles are legendary in the older annals of MTB and ultra-MTB racing. This new saddle seems a bit different than most gravel oriented saddles. I especially like seeing this protective insert option, which whether or not is effective, seems smart from a marketing perspective. 

Image courtesy of West High Wahawks Football

A Dedication:

Today would have been my son Jacob's birthday. I wanted to dedicate this FN&V column to his memory. I have an image of him here at football practice from 2020. Thanks to Waterloo West High Wahawk Football for the image.  

Tomorrow I will be hosting the Ride For Jacob. The 46 mile, mostly gravel route will be a good one and I am expecting at least a small number of folks to show up to help me remember my son.

One thing I wanted to add here, and that is my sincere thanks and deep gratitude to you, the readers of Guitar Ted Productions, who have steadfastly supported me through this past year. Your kind comments and even your silence when I posted some intensely personal feelings concerning the death of my son a year ago were noted.  

One never knows if things expressed which are intense in nature and not the ordinary content for a cycling related blog will be acceptable to the readership, but I felt I could trust you all with this. I was certainly not disappointed in doing so. And so I thank you all for your kindness, your consideration, and yes, even your silence, all which has allowed me to express myself freely without condemnation of any kind.  

A report on the ride will appear Monday.

Thanks again. Now get out there and ride those bicycles! 

A Special Tribute To A Ridin' Buddy: Part 2

 In today's post I will cover Jacob's cycling from where he was gifted a Salsa Cycles Mukluk up through to his adulthood. Check out yesterday's post if you missed it for his beginnings in cycling. 

Picking up Jacob's Mukluk frame and fork in October of 2013

With Jacob's struggles with his old 24" wheeled bike becoming more troublesome and with his rapid growth, it became clear Jacob was going to need another upgrade in a bicycle. This time I envisioned a fat bike. More stability and capability in the design and wheels should allow Jacob to go wherever he wanted, or this was the thought, at any rate. 

So, I scraped and borrowed parts off my 2011 Salsa Mukluk, (The Snow Dog), to get this project going. I told Jacob about the bike late in Summer and finally, after the frame and fork arrived, and I was able to pay for it, we went down and picked it up. 

I put it together as best I could and I think it turned out pretty well. 

The first iteration of Jacob's Mukluk

Jacob's first ride on his new bike. 

I remember going to the shop, where I ended up finishing up the bike, and letting Jacob try out his new bike for the first time. He was barely able to stand over it, but it fit great when he mounted and rode it. I was chatting with a coworker as we watched Jacob take the new bike for a spin around the back lot behind the shop. I was too engrossed in the conversation to remember to tell Jacob how careful he needed to be when he dismounted. Unfortunately for Jacob, he jumped off the saddle and right on the ol' family jewels! 

A painful lesson learned!

It didn't take long for Jacob to become accustomed to his new rig. 

From a ride we took to see a cyclo cross race in 2014.

Jacob loved this bike. He continued to ask to go on adventures, night rides, and day trips while he still fit on the Mukluk. I ended up getting a different wheel set for it and eventually he graduated to flat bars as his reach increased with growth. 

He struggled a bit with the concept of a multi-speed crank set and rear cassette, but he began to figure this out. Once this occurred we had a lot more fun riding. 

 

At the Southern end of the Green Belt Trail system. 

The Mukluk opened up a whole new area for Jacob. We could ride off-road and even in the snow. I was really proud of his tenacity and will to go through more difficult terrain and longer distances. There were less tantrums and more fun times during this period. 

Snow was a challenge for Jacob to get through. 

Sub-zero wind chill and LOTS of ice here had us walking more than riding. I caught a LOT of grief for taking him on this ride!

My riding times with Jacob were really special to me, and they will always be a great memory. My daughter doesn't ride a bicycle. She never learned how to, or even wanted to learn. My wife has bad knees and is super busy all the time, so Jacob became my ridin' buddy in the family. I am really happy he wanted to do this with me. 

It could have been very different. Jacob could have hated bicycles and not want anything to do with me. I was blessed it wasn't this way. This is something I am especially grateful for to this day. 

