Kenny's Memorial Service

Here is the news from Patagonia on the service for Kenny, see you there! Here is a link to the Newspress Obituary.

Spread the word:
Dear Friends, I hope this finds you well. This has been a week of remembrance, heartache, support and healing. We're all finding our own ways of dealing with the loss of our friend, Kenny Harbaugh. Today we learned the details of the memorial service for Kenny. The service is open to everyone and will be held at: Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel 450 Ward Drive Goleta, CA 93111 (805) 965-5145 Directions from Patagonia: North on 101 Merge onto CA-217 S toward Airport/UCSB Take Hollister Avenue exit - Exit 2 Turn left onto Hollister Turn right on Ward - to 450 Ward Drive Visitation will be from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 21st, and at 5:00 p.m. there will be a blessing and time for sharing remembrances. The family has requested that the service be simple, peaceful and happy. A table will be provided to place special remembrances and photographs for the family. Although the family mentioned with a smile that "Kenny wasn't much for flowers", you are welcome to send flowers to the funeral chapel. I think Kenny's family would appreciate it. Attire for the service is "come as you are". It will be closed casket, but the family wants you to know that Kenny will be wearing a t-shirt, comfortable shorts and flip flops. The family also said that if you choose to come in biking spandex, you need to look better than Kenny did! After the service, the family will leave and you are encouraged to gather together on your own to celebrate and remember Kenny. Kenny's family has requested that they continue to be given privacy in the family home moving forward. Today's moment of silence was both difficult and healing for all of us. So many employees and friends participated, both serious and novice cyclists. Kenny would have been proud, especially since we went up the hills slowly - just how he likes it. I've attached a photo before the bike ride today and also a recent photo of Kenny. I'm humbled by all of the strength and support I've witnessed among us this past week. We've conveyed this to the family throughout the week and I feel they have found comfort knowing Kenny was always surrounded by such love and support. I know that the caring and kindness we've shown for each other during this sad time will continue into our happier moments at Patagonia. Pedro Jose pedro j lopez-baldrich http://www.patagonia.com/ usa 805 667 4795 "live simply so that others may simply live" -Ghandi

Amgen Tour of California Fun & Games

Great ride on Sun, guys. I think Kenny would have been proud to be honored in such a way.

I wanted to pass along the following email from Barney Berglund regarding a quiz game meant to generate interest for the upcoming Tour of California. I'm writing the trivia questions for the game so I've got an interest in seeing some people participate. Feedback is always welcome and if you have any good ideas for trivia questions, forward them along to me. I've only got about 50 more to write between now and Feb! Please forward the game link on to as many cycling friends as possible.

From Barney;
As you all have probably seen in the press, the buzz is starting to build for the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. As chairman of the local organizing committee I would like to invite you and your club/organization to participate in playing a cycling trivia game with the option for signing up for live updates leading up to the race.

For playing and signing up, you will be entered in a raffle to receive a gift basket (worth $150) from the SB Conference and Visitors Bureau. We will continue to distribute trivia games over the coming months with important race and local event updates. For those that participate in all the trivia games, they will be registered to win another gift basket from the SB CVB (worth $250) to be announced on stage at the Stage 6 start on February 23rd. You can also get more information by going to our local website www.toursb.com or the event website www.amgentourofcalifornia.com

The link to play the game and sign up is http://toursb.maps.com/stage0.aspx
Please forward this email to as many contacts as you can and show your support for the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition in bringing the race back to SB.

Thanks and have fun!

Barney Berglund

P.S. – Special thanks to Maps.com for developing the trivia game and website!

Thanks,

Pete

Ken Harbaugh Memorial Fund

We know Patagonia is a terrific company and they are proving it once again by helping set up a Memorial Fund for the Harbaugh Family. This time of year is everyone is in the giving spirit and I hope you will be compelled to help out Heidi, Garrett and Greta and contribute. Please make your checks payable to "The Ken Harbaugh Memorial Fund" and send them to;

Patagonia, Inc.
Ken Harbaugh Memorial Fund
Attn : Ray Netzley
259 W. Santa Clara Street
Ventura , CA 93001

Patagonia has a blog as well and they have published some very warm words about Kenny. The information about the services for Kenny is sketchy right now, but it is looking like the 21st or 22nd. We'll update you when we know more.

