I don't usually post, am mostly a lurker, but I wanted/needed to share this. This has touched my family and the cycling community deeply.

A 17 year old girl driving a Ford Explorer struck 2 cyclists yesterday at 12:30, killing one instantly and severly injuring the other.

This happened about 1 mile from our house, on a road DH and I ride all the time. The weather was perfect, around 70, CLEAR and sunny. Although it is a highway they were riding on, it has no blind curves or hills and traffic is quite light.They were riding single file and had bright colored cycling gear on. There was no reason for this to happen!

We had taken our Granddaughter to the park, and saw the two cyclists climbing the last hill before they turn onto the highway that the 'accident' happened on. We commented on them (as we do whenever we pass cyclists) and didn't think anything else about it until we heard the news.

I am having a hard time digesting this. I am so ANGRY at the driver. I know it isn't right because I don't know the story, but I am convinced she was talking on her cell phone or something and that she was a spoiled rich kid because of where she lived. I have this feeling that she is going to get sympathy. You know, poor girl, she is so young and has to live with this for the rest of her life, yadda yadda yadda and that the cyclists will be forgotten. No charges have been filed at this time.

Sorry this is so long. I just needed to vent to folks who would understand. Please keep the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers today.

Julie