Jacob really took to riding alleys. Guess he got that from me!

 

Jacob wasn't particularly in the mood here. It was hot, and the ride was long. 

Eventually Jacob was outgrowing the Mukluk. It would be time again to get him into something which would accommodate his growth. So, along about 2016, I came across a close-out Origin 8 Scout XLT fat bike frame. Meanwhile, Jacob's old Mukluk had a fork recall. I stuck on an Enabler fork on the bike while the stock fork was taken off. Once the new, carbon replacement fork arrived, I had a complete frame and fork for Jacob's new bike. I transferred over a lot of his old stuff, but I did also get a wheel set off of N.Y. Roll's Beargrease to use on the bike. This wheel set had green anodized Salsa hubs, so the bike was mostly flat black with green accents. It actually came out quite well. 

The Scout XLT right after I finished building it up. 

 

A visit to the Green Belt Lake with the Scout XLT in the foreground. 

By now Jacob was age 13 and growing up quickly. He was starting to find friends and wanting to do things with them. While our rides and adventures continued, they became fewer and further between. 

I recall one ride in the Green Belt when Jacob was about 14 or 15. He was getting bigger and stronger.We were working hard on some grassy stretch when I turned around to see he'd stopped and was fussing around with his bike. I rode back to find he had folded over his 1X chain ring! 

That turned into a long walk out of the woods. It also was one of our last bicycle adventures we went on. After I fixed the Scout, he started riding over to a friends house and spending time riding with another kid who was his age. It was all good. It was time for Jacob to make his own way. 

Those two used to ride quite a bit for a short period of time until his friend started driving. Once they got all turned around and ended up in Cedar Falls. I was actually kind of proud of them for figuring out how to get back home.  

One issue with the Scout XLT was that it was too nice. I would sternly advise Jacob anytime he went out for a ride on it not to allow it to sit unattended. Then when football practice demanded his time at odd hours, we had to find Jacob a bicycle he could use which wouldn't attract the "wrong" attention. Ironically this came in the form of the Sierra from the Xtra-cycle days. I took the Xtra-cycle attachment off, built up a heavy duty rear wheel, and sent Jacob off on that bike. This became his main form of transport and cycling then for several years until he started driving. 

The bike which Jacob ended up using as an adult was the front half of this cargo set up. 

 Once Jacob got into college and was driving he rarely took bicycle rides. Then he got his job as a CNC machinist and life took him in a different direction. Maybe he would have come back to cycling at some point in the future, I don't know. 

Never will know... 

 I do know he still wanted to spend time with me. Instead of riding we'd often go on walks. Spending time chatting and just being quiet together replaced the wind in our ears and pedaling. 

I also do know Jacob was looking for opportunities to get out in nature with me. He asked if we could go fishing a few weeks before he died. I told him if he got a license we'd go.  

It never happened.  

I am still really sad and I will miss Jacob sorely, but I am so blessed we got to be ridin' buddies for as long as we were. I learned a lot from Jacob during those times. How to be amazed at little things. How he saw nature and how he overcame his struggles with riding are all inspirations to this day. 

I miss my ridin' buddy......

A Special Tribute To A Ridin' Buddy: Part 1

I started writing more about the people I know from cycling last year.in these end-of-year posts  Usually these posts are about people I have ridden with, or knew through cycling. This year I wanted to dedicate a couple of special posts to one of those people. My "ridin' buddy". Obviously, he was much more than just a ridin' buddy, but I think you all will understand. As you may have guessed, this is about my son, Jacob Stevenson. He died August 2nd of this year due to unknown causes.  I wanted to share my times riding with Jacob and those memories with you all in these two special tribute posts. 

Jacob on the day he learned to ride his bike

I was blessed to have a child who wanted not only to spend time with his Dad, but liked bicycling. Well....mostly he liked bicycling. There were some tough times in there where he would get very frustrated and want to give up. 

