Noah Rubright

I went to a funeral today for a fellow Rocky Mount. Noah Rubright died on October 1st while on a vacation in Italy with his wife and friend/teamate Jerome Contro as well as his wife. As far as I know, Noah fell, evidently struck his head, was rushed to surgery, had some complications and died in Rome. I was by no means close friends with Noah, but I have ridden with him a number of times. He gave me the first impression of a very kind, approachable person, and he maintained that same image well. It's quite an eye opener to go to a funeral of someone who seemed like one of the guys, not that I'm ever OK at a funeral, but it's a little easier to grasp the fact that someone's parent or grandparent has died. I haven't been to many funerals, but this is the first time I went because I was a friend or aquaintance of the deceased. I hate the fact that his own parents had to go to their son's funeral. Noah's mother read a religious card that they had found in her father's belongings after he died. Noah had read it at his funeral (Noah's grandpa), then also at her brother's funeral (Noah's uncle). I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to stand up there and speak at one of your children's funerals. I don't think there was a dry eye in the church when she left the pulpit, and listening to Jerome read a statement that Noah's father had written, but didn't think he could read at the service, sent the rest of the church over the edge. Bobby from Rocky Mounts (one of the owners) had a bunch of nice things to say that seemed to lighten the mood a little bit and even got people laughing. I hope at my funeral people are laughing more than they are crying. I've done plenty of dumb stuff that's laugh-worthy thus far, and I'm hoping I'll be around for quite some time, so I'm sure there will be a loooonnggg list of stupid stuff I've done that you can all laugh at. I learned that Noah had an appreciation for everything european and was actually in the process of becoming a CIA operative. Tomorrow there is a memorial ride leaving from the Rocky Mounts headquarters at 10:15am that I will be attending. The ride is supposed to start at 10:00, but the email said it will be leaving about 15 minutes late in honor of Noah's lack of punctuality, looks like we had more in common than I even knew. Well, I guess that's all I have for today. Noah, I hope, as your wife said, you're enjoying driving your Maserati, riding your Colnago, eating fried chicken and chocolate and finally hitting the high notes on your silver trumpet. May the road be smooth, your pedals be light, and the climbs be neverending. I know you will be missed.