Kenny's Route

The B Team is usually up at the crack of dawn on Sunday going for a 3 to 4 hour ride. Today it was a unanimous decision to do Kenny's favorite route. You see Kenny didn't make all the rides, but once you said you were going to ride Romero Canyon he would always show up. He enjoyed going up Romero, cutting across East Camino Cielo and down Gibralter and through Rocky Nook Park. Well, that's what we did, and I for one can say it was a glorious day. A terrific way to remember Kenny and as hard as it was, say a good bye to him. The group is calling Romero Canyon "Kenny's Trail" from now on and below is Matt's description of the day and some photos. We are also lucky enough to have a real photographer on the B Team. No offense Matt, and you can view the photos Carson took at his blog. We are in the process of creating a fund to help out Heidi and the kids, check back soon, it should be set up this week.

Hello,

Well, we had a great ride up Romero this morning. No doubt the biggest MTB group we've ever had, I think we ended up with 18 total. We rode pretty easy and regrouped frequently. Kenny would've loved it! We told lots of funny stories about Kenny and thought about him a lot. We laughed a bunch, and got a little teary eyed a few times, but the mood wasn't somber. Instead, I think we all thought about how lucky we are to be able to ride these beautiful trails with our friends every weekend, and how we can't take anything for granted in this life. In many ways it was a typical Sunday ride, but it felt way more important than that.

In an ironic example of how the world keeps turning whether you're ready or not, Aaron Long and his wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this weekend. Congratulations Aaron.

Hope all is well.


Matt

Here are a few more photos of the guys on Westfork, courtesy of Paul

Kenny Remembered (Updated 12-19)

Since the news of Kenny spread the emails have been going around sharing stories and photos of someone we all loved. I hope I'm not stepping outside the lines by posting them here, but I thought it would be a good place to share our thoughts and stories. I know I want a place to keep his memory alive and I'm hoping everyone else will as well. So below are copies of the emails that were sent along with the photos that accompanied them. I am doing my best to post the emails I'm receiving, and I think anyone who feels compelled should click on the comment link and join. This is a great way to keep fond memories alive of someone we all loved! God Bless!

Unbelievable. Kenny was a dear friend and a wise ass and a joyful dad and a ton of fun to hang with and I'm going to miss the hell out of him.
Druber

Hey Guys,
I've been digesting this news for the last few hours and when I spoke with Dave and Matt earlier I really just did not know what to say. Still don't but regardless wanted to share my regrets and some memories. So given the circumstances, excuse the babbling.
Kenny is the reason I got into cycling so it is ironic

that I'm writing this to all of you. I probably would not know most of you if not for Kenny. He encouraged me to do my first race, and was always my consigliere (spelling help please) regarding the latest "purchase". Kenny was a wealth of knowledge about all things cool: cycling (particularly mountain bikes), surfing, music, business, whatever. Off the bike, I just can't think of a nicer guy. Kenny was always full of wisdom, a totally gentle soul, and a genuinely good natured human being. He always took the time to help others with their bikes in a pinch - did I mention he was an awesome wrench? He loved his kids, my kid, Dave's kids and I'm sure everyone else's. I still remember the many play dates at Kids' World with Trixie and Kenny. We used to joke that Kenny was Trixie and Dave's nanny. Most of the time he was more of a kid than the kids - always down on their level making them laugh, chasing them, pushing a swing or whatever. He did a great Tinky Winky imitation too. The guy was spot on always chipper and that puts a lot in perspective for me right now. I can't recall a moment in our years of friendship that he ever was down. Makes me feel guilty thinking of the times I complained about work or whatever to him on those (many) long rides up Romero and across east Camino. He loved that route and there's not a time when I've ever been on that ride (with others or alone) that I have not thought about him. I'm dumbfounded with disbelief right now. My heart goes out to his family and to all of you who ever got to know him or hang out with him. I've attached a some pictures of Kenny from the dirt crits a few years back (I think Matt may have sent one). I've also attached a picture of Kenny's forehead (on the bottom of the picture dead center) and me looking like I want to go to sleep from a Guided By Voices show we went to a few years back (Kim can appreciate). Can you pick us out in the crowd? I have no idea how we got in this picture (it's off the band's web site and I randomly came across it after the show) but it was a funny moment that Kenny
and I laughed at many times since. We were just overmatched and out of
place in the pit that night and I remember how we complained of our ears ringing for 3 days. Maybe you had to be there but to us it was hilarious - a couple of 40-somethings mixing it up with 20 year olds waving cigarettes in our faces - who were we kidding?
If for some reason you are having trouble viewing the images, try saving them down to your hard drive first and then open with whatever picture viewing software you have. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Best to all of you.
Bill

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Heidi, Garrett, and Greta.

