While on the Amtrak train out to Utah to work for the winter season in Alta, I was looking to go to Oregon to work for the summer and hopefully have the opportunity to tour around on my bicycle. Since my car recently bit the dust, trains and bicycles were my preferred modes of transportation. I was doing some research into bicycle touring Oregon when I found out about Cycle Oregon! After looking into most every link of the website to see if it was something I wanted to commit to, I clicked the link to the Mark Bosworth Fund. I read the story of Mr. Bosworth and instantly felt a deep connection to the family.

I was just nine-years-old when my thirteen-year-old brother crashed into a truck and died on his bicycle. It caused my family an unimaginable amount of grief, just as much as I'm sure the Bosworth family had to endure. It is a very touching topic and I felt very drawn to both the scholarship and participating in Cycle Oregon.

It was in Alta, Utah that I applied for the scholarship. All the application entailed was to write three essays. I thought that it would be an easy process, but once started, memories surrounding the loss of my brother flooded my mind. It's hard to compose an essay to encompass the deep importance I felt for riding Cycle Oregon for not only my personal enjoyment, but for the legacy of Mark Bosworth and my older brother, Justin Scott Andersen. I finally felt confident in my application and submitted it. After my employment in Alta, I booked my train ticket back to Denver, CO to visit my family on April 11. The train left at 3:30 a.m. chugging East to my hometown. I slept until about 10 in the morning and awoke in Grand Junction, CO. I checked my phone and I had an email from Kelly, the daughter of Mark Bosworth, with the subject line saying, "Congratulations!". I had won!!! It was certainly ironic to me also that I had both discovered the scholarship and received word that I had won the scholarship on the train!

I feel such an appreciation for the opportunity to participate in Cycle Oregon and to participate for the reasons I have. I am so honored to bring Justin's memory to the memorial ride for Mark Bosworth. No family should ever have to endure the loss of a cyclist, but when tragedy strikes it's so important to keep their memories alive. I can't wait to ride my bike through Eastern Oregon and celebrate two lives cut way too short. They will always be alive, though, in our hearts, minds and for the 505 miles that I'm honored to ride in the legacy of each of them on behalf of the Mark Bosworth Fund during Cycle Oregon 2013!!!