Forum menu
Thanks to everyone for your lovely messages and tributes. If anyone has pics or memories of Jenn, we'd love to see and read them... we're reading everything; please do keep posting.
Barney
I remember a call (maybe an email but pretty sure it was a call) from Jenn when she had the herculean task of turning something I'd written into production quality material. The conversation went something like this
Jenn: "I like the words. They're great'
Jenn: pause
Jenn: "I'd just have preferred them in sentences'
Me: Right, I'll have another go then.
Always positive, always cheery even when she must have being going through something close to hell with the treatment. Always made you feel your stuff was the most important thing she was doing.
Bah, set myself off again.
And from an email
Me: did you get the article?
Jenn: Yes, I'm reading it now... You seem to have used all the words, mind if I chop a few out? :
Me: No, any particular ones? 😉
Jenn: I went with every third, and swapped every 20th 🙂
Made me giggle remembering that. Not sure if that's an appropriate emotion. Going to miss Jenn loads. Clearly so are many, many people. Short life, big impact.
Sincere condolences to her family and friends.
To Jenn: happy trails in those beautiful golden skies.
Just awful. RIP Jenn and I hope the riding is good wherever you are now.
Karen and I send our sincere condolences to Jenn's family and friends.
So sad. Ride In Peace, Jenn.
Sorry to hear this, my condolences.
I didn't really feel like riding yesterday. I'd already sacked off the club road ride for an extra extra hour in bed. I'd meant to go but it was too cold, and too sunny, and I didn't feel great, and loads of other pathetic reasons.
And then I thought of Jenn, and everyone else who'd love to go for a ride but for whatever reason can't, and gave myself a talking to. And went after all.
It was a lovely day, and a lovely ride. Not far, not fast, but good to be out there. I took the wrong bike, which was also the right one. Right, because a singlespeed was Jenn's weapon of choice. Wrong, because, well a singlespeed's always the wrong bike when you're old, fat, unfit, and with knees like a halloween door hinge. But an obvious choice, obviously.
I stopped for a bit at one of my views, sat on a bench and just watched the sky. It wasn't a proper Jennride; I hadn't organised it specially and it was just me, and I certainly hadn't brought a sign. But there were some sticks, and a bare patch of ground under the fallen leaves and pine needles, and so I marked the spot.
Next time I go there, someone or something that didn't know Jenn will have been and kicked my sticks into the undergrowth. That's OK - just as Jenn isn't here for her loved ones to see any more, but her influence will last forever - I'll always know that's the spot where I sat and thought about how lucky I am and how unlucky others are. I don't need sticks to remember that; someone I only met once and briefly at a race, but who was a good friend to one of my biking buddies will always be there to remind me to grab a stupid bike, grab a bottle, and grab the chance while you can.
[img] 
[/img]
#jennride
PS - hope she isn't offended by the mix of upper and lower case. Sticks aren't as bendy as I'd hoped
A long time ago, when I used to post on here much more than I should, I met Jenn at a Critical Mass in London. She used to end every STW post with :o) and she was like that in real life, wonderfully warm and smiley.
I had an idea that I'd like to work in the bike trade and open my own bike shop and Jenn was incredibly encouraging and gave me lots of useful advice, we intermittently exchanged emails for a year or so and met a few times at SSUKs.
11 years later I'm typing this from the workshop in my own bike shop, which I opened 3 years ago, after a few years of solo mechanicking, after a few more years of working in other people's bike shops, after Jenn persuaded me to make the jump and leave a boring desk job for the dream I had.
There are so many tributes, from people who were much closer to her, but I just wanted to add my own small one. In her usually brilliant way, she made more of a change to my career than she'd ever have known.
RIP Jenn. Shine on.
:o)
Just found out the news. Got teary eyed reading Tom's piece and, whilst I can only manage a short ride to and from work tomorrow, it will be on a hardtail and my thoughts will be with all Jenn's friends and family.