Gabriel and Kate


Very nice letter Bill..
I know most of you dont know me.. A few years back I use to ride and
race a lot, I was a familiar face with the SB club rides back then.
But now child raising and work has taken most of my spare time.
Ive known Kenny for about 15 yrs, I got to know Bill through Kenny mostly from our rides up what else but Romero.... Kenny was also the same in my life from bike tech questions, music, or doing kid things..
Kenny was the backbone to the 12pm Patagonia bike ride. You could always count on Kenny every Mon, Wed, and Fri for a bike ride at lunch.
Sometimes it was 6 people, other times it was just the two of us solving the worlds problems at lunch, fighting the headwind back to Ventura from Ojai.. During our lunchtime rides I remember him telling me stories of his days in a band called Friends of Barney Fife, or him singing Sponge Bob Square Pants before it was popular.
When you think of someone that does so much for others and was such a good family man you cant help but think why... Im really at a loss of words. I too included a few pictures. 2 pictures of Kenny being Kenny with garret and one of daves kids (Bo), and picture of garret on a fire engine. It was a fun day at a pancake breakfast and a normal day of kenny being a great dad..
drue

So sad to get the news (thanks Dave and Matt).

Well said all (Bill, you captured Kenny so well).I am amazed and happy to have been able to get to know Kenny the last few years, and in particular to get to ride with him to the top of Romero a few weeks back (the Jameson ride y'all). Per the norm (and despite his inclination to get back to his kids and family as soon as possible), he insisted on hanging with me after I flatted on Romero to make sure I was going to make it onto the pavement and home via Gibraltar, while he, "Romero Harbaugh", just floated back down his trail without a care (and no tube or patch or other, cause he was Kenny so who needed it; 'nuff said?). (Can we get that damn trail renamed right now??? From here on out it is "Kenny's Trail"!!) And of course, old self-styled punk farts that we were, we sang several "spiritual" songs at the top of Romero, but the mutually-loved Magazine song he/we sang off the top of Romero that day was:"I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin - my irritability keeps me alive and kicking. I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit. I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. This is a song from under the floorboards, this is a song from where the wall is cracked. My force of habit, I am an insect - I have to confess I'm proud as hell of that fact.I know the highest and the best - I accord them all due respect."

I will never forget that moment and other mornings. I only knew him for a comparatively short while. But this much I gathered: while he might have been irritable a time or two in a good-natured way:-), he knew beauty and a good thing when he saw it (his kids and wife), and accorded them all due respect. All due respect!!

So hard to say it, but as we come to grips with your departure, Kenny, we wish you nothing but peace, good friend.

Special condolences to his family, Terry Jellison, Druber, and all his Patagonia friends.

Be mindful all.

Kim

I might speak for a few when I say I wish I'd been lucky enough to know
him. Prayers to his family. -Eric F

Very nice letters, everyone. I did not know him, but after reading through, I realize that he was a special person, dad, and husband. He also had some very good friends in all of you. You were all lucky to have known him, and he was certainly lucky to have you all as friends.
Jed Hirsch

Drue and others - I'm going to plan a Celebration of Kenny noon ride from Patagonia sometime next week. I'll let you know what day ends up working best once our heads clear a bit.
Good memories never go away.
Druber

What a loss - I'm glad to have met Kenny and will always remember his gracious nature. Pearl's first bike came from his garage, he just said, it's yours, go have fun. Soon she was riding it up Matt's hill saying "I can do it, am I the leader Daddy?"
See ya at noon.
HW (Sam)


I always looked for Kenny's wheel. He would sing my favorite 80's songs while hopping rocks going up Romero.
Kenny- we already miss you and will always remember you.

