# Ben Shelton, 1974-2005, RIP buddy...



## KonaMan (Jan 19, 2004)

Here's the full story from Pinkbike:

http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2501

Ben was a good friend of mine, Yoda sent me this link today. Needless to say, I was shocked. He's been up to North Shore, B.C. with me a few years back, great BBQ at ROTR's place. Jim C, K'endo, Craig H., Yoda, Pup, spideysgirl, and numerous others have ridden with him. Last two years with the Cannuck invasions to Hood river, snowboarding at Mt. Hood, brew festivals in PDX. All good times...

He loved biking, loved good beer, not much else to say... he's gone now and will be missed by many.


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## J.D. (Jan 14, 2004)

*young*



KonaMan said:


> He loved biking, loved good beer


That's good enough for most of us. Living a full life is so important because you never know when your number is going to be called. I think I'll go ride now.


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## JimC. (Dec 30, 2003)

*speechless*

the stuff you never expect. Makes me incredibly sad.

Yet another reason to embrace the friends you've got and to be thankful for all we take for granted.

Thanks for the notification Eric, I never would have known otherwise.

Jim


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## Ray_from_SA (Mar 28, 2005)

I didn't know him but reading about him makes me wish I did.

Thanks for sharing, I am sure many people will remember him in the best way.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

All I can say is that I'm in shock, and feeling very bummed right now.

We had been chatting via email about meeting up in Hood River in about a month for the annual Cdn invasion on the Victoria Day long weekend.

At a loss for words...


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

My deepest condolences. Ben was full of life and was taken away in his prime.

francis cebedo


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## KonaMan (Jan 19, 2004)

*shocked sums it up*

pretty much feeling like crap right now. we didn't spend a lot of time together, but we did ride quite a bit over the years here.

part of that trip we'll have to dedicate a ride to him and just rip the hell out of it!


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Memorial page here:
http://www.shelton.ca/


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## K'Endo (Dec 23, 2003)

I met, rode with, had a beer or two with Ben a couple of times. Great guy to know.

I still have an email in my inbox from a couple weeks ago, where he talked about how he'd be setting up his bike for our planned weekend of riding in Hood River in May.

What can I say? Enjoy it while you've got it, cause you never know when it'll be gone ...

Kn.


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

A very sobering story. It just doesn't seem right when someone is taken away in the prime of their life, with so much more to offer, so much more to experience.

You have my deepest condolences.


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## Blue Shorts (Jun 1, 2004)

KonaMan said:


> Here's the full story from Pinkbike:
> 
> http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2501
> 
> ...


Please accept my condolences. He was a great guy...and a great biker. He will be sorely missed........Rest in Peace, Ben.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

From one of our rides with him last year...










(K'endo, Ben & KirkH, Photo by AlanB)


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Regroup on the climb up to Syncline.

Ben is in the blue jersey, white helmet, right hand side of photo.










(Photo by AlanB)


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## jh_on_the_cape (Jan 12, 2004)

I didnt know this guy, but what freaks me out is that I was also born in 1974.
So I read the article. He was feeling under the weather, then collapsed in his apartment and died and was found a day later. Meningitis.
This is freaking me out. I am going to go home and play with my son.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

AlanB, K'endo, KirkH, Ben Shelton with Columbia River in the background.










(Photo by KonaMan)


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## KonaMan (Jan 19, 2004)

*and Tim's grazing on the grass...*

oops, it's so easy to confuse that hairy bastard with Barley...


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## Gregg K (Jan 12, 2004)

I'm really sorry to hear this. (I also lost a great friend to menningitis. Over a weekend, he was gone.) 
Keep him in your heart, and live life the best you can. Life is short enough.


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## glenzx (Dec 19, 2003)

*Another tragedy...*

Condolences to friends and family, especially the buddy that must have been horrified to find him...

Seems like he lived life to it's fullest, a lesson we all should heed as nothing, not one day, is given. Great shots & write-up, thanks for the heads up & link.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Ben riding the rocks at the bottom of Syncline










(Photo by KonaMan)


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Ben & Rotornomore talking at the bottom of Syncline










(Photo by KonaMan)


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

WOW, my very deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Being 4 years older than Ben this really hits a note, yesterday I was holding my niece and had a sever chest pain right in the centre - it didn't feel like a heart related issue, but it stopped me in my tracks and scared the hell out of me. I need to go visit my doc again and get a quick check-up. Menegitis scares the crap out of me as I know several people who have died because of it, it's so fast and I don't know how you contract it and as said you just most of the time feel "under the weather".

