Cyclists of all skill levels are invited to gather at Osborn Aquatic Center next Wednesday evening for the 21st annual Corvallis Ride of Silence, a solemn procession honoring riders who have been injured or killed on local roads.
The ride is scheduled for May 20 with participants gathering at 6:30 p.m. in front of the aquatic center (1940 NW Highland Drive) for a brief ceremony. The ride itself begins at 7 p.m. and is expected to last just over an hour.
The event is free and open to riders of all abilities, according to local coordinator Jay Thatcher.
“Just wear a helmet and share the road,” Thatcher said. “The leaders will stop often to let the line regroup.”
The Ride of Silence originated in Dallas, Texas, in 2003 and is held annually on the third Wednesday in May. It has since grown to include more than 400 locations across 44 states and on five continents.
The Corvallis ride began following the August 2004 death of Robin Jensen, a Benton County sheriff’s cadet and Osborn Aquatic Center staff member who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. Other local cyclists who have died in the years since include Randall Fox in 2016, Eric Austin in 2018, Jeremy Gruver in 2019 and Sherry Sisson, who was hit on Alsea Highway near Decker Road about 6 miles southwest of Philomath in November 2021.
In the days leading up to the ride, a white-painted “Ghost Bike” will appear at various locations across Benton County to mark spots where cyclists have been injured or killed. The bike carries information cards about the ride and serves as a visible reminder that thousands of cyclists share area streets each day.
The ride’s stated purposes are threefold: to remember cyclists injured or killed on local roads, to raise awareness about the number of people who travel by bicycle and to ask motorists and cyclists alike to share the road safely.
Armbands will be available at the gathering for riders who wish to ride in memory of friends or family members.
Additional details are available at mvbc.com/weeklyrides/rideofsilence and rideofsilence.org.