the first annual adventure

First off, apologies to friends that are close to this story, but I'm going to start from the 'beginning' to catch up my family and other friends that read my blog... We went for a wonderful ride on the Katy Trail this weekend... a first annual ride, in memory of my friend June who died early this summer after a brief battle against a brain tumor. Confronting a struggle that she took on with more courage and grace than the situation deserved, she taught us all some incredible lessons along the way.
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June was an avid cyclist and wonderful friend. It was June who got me into cycling more than ten years ago. She was diagnosed with a stage four glioblastoma last November, and ended her struggle about three months ago. In her honor, a group of friends and family pooled resources to donate a mile and a bench in her honor on the Katy Trail. More images follow... but first LUNCH at Nita's in Windsor, Missouri.
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We all converged at Fern's Bed and Breakfast in Windsor between 11:00 and 12:00 Saturday morning. We had the whole house to ourselves, as our hosts Fern and Floyd (aka Buzz) actually live next door. When we were all there and unloaded, we readied our bicycles and headed over to Nita's Place for lunch. Below, a picture of Jenn capuring the action...
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We hit the trail, and headed west for about five miles to get to June Marie's Mystical Mile - Mile 253 on the trail. The Katy Trail is actually an old rail bed of about 227 miles from Clinton Missouri on the Kansas City end - to St. Charles Missouri on the St. Louis end.

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There were ten of us on bikes, although only eight in the image below. I think that both Jim and I were taking photos!

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One of June's favorite sayings was "It's all about the love..." Below, it is inscribed on the plaque attached to the bench...

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Empty bench...

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Full bench! Our cycling entourage included two of June's brothers, her sister-in-law, a friend from Dallas, and assorted girlfriends... some with their husbands/ others.

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Below, another friend - Patrick - drove from Kansas City to Calhoun, where he walked east from the trailhead to meet us at the other end of June's mile.

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One of my favorite images of the day is below... I don't think that Beth and Gary even knew that I took this picture! A bit seat-weary, perhaps, notice them both standing!

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For Sunday morning breakfast, it was back to Nitas. Isn't the blue sky just picture perfect?!

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A picnic breakfast... Nita started serving fried chicken at 10:30 in the morning!

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A parting shot... the back of Jenn's vehicle on the way back into Kansas City...

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This is to be an annual ride in honor of June... the fourth weekend in October. Until next year...