Originally Posted by gaucho777

Today was an emotional day. I received news last night that a dear old friend and former cycling teammate, John Mutolo, died unexpectedly in a tragic hiking accident the other day. John and I raced together during our high school years. He was only 48. John was an amazing person. He was kind and generous, always enjoyed a laugh, goofing around with friends, and had a zest for life. I can still picture him giving the hang loose sign and shouting, "Yeah, buddy!--one of his oft-repeated catchphrases. He was also a loving son and a tremendous older brother to his kid sister. On top of that, John was also truly an exceptional cyclist, the most naturally talented cyclist I've ever known. His first love was mountain biking but he also trained and raced road bikes. I truly believe he had the talent to compete in the Tour de France, or any other World Tour caliber races. He'd often show up to our fast-paced club ride on a MTB and dust us all. He won the Junior World MTB Championship in Italy before I left for college. Then a few months later, he had a devastating crash during a downhill MTB race in Vail, CO, fractured his skull and spent 5 days in a coma. I did not keep close contact with him after college, but I know he suffered from brain trauma and was never the same rider or person afterward. He's been on my mind all day, and I've shed quite a few tears. When John got a newer Parkpre Team 925 MTB, I ended up with his original Team Parkpre MTB, which I still own today. It was only fitting that I took out John's old MTB and hit the trails in his honor today.