I cannot recall when we purchased his first bicycle, but I do remember it was a Trek with 12" wheels and it also had training wheels on it, of course. Beyond this, I barely remember even having that bicycle around. I know he outgrew it fairly quickly though. 

His next bicycle was an all black 18"er of indeterminate branding. I cannot tell from my old images here what it was exactly, nor do I even remember it. Obviously it had training wheels to start out, but at around seven years old he learned to ride without the training wheels and it was "on" from this point. 

Maybe it was because he knew I went on stupid-long adventures by bicycle, or maybe he was just wired this way, but he loved to get me out on the bicycle and go somewhere. Anywhere. One time, when he was around seven or eight, both Mrs. Guitar Ted and my daughter went shopping. Jacob then realizing it would just be us guys piped up and said to me, ""Dad, let's go! Adventure awaits us! If we don't go now, adventure won't wait."

Sometimes his clarity and directness was astounding for a kid his age. And yes - I went on that adventure on that particular day along with several other days as well. 

When Jacob was young he would often ask for rides on this "two-seat bike", as he called it. Image by Mrs. Guitar Ted

When Jacob was young, all the way up to his graduating from 5th grade, he would often ask for rides on the "two-seat bike", as he referred to my Xtra-cycle Schwinn Sierra. He caught on pretty quickly to the fact I could ride a lot further than he could at the time. So, Jacob would sit back there and goad me into riding further and to places he hadn't been to in Waterloo by bicycle. 

This ended when he got around on his own bike well enough I could convince him to ride his own bicycle, but he still insisted that I pick him up from school with this rig right through his 5th grade year. I recall on his last day of 5th grade picking him up and telling him he'd better remember this ride because it wasn't going to happen ever again. 

I probably said that more for myself than I did for him, if I am being honest. 
 

Jacob, his new Mongoose, and family friend Dee Dee who gifted it to him on his eighth birthday.

Jacob's next bike was a 20" single speed Mongoose department store bike which our family friend at the time bought him for his birthday. She did this without consulting my wife or myself, seeing as it was to be a surprise and all. 

Well, that it was. Not a good one either. This sort of bicycle is really not what kids need. Heavy, weird, twitchy geometry, and over-geared. Jacob had a really hard time keeping up on rides especially if there was anything resembling a hill. He'd pitch a huge fit, throw his bike down and refuse to go anywhere. It was almost as if a mule had possessed my son at times! 

We worked through it, but that bike! It was the one Jacob crashed on and the handle bar end punctured a hole in his pelvic area just below the belt line. Even though handle bar plugs were in place, it pushed a quarter-sized hole there with a flap of skin attached with a fair layer of fat underneath like the lid of a half open can of tuna. 

I had him pull his pants down so I could determine what was hurting him and when he saw the wound he blurted out through his tears, "Is that my guts coming out!"I literally had to turn my head away from him to choke back my laughter. Of course, he was traumatized and it was a serious thing, but that moment was really funny to me. He ended up with a few stitches and was fine in the end. But that bike!

A new bike for Jacob's 9th birthday.

I determined Jacob needed to get off that 20" Mongoose and get a decent bike he could actually have fun on. So, since I worked at a Trek dealership, I got him a 24" wheeled Trek MT-200. A seven speed bike which was much lighter, easier to ride due to this and its geometry, and one which would serve him well for several years. 

I do have to tip my hat still to this day to Jacob because he found a needy kid in our neighborhood who wanted a bicycle badly. Jacob asked if we could give the old Mongoose bike to him, and I was proud to help him do this. So, the Mongoose went to a good place in the end. 

Night riding was one of Jacob's favorite things to do on a bicycle. 

 

Once Jacob was accustomed to his new bike we went further afield. 

During this time I was able to accommodate Jacob with gear like backpacks, gloves, and different saddles and grips to keep him happy and wanting to ride. His worldview was becoming larger. At one point, not long after he got the new Trek, he was remarking on the geared drive train and what it could do. He stated, "Dad, this can go up hills with these gears. It's a "hill bike"! I said, " Yeah, it is. Well, actually it is a mountain bike." To which he gasped at, then said, "I could go up a mountain?!" 

