Heinz Kiefer was a good friend of Mary McPoil, Glenn Moore, many others, and mine. He was a special person and we all miss him. Heinz and Glenn worked together at IBM in San Jose. He moved to Reno after his IBM retirement. I got to know him when Glenn listed one of Heinz's bicycles for sale in the spring of 1999 on our Wheelmen e-mail list and I ultimately purchased it.

Heinz was born and raised in Germany, served an apprenticeship as a baker, worked as a baker a couple years and came to the U.S.A. when he was 20 years old in 1955. He told me many stories of terrible things that he experienced during World War II; he was only four when it started, ten when it ended.

Heinz retired from a second job this June at age 65. Heinz loved many sports and was an accomplished road and mountain biker. He joined our 1999 Zodiac trip to Downieville. He also hiked with a group of old geezers and was nicknamed the mountain goat, which I believe he was proud of. Although he had returned many times to Germany to visit relatives, he wanted to do a bicycle tour of his homeland. Initially, five people were going to make the three-week tour in August. Four of the five had a route planning meeting in Minden, Nevada following The Death Ride in July.

As it turned out, I believe this bike tour was God's last gift to Heinz on this earth for being such a wonderful person; we would all love to have such a gift. God's plan did not include four people to accompany Heinz, only one would be required. I happened to be the lucky one. We had a wonderful time touring the Mosel, Rhine, Neckar, Jagst, and other valleys the names of which I can't remember. Heinz knew them all. I was so impressed with the beauty of Germany, so much greenery with colorful flowers hanging from window ledges of homes and businesses. One image that was repeated over and over was descending on a picturesque road with a great view of a small village ahead with a church steeple in the center and red tile roofs surrounding it. We visited castles, churches, quaint towns, and the Black Forest. What's even more important, Heinz was able to visit his relatives, friends, and places were he worked and played over 45 years ago. He even had a very nice visit with his 86-year-old mother. These visits would not have happened with three more people in the group. At times he got so emotional, he would throw his hands up in the air in joy and tell me how wonderful it was.

On August 28, Heinz's last day, we were riding to his beautiful home village of Untermankheim. This village is in the photograph behind Heinz. We were only about 10 miles away when we passed through

a small green valley that was the most beautiful I have ever seen, we stopped our bikes a couple times to take it absorb it. As I reflect back on our trip, I marvel at how the way was paved for us to have a great time. It can not get any better than that. While it was happening, I thought it was luck, now I know it was planned. I wasn't there just to have fun; my job was to document the trip for it would be important for Heinz's relatives to have photos of him enjoying his last days. I was directed to take almost 400 photographs.

In closing, I would like to pass on just a couple things from this enlightening experience. Everything happens for a reason, there is a plan, many times we are not aware of it because it's not time for us to know. Good deeds are rewarded. Don't take things for granted; it can all change in a heartbeat. And lastly, enjoy each bike ride as if it is your last.