Plenty of excuses not to ride today - 3 young kids, van at the garage, heavy rain, United Utilities trench inspector, Howdens to measure kitchen, due at the in laws for tea and a 'sleep over'. I'd said I'd ride though, so bike in car with the family and jumped ship just short of Grannies.
The rain stopped, the cloud rolled east and the setting sun fired it ablaze along the western fringe of The Lakes. Spent some time looking out over the Solway thinking about people I'd never met.
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5780/22365717938_51bdf4c22b_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5780/22365717938_51bdf4c22b_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url]Crap phone pic doesn't do it justice.
Another person I'd love to have met. Cheers Jenn
Wednesday, Oct 28 was a dark rainy day here in Pittsburgh. Not they type of day I would normally consider for a ride. But I did a leisurely ride in the afternoon because of Jenn.
Downtown Pittsburgh from the bike trail on the Hot Metal Bridge.[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/621/22558605495_0358302620_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/621/22558605495_0358302620_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
There is a sculpture along the Three Rivers Heritge Trail that I never noticed before, so I put the Fatty in the hot metal ladle...
[img] 
[/img]
And a closeup of the bike in the ladle
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/574/21937390593_a84e1f4fc3_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/574/21937390593_a84e1f4fc3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
One rainy ride done in the US because of Jenn!
There's a lot of folk giving themselves a talking to about getting out anyway; which is entirely appropriate I think.
My overwhelming impression is 'generous'.. -
* I'd missed out on getting a copy of the first Ride Journal (and bemoaned the fact). No problem, said jenn, I've got a spare, I'll post it to you.
* I was planning a long coast to coast, offroad, singlespeed, and wondered about a Thudbuster seatpost to take some of the harshness out of a 5 day jaunt. No problem, said jenn, I'll send you one I've got lying about.
* A family holiday took me close to Todmorden, a spin seemed like a good idea, but I'd no idea where to ride. No problem, said jenn, swing past the house mid morning and I'll show you round.. And she did, completely out-biking me (I think I even had an off and tumbled down a woodsy traverse, the shame..) up hill and down dale. To finish up with coffee and cake (of course).
...you get the idea...
Would have been so easy last night to not go out for a ride with my son. It was cold, I had lots to do etc.
However, he'll never be 14 years and 100ish days again, so we went out for an hour with the lights. Beautiful evening, lights shining from the eyes of the monsters*, and the moon out and bright. Lovely.
Thoughts with Jenn's family and friends x
*cats and foxes
Getting Very dusty round here recently. I for one will am already making plans to tick off some of the bucket list that Ive always put off till I had more time or more money. I never met Jenn but I'll be thinking of her whilst I do it. Thoughts to all who knew her. Ride on.
The first time I came across Jenn was at D2D in 2006 (I think, same year as the first trans-wales), I crawled over the finish line feeling substandard whilst she appeared to be downing a beer having put 50 miles into me. I raced against her many times thereafter, always polite when she lapped me and always instructive to follow her line until I couldn't keep up. Being stupid i got thinner and faster and thinner and faster until my body gave out, her unprompted email suggesting ways to remedy the situation touched me and seems to reflect the experiences of many others.
Thought to all her family and friends.
Matthew
So sorry to hear the sad news of Jenn's passing. My thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends.
STW - is there still a way to donate please? The funding page seems to be down.
What you have all done is amazing! 🙂
#FORJENN
I took a moment to think of Jenn today. I hope her friends and family are ok at what must be a very difficult time of year.
Hi guys and gals organising an event in memory of Jenn, a bike packing event around the South Lakes
100 miles mostly off road taking in some great trails and pubs cafes on route!
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ohqofiyeadhkfvtg
This is a bike packing event so normal rules apply this is not a RACE!
Spaces will be limited due to the nature of the trails so looking at around 60
Book a spot on the Just giving page and leave your name with donation of your choice!
https://www.justgiving.com/Richard-Munro5/
For those on Facebook keep up with the latest info
https://www.facebook.com/events/351192058384844/