It's an amazing thing to live life through the eyes of a child.  

Sometimes we pushed the limits of those 24" wheels!

This was the start of many rides with my son which were a lot of fun. I was pushing him to go further afield and try new things, and he responded pretty well. There were times he was extremely frustrated with me, but a few days would pass and he'd ask to go on another ride. So, he kept at it, and I kept accepting his invitations to go on these adventures whenever he wanted to go. 

Gettin'aero!

 

Here he said "This bike isn't strong enough" for the rough grass. LOL!

That Trek MT-200 was an awesome bike, but it was becoming apparent Jacob was frustrated by its limitations and he was getting to a point where he was going to need a new bike soon. I had some ideas, but this was going to be a really big deal, and it took quite a bit to pull it all together. 

Jacob's one and only gravel ride. It was nearly a disaster!

 

Jacob took the opportunity to ride through puddles whenever he could.

The plan was to get a new Salsa Mukluk frame and fork in a size Xtra-small. Juuuust small enough that I could make Jacob work on it. This was going to be a huge challenge as I did not want to tip Jacob off on this birthday/Christmas gift. This bike would also be kind of a demarcation line between his early cycling days and his latter ones. So, with seeing the story this far, I will break for now and Part 2 will pick up the story with the Mukluk.  Click HERE for Part 2

Rear View 2025: Summer

 Hello! it's time again to review the year on Guitar Ted Productions. The "Rear View" has been a staple of the blog since almost the very beginning. This year will feature  five Rear View posts looking back on   End of Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, and  Beginning of Winter. I'll also have a post looking ahead at 2026. Enjoy the look back and thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

The Summer was a contrast of high and low. The high started out in July with the recapping of the Tree In The Road Ride. The trip to Atlantic was a memorable one and a chance to reconnect with dear friends. 

Then I had a pretty nice 4th of July ride with a decently long course. I was able to get out one other time after this in about three weeks though because the weather pattern went hot, windy, and rainy. The bad days seemed to always fall on days I could ride, so I was a bit on the frustrated side during the latter half of the month. So much so I posted about being happy July was going away. Man..... Hindsight is 20 - 20, they say. I'd take that post back in a heartbeat today. 

During July I started a project which used my old Singular Cycles Buzzard hard tail trail bike. I replaced the front wheel to a rear single speed hub and used my old Ti Muk 1's steel Salsa Enabler fork to make an odd wheel-swappable bike for bike packing. 

It turned out really well, but like every other year, I never actually went anywhere to use it. I know it sounds like a broken record to you long-time blog readers, but I have that route ready for a two-day gravel bikepacking outing, and I still intend on doing it. 

The last image I took of my son. 7/25/25

Of course, losing your only son with no warning and no reason found for his death was devastating. This changed everything after August 2nd, 2025.

I could say a lot of things here, and I have already said a lot of things here on these digital pages. I am torn as to how much I should write here about the death of Jacob and how it has affected me. What I am not hesitant to write about and share here is how several people have come through and supported me through this time. 

Many of you dear readers are amongst this number of people who have done over and above anything I could have imagined. Kind words, gestures, and more have been consistently received here since August's tragedy in my life. I appreciate each and every thought, prayer, kind words,shared, and more. 

I guess there are a few folks out there having a hard time "reading me" and how I am actually doing here. I just want to address this by saying there are days of tears..still. There are days of being just "okay". I laugh. I enjoy riding bicycles. I cherish friends and family maybe a bit more these days. I lean on my Faith, I pray a lot more. There is a lot of heartache and pain, but there also have been plenty of amazing experiences right alongside of those painful emotions and memories. It's weird, and I don't know how to fully express what I feel and am going through. 

So, that is how I am doing. 
 

In honor of my son, I did a ride in late August I dubbed "The Ride For Jacob". I usually go for one long ride in the Summer which I had always called "The Death Ride" because I would ride until I was about dead. In light of what had recently happened this name did not seem right. So, I renamed it "Ride For Jacob" and this will be how I name this ride going forward. 

