Trek honors Gilbert cyclist

Cycling was always a passion for Wesley Carnes. The Gilbert resident rode around Valley streets and was a member of an East Valley cycling club for some 15 years. But his wife, Leticia, always worried about her husband and wanted him to find a safer hobby.

That concern turned into a reality when Carnes, 49, died Oct. 20 when an impaired motorist clipped his bicycle near Lindsay and Baseline roads in Gilbert.

The Red Mountain Brumbys Cycling Club organized the Ride of Honor, a 10-mile bike ride Saturday morning to raise awareness of traffic safety among cyclists and motorists.

“When someone suffers, we all suffer,” said Sterling Baer, leader of the Red Mountain club that included Carnes for many years.

“We wanted to make a statement about safety and unite the cycling community to educate the public.”

About 600 cyclists from all over the state gathered for the event that started at Focus Cyclery in Gilbert and ended at Mike’s Bike Chalet in Mesa.

Carnes’ widow said her husband often stopped to help cyclists along the roadways, and that the club represented those same family values.

“This is very overwhelming,” Leticia Carnes said. “You’d never meet a greater bunch of people. It’s amazing.”

Mike Conboy of Apache Junction knows all too well that the roads aren’t as safe as they could be.

Conboy said his bicycle was hit by a pickup while he was riding along University Drive near Power Road earlier this year. “My bike was lodged sideways between the back fenders,” he said. “The back tires almost ran me over.”

Dale Hall, 45, of Scottsdale is a member of Titus Cycling. He said he tries to take alternate routes to avoid busy streets.

“I’ll take my chances with a cactus rather than a car,” Hall said. “But I think it’s important for people to realize that we’re out here, too.”

Baer plans to organize similar rides to increase awareness and reduce the number of injuries and fatalities along Valley streets. The group has also created a memorial fund in Carnes’ name.

Carnes’ widow hopes that these awareness rides aren’t a waste. “I hope people will realize — and things like this will really make a difference,” she said.

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For more information on the Wesley Carnes Memorial Fund, visit www.azbrumbys.com

Safety tips for cyclists

• Wear bright or fluorescent colors.

• Wear a helmet

• Ride as far to the right as possible, but two to three feet from the edge of the road to put yourself in the vision of motorists to give them time and room to avoid you.

• Bicycles must have at least one reflector. If riding at night, bicycles must have one white front light that can be seen from 500 feet.

• A cyclist and a motorist cannot share the same lane.

• Cyclists cannot run stop signs or red lights.

• For information, visit www.azbikelaw.org.

SOURCE: Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists