I have been riding a bicycle throughout New Mexico and the US for over 30 years. Drawn into advocacy for safer cycling after my long time cycling friend Paula Higgins was killed by a driver in 2006, my efforts have grown and expanded since that time.
Join me in working towards safer streets and highways for all New Mexico road users.
Duke City Wheelmen are honored to participate in marking Dia de los Muertos at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. We have contributed a ghost bike ofrenda since 2010. These ofrendas remember all cyclists lost to crashes, or who have passed for other reasons but were avid cyclists.
This year in particular, we honored Scott Habermehl, who died on May 29, 2024 in a crash and Chris Kunstadt who passed from a medical event while riding on August 4, 2024. Both these men were loved and are missed by many.
Scott Habermehl
Chris Kunstadt
I also included a photo of my birth mother, who passed in September.
She was the mom of three cyclists.
Earlier DCW places a ghost bike for Scott on Moon St NE where the crash occurred. This is still an unsolved crime. If you have any information about the crash, please reach out.
This is the crash that killed Scott Habermehl, a longtime bicycle commuter in Albuquerque.
Please reach out to Crime Stoppers if you know about this crash, or the hit and run that claimed the life of Rosanna Breuninger. Family and friends will be ever grateful for any help you can offer.
At the ceremony to dedicate a ghost bike for Rosanna Breuninger on March 30, 2024, the sense of loss was coupled to a palpable frustration. Why? Because who struck Rosanna, inflicting the injuries that eventually led to her death, is unknown.
Family and friends who gathered together to honor Rosanna were also asking for help in understanding what happened on July 22, 2023. Specifically, the identity of the hit and run driver remains unknown
Information that might help Rosanna’s family and friends understand what happened is vital. If you or someone you know has even the smallest tip that might help unravel the events of that night, July 22, 2023, please reach out. It will mean the world to her family and many, many friends.
Email <dukecitywheelmen at gmail dot com>
The hit and run happened on 12th Street, between Los Arboles Ave and Cordova Ave NW
Initaly, APD was more involved in the investigation. However with no new information coming in, the inquires have slowed. The family’s plea is for new information that will move the case forward.
Sunday, October 29th, also at 2 pm, we’ll be in Santa Fe putting up a ghost bike for Nathan Gray. He was the victim of a hit-and-run driver on August 1, 2023.
Opening October 23rd, and running through November 11th NHCC will once again host Ofrendas created by school children, community members and Duke City Wheelmen. On November 5th there will be special Dia de los Muertos celebrations at NHCC. Reserve your spot or read more about these events here.
Dia de los MuertosOfrenda creator, JBcalaveras & bikesGB: Jose Ruiz, Forrest Fukushima, Heather Rue, Amy JobeMatt Trujillo & Paula Higgins GBDan Montoya and David Sciera GBsRobert Oakes & John Anczarski GBSnacksSugar skulls
How did the Record Challenge Time Trial come to be named in remembrance of Paula Higgins?
Paula was many things to the cycling community. She was active in NMBRA in its earliest days, together with her husband Jerry Kiuttu. Paula was my Landis teammate, along with Carolyn Donnelly. We rode many AZ and NM races together, sporting the green and white of team White Mountain. She won the NMBRA New Mexico Road Series championship in her division 6 times.
Paula was a time trialist too. She got the gold medal at the 1997 National Championship in the Women’s Tandem Time Trial event with Carolyn Donnelly. Carolyn and Paula still hold the National Tandem TT record that they set in 1995.
You can see the wealth of TT records that have been set at our very own Moriarity course here.
Paula and Jerry were the force behind the Moriarity course being surveyed, which was essential for it to become the record setting course that it is. Jerry officiated at many runnings of the Record Challenge and they were both heavily involved in organizing and promoting the event.
Paula’s death was the impetus for placing one of the first ghost bikes in Albuquerque and the start of Duke City Wheelmen. There were some early attempts and finally we placed her ghost bike in February, 2010. It is located at Pennsylvania and Comanche NE on the southeast corner.
Ghost bikes in Albuquerque and indeed throughout New Mexico, have had an impact on some, although I know that it is not universally positive. Just as important is the fact that when cyclists improve their capacity to interact with motorists and create more space for themselves on our streets and highways, we can cycle more safely. As a vulnerable road user, we bear more burden, thinking, both for ourselves and for motorists. It is true that they don’t see us, but that is not a fixed condition. We can be seen, but it requires more of us.
Joe Gamez and Eric Bailey were cycling at this location, Unser Blvd. & Kimmick Drive NW, on Saturday, July 9th when they were hit by a drunk driver. Joe Gamez succumbed to his traumatic brain injuries on July 21, 2022.
Eric Bailey, the Gamez family and numerous friends and extended family gathered on August 20, 2022 at 10:00 am at the site of the crash for the placement of a ghost bike, a bicycle painted white that meant to honor a fallen cyclist, to honor this place and Joe’s life.
This ghost bike will serve to memorialize Joe, to help his grieving family and friends, and to bring increased awareness to the issues of drunk driving and the need for increased awareness of cyclists on our streets and highways.
The ghost bike was placed by Duke City Wheelmen, a safe cycling non-profit in Albuquerque, NM.
Why: Because there is Cycling Stuff y’all need & Stuff people want to sell!
WHY: To raise money for Ukraine relief efforts
In addition to individual sellers who will purchase a table for $20.00 dollars, Duke City Wheelmen has many new-in-the-box items for sale. These are donated items, NEW, that we are selling to raise money for ghost bikes and safe cycling education here in New Mexico (50%) and will split the rest between two groups providing aid to Ukraine. These groups are:
Ukraine Crisis aid through Global Empowerment Mission