Anyway, it turned out to be the longest ride I will get done in 2025. A metric century. A healing ride. A way to honor my son and the man he turned out to be. 

I used the old Gen I Fargo for this ride. I also had 180mm long cranks on it! I made it through with no issues, really, but I did learn I prefer shorter cranks than 180mm. 

Otherwise the Fargo was stellar, Even with that heavy wheel set and thick Surly Extraterrestrial 29 x 2.5" tires. I won't lie, I was cooked after the effort, and a lighter wheel set with lighter tires probably would have been better, but I was fine and the tires did soak up a lot of gravel vibrations. This will be the bike for the upcoming L.O.G. Ride in April next year, and I may have to build that lighter wheel set before I take off for the Flint Hills where there will be a LOT more elevation! 

 Next up in the Rear View will be the months of September and October. Look for the next Rear View 2025 in a week from now. Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Escaping

Was Friday the last 60+ degree day of 2025? 

I sat in the house after lunch thinking about whether or not I should go out for a ride on my new Peregrine. I knew it was windy, but it was about 60°F, and very likely could be the last day of 2025 like this. The leaves on the trees were at their peak of Fall colors and were just starting to come down. It would be a great day to get out!

But I was conflicted. Why? 

I thought about how I had planned out on Thursday to take the new-to-me 4Runner and load up the Peregrine to go out to the edge of town and hit the countryside gravel roads, like I used to when I had my old Toyota truck. But when push came to shove, I couldn't find the motivation to do this and it was paralyzing me. 

See, I have the 4Runner only because it was my son's. Jacob died in August and had he still been with us, I would still not have a vehicle. This was how things were supposed to work out. I'm not supposed to have a vehicle now. 

So, yeah..... It's difficult for me to get over this hurdle. 

I did actually get out for that ride though. I didn't go far and I only rode for an hour, but I got out. I escaped the "prison". For me, right now, that is a victory. 

Thanks For Checking In

 I wanted to take a bit of space here to address something I feel needs to be addressed. Many of you are aware of what happened in early August when my son, Jacob died unexpectedly. Losing a son for reasons unknown is unusual, I know, and this has been something not only hard on me, obviously, but it has been difficult for many of you. Maybe "uncomfortable" is a better way to put this. At any rate, I have been getting questions about how I am doing, and if there is anything someone can do for a person in a situation as I find myself in. Additionally, I need to acknowledge something which has been happening lately as well. First: how I am doing....

There is really no way to tell you how I am other than to state the facts. I miss Jacob.  I struggle at times. Lately I have been encouraged by having days when I don't cry. Sometimes two in a row, but this is rare. I find I am most prone to being sad and feel deep grief when I am alone. So, I try not to be alone. But this isn't always possible. Ironically, I am fine if I am riding a bicycle alone. Mostly..... 

This leads me to my second, and most important point for me today and that is to acknowledge those of you who have taken on the task of being someone who checks in with me on a somewhat regular basis. There are several of you who have been doing this, and let me tell you - it means a LOT to me that you are doing this. I was contacted by phone or via messages by three different people on Saturday, when my wife and daughter were out of town. These folks did not know I was alone, but I needed those calls and messages. Thank you for those. 

It is but one example of how these people, and others, who are sending messages and calls are so encouraging and timely for myself. But I also need to acknowledge others here. You folks who pray, think about me, or will in the future. I "feel" this as well. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Yes....it matters. 

Finally, I want to encourage all of you. You may be reading this with a bit of detachment. This maybe seems unreal to you, or so unneeded in your life right now that the significance of a call, text, or prayer are lost on you. Can I encourage you and say you may want to just reach out to someone who has been on your mind?  There is a reason for this, and maybe you will be that person who calls or messages just at the right time. You'll never know unless you take a chance....

And you also never know if you'll be the one, who like me, really needs those encouragements someday. Thank you for reading this. I hope you find some things here to think about and take action on, not for me, necessarily, but for all of us. We need each other. 

