What activity can a grieving family do to ease the pain? Engage in the therapeutic activity of rolling up your sleeves, getting a little muddy, and building some single-track mountain bike trails.
We called the loop the Don Finkel Eagle Wing Memorial Loop. Although our trail was only about an 8th of a mile long it packed in some challenging tight turns, two log crossings, and a rock garden.
Throughout my cycling tenure I’d like to think I’ve done some pretty cool things and created some really rich memories that I will carry with me the rest of my life. Undoubtedly this experience ranks as one of my top. There was no prize money, no illustrious sea of the finest equipment on the market, we weren’t in the most conducive environment for mountain biking, and we severely lacked the most optimal tools for trail building. However, what we did have was the child-like will to create something amazing that we can call our own and dedicate to someone whom we all loved with all of our being; someone who had influenced us positively throughout his entire life and continues to even after.
The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, the dirt was not too wet or dry, and we all realized that although we are hurting, we were making something special happen that meant so much more to us than simply making a trail to ride our bikes on.
I can vividly recall one very gratifying instant when we had just finished the trail and the boys and I were riding it to work it in while the rest of the family was sitting in the sun at the trail head. My oldest nephew who is suffering the loss of losing his father exclaimed with genuine innocent enthusiasm, “This trail is AWESOME! This is all really working out really great, I love this trail”.
My brother always told his kids to savor and value every second, because you can never go back to this moment. I’ll always cherish every second of this day and I have a feeling that the rest of my family will to.
I look forward to building more sections of the Eagle Wing Loop in the months and years to come.
