The 2013 Winners

The Mark Bosworth Fund was set up to sponsor one rider in the Cycle Oregon week-long ride every year. At the Cycle Oregon Kick Off, a generous man was so impressed with what we were doing, he pledged on the spot to fund a second rider this first year! When the board came to evaluating the applicants, we identified four top candidates, two of which could be alternates in the event one or both of the top two could not commit to the ride.

Those first two joyfully accepted their riderships: Jeffery Clinton (Oregon) and Kayla Andersen (Colorado).

Later this Spring, another amazing thing happened. The Community Cycling Center (CCC) held a raffle for two Cycle Oregon tickets. The winner of the raffle donated the tickets back to the CCC, which then auctioned them to raise more funds. The winner of the auction asked if The Mark Bosworth Fund could pass them on to deserving riders so it looked like the MBF would have four riders in Cycle Oregon 2013!

So, at that point we were pleased and happy to offer riderships to our alternates: Lodru Dawa and Carey Hilbert. Carey (Eugene) and Lodru (St Helens) agreed, Unfortunately, Lodru Dawa suffered an injury before the ride, and so his ticket to ride was used by the new head of the CCC!

Here are the MBF Riders for 2013 with members of the Mark Bosworth Fund board in Seneca on Day 6:

From left to right: Mark's brother Eric, Mark's daughter Kelly, Mark's wife Julie, rider Carey, rider Kayla, rider Jeffery, Mark's daughter Claire, and board member Ingrid Nylen. Not pictured: Board member John Miller who was ahead in John Day as a first time volunteer on Site Team A! Photo by Greg Lee.

What follows was added to this web page after the Awards were made in Spring 2013.

Kayla Andersen

In awarding Kayla's ridership: We were drawn to your positive spirit, your sense of adventure, and your emotional relationship with bike riding after your brother's accident.

Kayla wrote a story of applying for and receiving the award. [Read Kayla's story.]

Jeffery Clinton

In awarding Jeffery's ridership: We were drawn to your love of cycling, your humility, your desire to set an example for your daughter, and your deep connection to the story of Mark's disappearance.

Carey Hilbert

I am so thrilled (a little scared) and very honored to receive one of the Mark Bosworth scholarships to attend the 2013 Cycle Oregon. My thanks to all those who make this possible, and I hope to honor Mark, his family, my brother and all those who lives have been inspired by the "experience of the bike". My early adult biking experiences mostly consisted of commuting around Eugene or an occasional 20 mile ride — bike paths, flatlands only, no way hills. But I definitely enjoyed the feeling it gave me, and found myself drawn to it.

In August 1998, at the age of 55, my eldest brother, Larry, who was an avid cyclist, was killed by a motorist as he rode his bike from his home to a group ride in Long Beach, CA. He was incredibly fit and loved cycling and I was impressed and inspired by his commitment to riding. The shock and loss deeply affected my family, and we struggled between anger, grief, and wanting to keep his memory alive. The following summer, I signed up for a Bicycle Adventures trip through the San Juan Islands. It had three things I craved — travel, camping and biking. I didn't train - I had hardly ever climbed a hill and avoided them for the most part. On this trip, as we disembarked a ferry, we often had to head straight up a good sized hill, or make a very long climb to our final campsite. I discovered the grueling challenge of the climb and the incredible sense of accomplishment in completing it, and the joy of spending hours touring on my bike. I was absolutely hooked. I found that when I rode, I felt connected to my brother and his passion for the bike.

About 7 years ago, a dear friend and colleague's 17 year-old daughter was killed by a hit-and-run motorist in Corvallis, OR while riding her bike home from work. And about the same time, an OSU faculty member was killed on one of the routes I was riding. Over the years, as my rides have gotten longer and more challenging, there are days when the memory of my brother's and these two women's deaths, unsettle me and create anxiety. On those days in particular, I call on my brother to watch over me and the drivers who encounter me.

Last year, only 12 weeks after shoulder surgery and being released to start riding again, I was able to complete both long rides on the Cycle Oregon Weekend ride. I was on such an incredible high! I could never imagine being able to do 75 — 90 miles a day for several days in a row. The idea really still daunts me, but at 57, I want to be able to experience this, honor my brother's memory and channel his passion, and face the challenge. I know this is something we would actually have done together by now if he were alive.

I want my nephews, nieces, and great-nephews and nieces to be a bit in awe of this older woman riding a few hundred miles in a week and inspire them to be active throughout their lives, to set goals and meet life's challenges. As I get older, I am determined to stay as active and fit as possible. I am looking forward to my first C.O. week, telling our stories of daily triumphs or foibles and creating indelible memories.

Lodru Dawa

Buddhist Monk. Recumbent bicyclist. Quote: I think what I bring to Cycle Oregon compliments Mark Bosworth who struggled with health problems but continued helping and offering service until his last day.

This just in... Lodru has an injury and won't be able to ride! Oh No.

We are Proud

We are proud to award riderships to Kayla, Jeffery, Lodru, and Carey in our very first year of honoring Mark Bosworth with this grant fund.

You can support the Mark Bosworth Fund by visiting our donation page... [LINK]. Thanks!