Back to more bicycle stuff tomorrow.  

Closure

 Note: This post is a follow-up for all those who were concerned about the death of my son, Jacob Stevenson, on August 2nd, 2025. If this is news to you as you read this, I am sorry for this, but for everyone else, I felt answers were being looked for, and this post is here to provide some closure.

 Okay, so as many of you know, this death was unexpected and, maybe more importantly, unexplained. When someone this young (22 yrs old in this case) dies there is a curiosity and need for "a reason". This extends to the official account needed by our medical and government officials. This also affects the closure of accounts and such financials, as you might imagine, which are important in a secondary realm. 

Because of all these reasons, an autopsy was performed immediately afterward which showed no obvious conclusions for Jacob's death. So there were samples taken and sent off to laboratories for further examination and tests including genetic and toxicology testing. These things take time, but last Saturday we received the results of all the testing and an official end to this part of our dealing with our son's death. 

The results showed Jacob died of "natural causes".   

In other words, there was no explanation for "why he died". 

We were prepared for this answer and while it is difficult, we now can rest. Rest in the fact of there being no reasons for us to believe we did not do something we should have while raising him. Something which may have been missed by us in our living with and taking care of Jacob throughout the years we had him in our lives. We also know Jacob was not doing anything to endanger himself, nor was there any medically related issue which can be pinpointed for his death. I hope this also answers some of those who were concerned about Jacob's death and concerned about us here afterward dealing with it all. 

Of course, the "why" of it all is left hanging. Sometimes we as humans have to accept we cannot, and will not ever know why some things happen. You may deal with this fact of life in several ways. We here have our Faith and we lean heavily into that. For those of you who pray, know we have felt this and appreciate each and every one of you who did, and may still be, praying for us.  

We also want to thank all of those who have reached out, and still do, to see how we are doing and all of you who have contributed to our family in any way in the last month or so. You are all greatly appreciated. 

Now that this chapter is closed I will move onward to my regular postings, but I wanted to make sure these things were communicated and I hope this brings those who had questions about Jacob's death some closure.  

Coutry Views: Starting Down The Long Road

Escape Route: Sergeant Road Trail

 It had been awhile since I had been out in the country again. Everything that has been going on since our son's death has been eating into time I'd take to ride. And anyway, I felt it would have been incredibly selfish of me to not spend the bereavement time off my wife had with her. Not to mention my daughter.

So, I was okay with just getting a few short urban rides in and with my riding to work three days a week. But on Saturday, my wife could feel that I needed to ride again, and so on Sunday afternoon I dared to take a short ride out into the country. 

Also, it was very hot. I saw it reached 92°F and with the humidity it felt like something in the low 100's. The strong Southeast wind took a bit of the edge off, unless you were going South or East up a hill. Then it was terribly hot! It probably didn't help that I was riding a single speed. But I was, and the Honeman Flyer has endeared itself to me to the point which I find it hard to choose another of my bicycles.

 

The heat was brutal. I tried to take it easy on the front end of the ride so I would maybe keep the kettle from boiling over. I was probably on the right track, but when I reached the "usual rest stop" on Aker Road, I stood and contemplated my options. Since I was pretty overheated already by this point I made the choice to cut back over to Washburn Road and head back toward town. 

Besides, this wasn't about making big miles, training for an event, or evaluating a component. This was for me. I needed to process some feelings and think through some stuff. This ride provided just enough solitude to get me to that place where I can do those things. 

Then there was a storm brewing in the West which began to concern me. By the time I was getting close to town again I could hear the distant rumble of thunder. I stopped for a minute or two in the shade of a tree and checked the radar. Yep! Headed straight for me. 

So, it was good that I had decided to head back when I did. And yes- I beat the rain handily. I think I got one drop on me right as I turned the corner to the house. Fifteen minutes later it was pouring rain.

I was glad I was able to get the ride in. It is only the beginning. The first of many rides I am sure I will need to take in the future to think some stuff through. I know I am very blessed to be able to ride a bicycle and do these things.