By: Craig Kelley
It is summertime and the warm temperatures and longer days bring out the bicyclist in everyone, from the novice to the competitive rider. Inserra Kelley Sewell is sad to report news of a competitive cyclist being killed in Nebraska’s neighboring state of Iowa, on U.S. Highway 218 near Washburn, Iowa, in the early morning hours of July 2, 2018. Connie Inks, 54, of Waterloo, Iowa was killed in a wreck involving a vehicle driven by a fellow Waterloo resident. Ms. Inks was reportedly an avid and longtime cyclist, rower, and tri-athlete, as well as a frequent medal winner in the sports. With such experience and mastery of the sports, one could surmise she was well-acquainted and experienced with road cycling. The details are still being investigated in this very sad and tragic event, and Inserra Kelley Sewell offers its most sincere condolences to family and friends of Ms. Inks.
Such a tragic event is a reminder of the need for us to look out for one another in our days of scurrying from place to place on jam-packed days. In modern society, our roads and highways are being shared by folks from bicyclists to truck drivers, and all sorts of vehicles in between. We are often heading to work or other important destinations and the culture we live in lends itself to drivers often being distracted from total focus on the road and others. This tragedy is an unfortunate reminder to slow it down to the speed limit, always be alert and undistracted, and to drive with safety in mind at all times on the road.
