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Lauren and Jay remind me that the world is a kind and loving place. They pulled me out of a funk, back onto my bike and inspired me to get out into the world to remind myself of the love and kindness that dominates. They were right, the world is full of love and joy and kindness. It’s full of people who will go out of their way to help a stranger, sometimes at great personal expense. Unfortunately, I was too, that there was darkness and evil and they tragically learned this.

I got to know Jay through cycling even though we never rode together. He wanted to see the world on his own terms. Most of my relationship with Jay was centered on our shared curiosity of the world and questioning social norms. I remember the time he ran to dinner and we had a nice conversation about the benefits of casual running as transportation. It was the first time I had met someone else who saw everything as a new way of exploring the world. I love that he pushed Lauren to explore the world, but also that he took care of her along the way, nurturing her into an explorer and world traveler in her own right.

When I first learned of Lauren’s passing, it occurred to me that she was the person that I would turn to in a situation like this. She was always there to comfort and console, possibly the kindest person I’ve had the privilege of knowing. She was that friend who could tell when something was wrong, no matter how good a job I thought I did to conceal it. She was the shoulder I cried on many times and I wish she was here for me to cry on again. She somehow pulled out nearly all my dirty secrets despite being on the opposite coast but she never judged and always offered to help me out of whatever trouble I found myself in.

I remember when she first told me about Jay. It was when I returned fron my Asian adventure in the back of the upper level at Brass Monkey in Adams Morgan. He was about to ride his scooter across America. I could tell then that she was intrigued by the idea of leaving her stable life to explore. That night we talked about adventure and coming home again. It was a conversation we’d have several times over the next several years, growing in complexity as we each went on our separate adventures and returned home.

I was so proud when she told me she bought her first bike back in DC. Bicycles are a tool of liberation and, from afar, I saw bikes transform her into an urban explorer, an Icelandic explorer, and ultimately a citizen of the world. I had planned to ride with her, tried to mesh the spontaneous life of the road warrior with the scheduled life of a desk jockey. She didn’t know where they would be over Thanksgiving, that we should check in closer to when I’d like to join them. Jay suggested I leave then and join them in Central Asia. None of us could have foreseen that they wouldn’t be here this Thanksgiving.

Not only did I lose two dear friends, I lost two members of my bike touring community. Anyone who has ever left the house on their bike has felt the dangers of cars on the road. Anyone who has spent the night hidden off the side of the road knows the panic that sets in when you hear a twig snap. We remind ourselves that people are good and the odds of anything bad happening are astronomically low. To find a comforting face and a safe place to sleep can mean the world. Inspired by Lauren and Jay’s trip and the kindness they were shown along the way, I opened my home to traveling cyclists. Along with a few other friends, they were my first houseguests when I moved to San Francisco where they provided me with the comfort and safety of friendship in a new city where I was still trying to find my way.

Following their example, a year or so ago I got back on my bike and began to see the good in the world again. Today was my first day back on the bike after getting the news. As I rode through the woods around Whistler tears streamed down my face. Now, as I’m camped out on the beach curled up next to my bike, I once again remind myself that the odds of anything bad happening are astronomically low. I know that I can’t allow this act of evil to stop anyone from exploring and experiencing the grandeur of the world.

Bike travelers often have a book full of tales about how people are kind, the world is a magnificent place, and that people are better off for having spent some time getting to know communities in a way that’s uniquely possible to do on a bike. Through their trip Lauren and Jay reminded us that the world is full of good people and that only by opening yourself to the dangers of the world are you able to fully embrace the good.

It still doesn’t feel real. I sometimes think that I’ve made this all up and that they’re off cycling somewhere without internet. I like to think they are busy exploring heaven, bringing joy to so many new souls and watching over those of us who are still on the road. The world is a brighter place because of them. Rest in peace.

To read up on the last year of Lauren and Jay’s adventure, click here.