A Time To Remember
The last few days my thoughts have been about Riney Bieser, a good friend and fellow cyclist who passed away recently, a name many cyclists will know from our bicycle tours. Since I don’t believe in chronological age I never inquired about Riney’s age other than to think “this guy will be riding forever.” Not a fast cyclist nor a slow cyclist, he was one you would enjoy cycling along side of. He would let you do all the talking.
My first memory of this unassuming guy was of him coming into my store about thirty years ago looking for a bicycle. Having recently retired he wanted something to do. Over the years his interest in cycling grew; whenever we would have a day tour he was the first to volunteer to do a water stop, help with registration, or stop to help fellow cyclists. Our tour director Don Lewis tells the story of Riney once stopped to give encouragement to a cyclist who obviously had gone too far. Riney flagged down Don and suggested he go back and pick up this cyclist with the van. The comment by the cyclist when he got into the van was, “who was that guy, I wish I could cycle like him.” Obviously, Riney was quite a bit his senior. Once during a tour of Germany, during our morning group meeting I asked Riney “where’s our mechanic?” Riney and the mechanic were sharing a room. Riney hemmed and hawed but never would divulge that the guy had stayed up all night and was still asleep. He used every excuse he could think of to justify his roommate not being there.
One of my favorite memories is from a tour of France. Riney, Joan Taylor and I were on the road cycling into Luxembourg on a very hot day. About thirty kilometers from Luxembourg, out of water and getting late in the day, Joan wanted to quit and could not go any further. She insisted we go on, but Riney said he would stay with her. After a lot of discussion between the two of them and as I got ready to leave, low and behold, Joan got back on her bike and we proceeded to Luxembourg. I never knew what words of persuasion Riney used but they worked.
In all the years I knew him I never heard Riney raise his voice, but in his quite unassuming way he was an inspiration to many of us. His favorite tour was the week long Katy Trail tour that he did with us for six consecutive years. He liked to bring up the rear in case someone had a mechanical or other problem. On the last of those six tours he complained about pain in his leg. This condition ended up with him in the hospital and eventually led to the loss of part of one of his legs.
Most of us would have given up cycling at this point, but Riney changed his bicycle for a recumbent tricycle and continued to ride. One day he related the story to me how he was out riding on a trail near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers on a gravel trail. He hit a rough spot and fell, with the bicycle going one way and him the other. Eventually he gathered everything together and made it back to his truck. His comment was “maybe I will have to get someone to ride with me.” Courage comes in many ways and many forms; Riney during his last few years had to be the most courageous person I have had the privilege to know. He was not deterred by the loss of his leg, but continued to come around and have a cup of coffee and talk about cycling. He also did not stop contributing as a volunteer at Christian Northwest Hospital one day a week, where he helped other people who had lost a limb.
Many of the people reading this will also have fond memories of Riney and the many rides and adventures we had together. Riney will be missed.
Donald N. Humphries