Tucson cyclists will ride Monday in honor of late friend

Kenneth Vieira loved to hop on his bike and ride through lush desert on Tucson’s northwest side.

Vieira took his last ride with a group of 10 cyclists, including riders from Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Thursday, when he and four others were struck by a truck at North La Cañada Drive and West Hardy Road.

Vieira, 68, of Tucson, and another bicyclist, Clare Rhodes, 72, a member of the Santa Fe Opera Guild, were killed. One cyclist remains hospitalized; two others were treated and released.

The truck was driven by Brian Lynch, 28, who was working for Scott Roofing Co. Lynch was arrested and booked into the Pima County jail and is facing charges of driving under the influence, two counts of manslaughter, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with serious injury and criminal damage.

On Monday, March 7, Vieira’s friends will participate in a memorial ride for him. The ride will be a 30-mile trip over roads looking onto desert terrain that Vieira treasured.

About 40 cyclists are expected to meet at 10 a.m. at Beyond Bread at the shopping center at the southeast corner of North Oracle and Ina roads.

“It is a hard, hard day. I have been crying a lot,” said Damion Alexander, a cycling advocate who has ridden for 40 years, talking Friday about Vieira’s death.

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“This is just a shock all around,” said Alexander. “As cyclists, we are very vulnerable just by the nature of us being out there without much more protection than a helmet.”

He asked that drivers “become more aware of cyclists, and remember that the riders are mothers, fathers, friends, neighbors, kids and grandparents.”

Alexander will lead the memorial ride. The cyclists will pass the location where Vieira was struck before continuing into Oro Valley. The ride will end back at Beyond Bread, where the cyclists will share stories about Vieira, a retired owner of a photographic stock house in White River Junction, Vermont.

Vieira had led a Monday ride since 2009 for Cactus Cycling Club of Tucson. He also participated in cycling events for veterans through Velo\Vets, helping injured veterans become active through cycling, recalled Alexander.

Fellow cyclists shared their emotions on Alexander’s Facebook page:

“I would like to attend Monday’s ride to honor Ken, no matter how hard it will be,” wrote Laurie Niemiec. “He was so kind; he would pull off onto a side street to make sure those in the back of the pack (me) were okay and knew where to go.”

Another cyclist, Patrick Grant, shared: “I live in Illinois and for the last two winters I’ve been in Tucson to cycle. ... His love of cycling and passion for helping newcomers were off the charts. He will be missed. It’s little consolation knowing he died doing something he loved.”