A friend full of life
Editors,
The article on Karen Hornbostel brought back a flood of memories. Karen was one of the people who I first contacted when I briefly lived in Boulder in the mid 80’s, it turned out she was a friend of a lady I knew in Albuquerque at the time. Karen proved to be very helpful in finding me a cycling team, at that time she was pretty much the Grand dame of the Alfalfa’s women’s cycling team that Lennard Zinn sponsored.Years later after I had moved away from Boulder I bumped into Karen at the Snow Mountain Stampede Nordic Ski race. We had both aged some but she was still the same Karen full of life and eager like a kid.My thoughts go out to all who she was close to. Her enthusiasm for life was infectious and she will be missed by everyone who she touched with her kindness.
George Tapley
Albuquerque, New MexicoNever Give Up
Dear friends,
The past few days have been very emotional for me as I grieve overmy good friend Karen Hornbostel. Lennard Zinn wrote all the words I wouldhave written about the woman whose courage and love I will remember allmy life.

From the moment I met Karen two plus decades ago I loved her. We both loved cycling with a passion and we both loved the people in cycling. Karen talked my ear off about junior cyclists and when a group of us got together a couple of years ago to give her a pink scooter she reminded me how proud she was of me for always putting the kids at the center. We both shared that love for kids. When I was diagnosed with diabetes and was struggling through what would become the worst year of my life, Karen was there for me even though she was battling her own demons."Never give up," she told me. "You have something special to give to others."I hear her words today as I get ready to attend her memorial service and the irony is I am glad she let go - let go to end the pain, the suffering and get the peace she so deserved. Karen gave to so many people that she will never be forgotten. I am one of those people.
Beth Wrenn-Estes
Denver, ColoradoWhere is the team effort?
Editors,
This is the second Tour in a row with no TTT, which I find very disappointing.Is there some reason they're omitting this from the race, and is the omission permanent?
Bronwyn H. Nelson
Portland, MainePermanent? Man, we hope not. - EditorDoes it matter where they go?
Dear Editors,
Sadly, I haven't been able to bring myself to look over the 2007 TdF route with all the unresolved questions about the 2006 race still lingering.I'm in the U.S. Military, which has been conducting drug testing for years, and I'm amazed at the possibility that Floyd Landis' allegations could have merit- such sloppy record-keeping is a total disgrace if it's true. Although the truth appears far from certain in the Landis case, the ambiguity on both sides has caused this long-time ardent fan to falter in my support of what was for years quite literally only one of two sporting events I'd watch without fail, if not the only things I even watched on television all year.At least with Michael Schumacher retiring, I can count on Formula 1 to get more interesting again. And maybe I won't have to worry so much about how to avoid losing fitness in July because of time spent watching TV. I wonder how many other cases will be dredged up from the past when this debacle is (ever) resolved? If I were a pro cyclist today, I'd be hiring an independent lab for regular testing for my own historical records.
Don GabrielsonDo your part, Pat
Editors,
Am I missing something here? UCI boss Pat McQuaid is frustrated by how Operación Puerto is being handled and that the UCI cannot sanction riders suspected of cheating. But, didn't the Spanish authorities ask McQuaid and the UCI for blood/DNA of suspected riders. The UCI and McQuaid refused to cooperate stating, “the blood of the riders in our possession from doping controls is used for research purposes,” UCI president Pat McQuaid said, “to give it for DNA comparisons is against our rules.” I would like to know to which rules Pat McQuaid is referring. Clearly, the UCI possesses the goods to help the very same Operación Puerto that McQuaid is now ridiculing. Is the UCI and McQuaid really committed to fighting doping in cycling?
Yours,
Bruce Hildenbrand
Mountain View, California

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