Tonight, We Remember: Hickory Joins 23rd Annual Ride of Silence

Tonight, a group of us — mostly from the Hickory Velo Club — will participate in the 23rd Annual International Ride of Silence, joining cyclists around the world to honor those killed or injured in traffic crashes.

Unfortunately, Hickory knows this grief far too well. Here are just a few of the names and stories we carry with us tonight:

• February 15, 2025:
  58-year-old cyclist Donald Steven Ricker was struck and killed in a hit-and-run on U.S. 70 near 4th Street NW.

• October 10, 2021:
  60-year-old cyclist John Berry, a skilled and passionate rider, was killed not far from Hickory in another suspected hit-and-run.

• August 3, 2015:
  29-year-old Tyler Finley Sims, an avid cyclist, was killed by a driver on North Center Street. The driver was charged with DWI, felony death by vehicle, and other offenses.

And these are only the lives lost. Many more cyclists in our area have been injured — some permanently — in crashes that could have been prevented.

We Ride in Silence

To honor those no longer with us.
To support those who still carry the scars.
To remind drivers — and ourselves — that every rider is a life in motion.

Deep thanks to the Hickory Police Department for supporting this ride and standing with us in remembrance.

More tomorrow.