Nick

I feel your pain Bill, it's tough to lose a friend like that. From the times that I had rode with him he seemed like the wise guru type of person, who was always eager to share his knowledge with you. He was quick to give me coaching tips on some of my first rides up (what else?) Romero. A real nice guy, the world is much less interesting without guys like him.
-Philip

Such a tragedy... My head hangs low today… We miss you Kenny, but we all know you will be out there on the trails with us…

-Dano

Hi all-
Although I didnt know kenny it is clear as I have been reading through all these memories that he was a very special friend, husband, father, etc. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this very difficult time. It sounds like he was one who lived life to the fullest, and enjoyed life's experience and touched all who knew him.
Please let me know what I can do to help out his family. I look forward to the memorial ride and hope I am back in town by the time it takes place.
Sincerely,
Kimberly turnerSent from my iPhone

Eddie was an old friend of Kenny's who I caught up with last week. I believe this picture was taken from a ride they did last year. Awesome shot! Bill Cuttler

Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I'm still having a hard time digesting the news. Anyway I have so many fond memories of Ken. We worked together for about 10 years and sat right next to each other for about 5. I can say the man never seemed to have a bad day. Everybody loved him. Even when he would be on the phone ordering bike stuff instead of fabric you still couldn't get mad at him. I tried and he would always end up making me laugh. "Teres ER just shut your pie hole I'll get your fabric" and he always did. I also thought it was funny how he had so much knowledge on all cool subjects. He had either worked it, done it, played it, read it, you name it Ken usually had great knowledge on it all. Sometimes it seemed like he had been around for ninty years. One funny memory was being at the beach one day and Ken telling me and two other friends how to shave legs. Apparently we were doing it all wrong and using the wrong razor. A week later I tried his shaving tips and by GOD he was right.
Every now and then those smooth legs would make a FULL appearence when Ken would decide that maybe he needed to run at lunch instead of ride. He would come walking out in the shortest black running shorts with the whitest legs but they were smooth as can be.
He had nicknames for everyone in my family and used them like they were our birth names. So from the Jellison's - B-RAD, Teres ER, Kelli A AANNNN, ME. BEEEE,
and Ticky - Ken may be out of our daily lifes but he will forever be rememberd in our family with fond memories.
The Jelly's

Boys,

Check it out. Looks like from Brad's e-mail we may get some more pics as well. Will forward as soon as they come across the email stream. Wheels, work it baby!

Best,
Bill

We Lost A GREAT Friend!

I got a call tonight and it was one of those phone calls you will always remember. It was Matt and he told me that Kenny had passed away suddenly while on a business trip in Canada. Matt, thanks for the call. Kenny was one of those kind souls that made the world a better place. He was ALWAYS a pleasure to be around! Kenny, I will miss you and I am keeping very fun memories of you and will be praying and doing what I can for your family. Below is an email Matt sent out! Lets all be praying for Kenny and his family. It wasn't that long ago we lost Doug McFadden. Let's not forget any of our riding buddies. We spend so much time together enjoying our sport and one of the beauties of our sport is we get to really know one another. Kenny was always someone you loved to be riding next to. God Bless all of you!



Everyone,

I don't really know how to say this, but I just got the news that our good friend and fellow rider Kenny Harbaugh passed away suddenly today. I don't have all the details but apparently he was in Canada on a business trip (he worked for Patagonia) and suffered a fatal heart attack or brain aneurysm or something like that, they're not really sure. He leaves behind his wife Heidi and two small, beautiful children, Garrett and Greta. He was just an all-around great guy and this is a terrible loss. I'm sure we'll be arranging a memorial ride or benefit in the very near future, but until then please keep his family in your thoughts. He was a great rider, a great friend, and a great father to his kids. We'll all miss you Kenny.

Sincerely,

Matt

Can You Help A Brother Out?

Esquire, alias Kim McDaniel needs a little help,

I'm looking for a used fixed-gear bike (road frame) for my son while he's at college (can't be very nice since it'll get worked at the dorms and/or stolen). He's 5' 11" so probably needs to be a 57-59cm (23") frame. Anybody have one they're looking to unload or have any other ideas?

Thanks,

Kim

Contact him at kmcdaniel@hmglaw.com