Having joined the list a just a month before the 2001 Cirque I looked forward to it with great anticipation. In checking posts one day I saw a member offering anyone coming in a place to stay to shorten there drive on the way to Greensboro. This person was Mike Richardson. I took him up on his offer. Upon arriving at his house he introduced me to his wife Mary and Joe Bender, who also was staying Friday night. We checked out his bikes, one of which was off the rack for the next days ride, it was a Richard Sachs. We talked about cycling in general and our backgrounds with the sport. This is when I learned of his involvement with cycling. He touched on his time spent as a team mechanic at the Coors Classic, his racing experience and his relationship with Dale. He related various cycling stories one of which when Mary was the first woman to complete the Assault on Mount Mitchell. I noticed that the house they lived in was fairly new and there were very few wall hangings. I mentioned we too had just moved into a new home and have yet to cover the walls with photos and such. Mike said they had lived there for three years and that their priorities were riding and the house could wait. A man after my own heart.
The next morning we headed off to Greensboro and the Cirque.
Anyone who has competed at a high level of competition and has spent many years working on bikes can see and tell many things about a person and his bike just by looking and observing. In seeing Mikes bikes and in particular the Sachs he was going to ride at the Cirque my first impression was he knows how to set a bike up. You notice how the sewups are glued on, the brake calipers are centered, the handlebars and tape job, the saddle tilt or lack of, the brake housing lengths and just the overall appearance and balance, if you will, of the bike in general. Now all of this can be blown down the tubes if the person gets on the bike and it squeaks and chirps when the owner gets on the bike. Mikes got on the bike and within a couple of pedals strokes you knew the bike was tuned and he could ride.
I didnt get to see a lot of Mike the rest of the weekend as he was busy helping Dale with setup and anything he could do to make the weekend a success.
This year when I arrived at Cycles DeOre Mike was one of the first folks I saw that I knew. We were at the counter in the shop talking about the weekend, bikes a various other things when Dale asked for some help. We both grabbed some things and took them out to the box trailer. Mike jumped in the trailer as myself, Ken Toda and others handed Mike what ever we had in hand to find a spot in the box. I took the wheels of a chrome Colnago and two Litespeeds and then handed each of the bike to Mike to strap to the walls of the trailer for safe travel. After the task was complete Mike thanked us and that was the last time I saw of him.
May God bless you Mike, we will miss you!