Ride on Ben......


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## KonaMan (Jan 19, 2004)

*The last time we hung out...*

Winter Ale Fest (PDX) in December. My wife and I worked the morning shift, and I gave him a buzz to invite him out for a few free beers (you get tokens for working and my wife wasn't giong to use hers).

Good times, free beer (good quality winter micro's), good freinds. Beervanna dude...

My favorite quote from Pinkbike was something about how he'd figure out how to load Linux onto your toaster if you asked him... Ben was definately a computer geek, it made me laugh, it was definately something I could see him making an interface to load it up. Over a few beers of course...


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## Pup (Feb 3, 2004)

*Goddammit.*



KonaMan said:


> Here's the full story from Pinkbike:
> 
> http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2501
> 
> ...


God dammit god dammit god dammit.

F ck.

Pup


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## Andy aka Rut (Jan 12, 2004)

My deepest heart felt sorrows. 
Makes me want to find the friends that I have had recent "difficulties" with and give them a hug. Not to mention family and friends.


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## pfunk (Jan 12, 2004)

*my condolences*

Please accept my condolences to all those who knew him, and are saddened by this loss.


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## Duncan! (Jan 15, 2004)

Yikes! I started reading this thread with sadness but in an impersonal way since I did not know anyone called Ben Shelton. Looking at the pictures now, I realize that I did know him. I rode Boogieman with a guy, formerly from Upstate NY, named Ben on the North Shore a few years ago. He wasn't a guy I or anyone will soon forget. Now I feel truly sad. RIP Ben. D.


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## KonaMan (Jan 19, 2004)

*that was a great trip...*

I did two days on Galbraith, rode with little b, Mellow, Andy, Jeff K, Jennifer, Ben, K'endo, Tim, Yoda, and a few others. Headed up to Tim's place, ate all his food, drank all his beer, bought more beer, drank that too... oh yeah, and we rode. Two runs. Arthur Chan, Craig H, Jim C, and a plethora of others. Rebuilding Matt's bike (twice), K'endo doing bunny hops on the inflatable couch...

The ride photo is from McKenzie River Trail, 3 years ago I believe for Memorial Day weekend with the Fat Tire Farm crew.


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## AlanB (Jan 12, 2004)

*Meningococcal warning went out today*

No matter how many times it's been said, nothing sums it up better than "That sucks." Ben was a good guy.

Wouldn't you know it. Today Vancouver got a public health warning about people getting memingitis from sharing joints. 5 people got it and 2 died. 
http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bc_pot-saliva20050407

I had no idea it could be spread by the saliva on a doobie. Water bottles too! How did I live this long?


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## Breznak (Mar 11, 2005)

My heart-felt sympathies. I didn't know him, but I am riding tomorrow's epic in Ben's honor.


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## aliensporebomb (Feb 2, 2004)

*My condolences......*

Very sorry to hear it. Someone who dies so young. And he was into linux and
mountain biking too, a very interesting person whose story ended prematurely.

Think I'll hop on the dual boinger this evening to ponder this.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

Thanks for posting this pic KM, I didn't have that one.


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## K'Endo (Dec 23, 2003)

Hey Craig,

Can you email me your photos above in full size (no compression)?

Thx,

Kn.


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

They are off of AlanB's & Konaman's photo sites. I'll email you the links where you can grab them.


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## 514Climber (Mar 7, 2004)

*My condolences...*

And thank you for sharing this with us. When someone like Ben leaves us, their passing should never go unnoticed.


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## erol/frost (Jan 3, 2004)

I knew Ben. He visited us in Stockholm, Sweden when we arranged the first freeride-festival here in 2001. He was a good guy and helped me immensely when i bought a used Dare from Oregon. We talked daily sometimes and monthly other times on ICQ. He was always friendly and mature but still was close to the child within.

A couple of pics from our Frost-chill 2001:

http://kanyl.com/frost/features/chill/benclose.htm

http://kanyl.com/frost/features/chill/mangeoben.htm

He will be sorely missed, my condoleances to family, friends, associates.

Erol Orhun, Stockholm, Sweden


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## CraigH (Dec 22, 2003)

I was thinking about Ben today and realized it was just over a year ago that he passed away.

RIP Ben.


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## Nagaredama (Aug 2, 2004)

Very sad to hear. Very scary considering I had a very bad Staph infection and could have lost my leg. Pictures to follow tonight...

RIP


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