Back around 2005, I took the League of American Bicyclists League Cycling Instructor class and became a newly minted LCI. The rider/coaches were Preston Tyree and Fred Meredith. Today I assisted with this weekend's LCI training class in Santa Fe, where one of the Houston based rider/coaches informed me that a couple weeks ago, Fred passed away. The obituary is here.
Fred was, in addition to a gifted teacher, a great all around guy who was active in the League's governance, as you can read in the obit. That was in addition to all the other stuff he did. Back over a decade ago Fred's graciousness in governance came in handy when I got into a verbal brawl with a former LAB board member. One can guess what happens when two opinionated, ego-driven males get into "mansplaining" things to each other over e-mail, a medium which can be easily misused even on a good day. Fred interceded and saved me from what probably would have been a mutually acrimonious divorce from the LAB.
The world will miss the Fred Merediths. We could all learn a thing about teaching, listening, learning, and being a good citizen from folks like Fred. So when you are on your bike this weekend, catch a wheel in the shadow of that rider who is now riding up in the heavens.
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