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Mike Harding—In Memoriam

Sat, December 21, 2013 3:47 PM | Michael Khaw (Administrator)
Mike Harding was one of the Hills R Us leaders and until early 2013 a regular on the Hills R Us rides. He was also Western Wheelers club President in 1984, Sequoia Chair 1975–1978, was active in bike advocacy in San Mateo County and completed the Davis Double Century 30 times!

He started to slow down in 2013, to the extent that he felt he had to give up riding Hills R Us. Unfortunately, he was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and it got the better of him. He passed away Saturday December 14, 2013.

We’ll remember him as a soft-spoken yet firm gentleman with his impeccable handlebar mustache and his trusty white Kestrel—one of the first production carbon road bikes.

Comments

  • Sat, December 21, 2013 10:03 PM | Anonymous member
    Mike was one of the key guys who got me started in HillsRUs. I have so many fond memories:

    Climbing Hwy 9 and Mike telling stories of his high school chem teacher blowing up stuff to entertain and to teach.

    Mike riding down hwy 17 standing with a broken seat post and refusing to take my cell phone - "he would make is just fine. And he did."

    Riding up Page Mill and getting caught in a heavy rain -- we all turned around but not Mike. He never let a little rain (or snow) bother him.

    Trying to convince me to chair the Sequoia start-finish (5AM to 8 PM) which he had done for many years - it took Alex Lew and me to convince him that no single person is strong enough to run the show for 15 hours.

    His many stories about obscure roads in the Santa Cruz mountains that we should all check out.

    A scary story about doing Mt Ham in December when it was snowing, he flatted and his hands were too cold to change the tire - yet he made it home on his own.

    The list could go on forever. I will miss him!
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    • Mon, December 30, 2013 10:56 PM | Anonymous member
      Mike taught me to run the Sequoia start site, but I couldn't possibly do all 4 shifts as he did. I think it was a challenge for him to train me, but I try to "be like Mike" because I recognized his wisdom. The description of him as a "soft-spoken yet firm gentleman" is right on target. Several years after taking over the start site, I still feel like I'm still just filling in for Mike.
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