We went to Vail for President’s weekend during the winter of 2001. I met her friends from there, Robby, Michelle, and Jeremy. Although I hadn’t been skiing in many years, I used to ski a fair amount, and even spent a winter giving ski lessons in the Catskills. Nancy insisted that I rent a pair of skis instead of a snowboard, because although I had tried snowboarding most recently, I wasn’t very good at it. Nancy was right; I had a blast on the skis, and was almost able to keep up with her! On Saturday, Nancy stayed at the hotel, and I did try snowboarding, and that reassured me that indeed Nancy was right—I was able to see more of the mountain on a pair of skis! During that long weekend, we also saw Nancy’s friend Elana and her family; the two of them had often been on ski trips in the past. I zoomed around Vail with them. This trip to Vail really spoke of Nancy’s generosity to people that she cared about. Without her help with tickets and hotel rooms from her work in the travel industry, there was no way at that time I could have afforded to go. But Nancy’s attitude was that, sure, she could go by herself and it might be free, but what would the fun be in that? So she split the cost of the other plane ticket with me so that I could come as well. That was just the way Nancy was.

On the bike, Nancy was so determined to improve. She had natural ability, but mostly she had heart—a willingness and determination to give it her all. Nancy and I would often talk about her races, strategies for the race, what the course was like, who to stay away from, or whose wheel to be on. I had been racing for a few more years than she had and so I tried to give her advice as best I could. After the first year of being on the Bike Renaissance team the guys decided to add a lot of new women riders to the squad. That was a difficult year and Nancy’s year of experience was really appreciated by some of the newcomers. Nancy left that team for a more relaxed squad, Team Axis. Nancy and I would have long discussions about team politics, and in the end, Nancy always worked out her differences with the other people in the bike community. Sometimes I would think that there could be no end to a disagreement, but then, one night as we were riding around the park, Nancy would happily tell me that she talked to so and so, and everything was okay! And it would be.

One of Nancy’s and my last adventures together was Labor Day weekend 2001. I am so happy that I was able to spend that weekend with Nancy. We were going to go to a big race in Killington, Vermont, that weekend, but we kept going back and forth about whether we wanted to do it or not. In the end we decided to stay home and go to the shore. Off we went to the Rockaways. We took the subway out and Nancy’s little sister, who she was always raving about, Tzivi, picked us up and drove us out to Belle Harbor. Nancy’s aunt lived there in a house overlooking the beach. It was so great to meet more of Nancy’s family, and they were all so wonderful. It was a glorious day of sun and wind and water. Mostly we just hung out and read. A friend of mine that I work with stopped by; he grew up just a couple of blocks down. Nancy and I agreed that we would have to come out there more often, it was such a relaxing day.

We rode a few more times after that. I began work; I am a teacher so I had the summer partly off. One ride I remember was with a couple of guy friends of ours, Craig and Graham. Nancy was so insistent that we work on hills, a tough part for her, and something she was determined to overcome, that she had us doing hill repeats on Closter Dock and Hillside Ave. I’ll never forget pushing myself to stay on Nancy’s wheel, and having her pull ahead. Her work on hills was paying off! Another night we decided that on Thursdays if we both tried to scurry out of work, we would be able to go over the bridge and ride River Road before it got dark.

Now it always seems to get dark before I make it out.

These are just some of my thoughts and memories of Nancy Morgenstern. I wish I could write them all.

Tara Parsons