In Memoriam: Jon Lennard, aka @itburns
Each of us throw a leg over our top tubes and submit ourselves to the open road in recognition of the risks involved. These risks include those of a puncture, crash, damaged equipment, disability, and – ultimately – death. We try to be vigilant, we ride assertively yet defensively, and we hope for the best. We take every reasonable precaution to ensure we return home to ride again another day.
Longstanding community member Jon Lennard, known here as @itburns, will sadly not have that opportunity. Jon lost his life on August 12, 2013 at approximately 7:30pm while riding his bike in Houston, Texas. As of this writing, details are sparse, but the Houston Chronicle reports that he was hit in an intersection by a vehicle, and thrown violently from his bicycle.
People say online interactions lack a personal connection, and for the most part, they are right. But Velominati somehow seems to bridge that gap. We rarely meet one another, but somehow we bond, and we become what can only be characterized as friends. The loss I feel – and that I know Brett, Gianni, and Marko each felt as the news spread amongst the Keepers – suggests that this bond of friendship truly exists. We have lost not only a community member and Velominatus, but a friend.
Jon was what we characterize as a Pedalwan. He was relatively new to Cycling, and lapped up the knowledge, wisdom, and lessons that this community has become so good at providing. He asked questions, gave advice, and always delivered everything he said with a fantastic sense of humor. He was the picture-perfect example of living La Vie Velominatus. I am proud that our community appealed to him because he was exactly the kind of person we want to appeal to.
A few additional words:
@Bretto:
Although I never met Jon, he was a huge part of our community and this news has left me feeling sick to the stomach. I can’t begin to imagine how devastated his friends and family are at this time.
Jon, under his moniker @itburns, always seemed upbeat and positive with valuable input to any and every topic he participated in. He was a true Velominatus and will be genuinely missed around here. When I look at his palmares, the similarities between Jon and myself are many, which makes me think we would’ve gotten on famously; it also reminds me how very mortal each and every one of us are.
My condolences go out to his loved ones, and while this is a tragedy of terrible proportions, it is some small consolation that he died doing what he loved. RIP, VLVV Jon.
@Gianni:
This is sad and strange. We have lost a fellow Velominatus. He died in the saddle. We all have made friends on the site, most we have never met. How is that possible? We have conversations and arguments about bikes, cycling and life yet we don’t ever see each others faces, but we are still friends. If any of us had ever been stranded in Houston, @itburns, Jon Lennard, would have helped us out. To us he will always be known as a friend and Velominatus. Rest in peace. VLVV.
@Marko:
If I were to rattle off the first five or so community members that spring to mind, @itburns (Jon as we’ve come to know him now) would most likely be one of them. He’s an old timer around here and has been posting long enough to have become part of the ether of Velominati. His contributions were thoughtful, pleasant, supportive, and always furthered our discussion. I wish his untimely death wasn’t the impetus for us to learn more about him. Turns out he and I would have surely had other fun discussions about guitars, Metal, and kayaking as well. Maybe Jon’s passing will encourage us all to appreciate each other a bit more and know that there’s much more than cycling than we all have in common. Go with Merckx, brother, and thank you.
His childhood friend, Ron Willis, who kindly made us aware of the news:
Jon was smart as fuck and wasn’t kidding about the OCD… dude had his way (the only way) of doing things! Used to laugh my ass off watching him dick with his snowboard bindings EVERY day for half an hour on our ski trips. Can’t imagine what that bike went through.
Our biggest argument about things cycling – he thought “Dutch hill” work was the same as hill work (gravity bitch!)
Our second biggest argument – buy some fucking Zipps you cheap bastard!
Really gonna miss him.
Our deepest, heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. We have marked the date of his death on the Velominati Cogal Calendar. Let us take a breath and acknowledge it could just as well have been us. Be safe, and always come home to ride another day.
We’ll miss you, Jon.
Jonathan King Lennard
Dec 24, 1965 – Aug 12, 2013
Single, no kids
BS Aerospace Engineering, Texas, 1988
Part owner of Software company that does contract work for Shell Oil.
Musician (bass and guitar)
Walking encyclopedia of all things rock ‘n roll
Avid reader (a lot of science fiction, Asimov, etc)
Beer/Spirits/Coffee – no expense spared for the best.
Early on: skate, surf, kayak
Later: cycling and snowboarding
Update: Some community members have been sharing photos. We’ll keep updating this as we get more.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/Jon Lennard/”/]
Sad news. Losing a fellow cyclist is always hard.
Ride safe and hard, enjoy every ride. It is when we are doing what we enjoy we are the most alive.
I will ride in your memory this week.
Rest in Peace Jon!
Ride on brother! @itburns had a wicked clever sense of humour, as more of a reader than a poster I’d pretty much always stop at his posts and follow any links etc. You will be missed!
Very sad news – prayers go out to his family.
@itburns: your moniker got at the essential of cycling. You would either teach me something or make me laugh, or wrinkle my forehead in puzzlement as your references flew by me, going off the front. I just learned your name the day we shed a tear at your passing. You were a friend that I never met.
Tomorrow we ride…for Jon and with @itburns.
Tragic, gut churning news. My sincere condolences to friends and family of @itburns.
So very sad news. I cannot add anything that has not already been eloquently and sympathetically expressed here. But for the grace of Merckx it could be any one of us. Rest in Peace @itburns
Rest in peace, Jon.
Ride on where flats can’t happen, chains stay greased and roads are perpetually smooth, paved by angels.
Ride on where the climbs are steep, descents are crazy fun.
Ride on where no one in front touches their brakes and tail winds prevail.
Ride on.
End of July IIRC we were into some inner tube installation discussion with itburns and after a few weeks of absence here I logged in to see this sad post.Very sad news indeed.Condolences to friends and family.
Great tribute guys. I knew Jon well, and his friends and family will be pleased to see this.
@JACD214
Finely put. Can’t say any more.
Hello to all, what a great tribute for our cycling friend.
At this point I am not sure if I have met Jon but have certainly shared the same pavement.
i was at the scene Monday about 30 seconds after this trajic accident! I immediately went to Jon to assist him but he was gone….
i want those who knew Jon to know that I believe he did not suffer. It was instant.
For those who need answers, at that moment the visibility was very very bad. The sun was perfectly horizontal and contributed highly to the accident. i think its highly unlikely the motorist could see Jon or the stop lights. I also think the driver was speeding and not driving to the conditions… It will probably come down to no fault and just a terrible accident that took Jon.
Bob Martin
[email protected]
Prayers for Jon , it does burn! Ride on Dude…
First post and wish it wasn’t this one. Terribly sad. Rest in Peace.
Terrible sad news. My prayers are for Jon and to those close to him.
Saw this terrible news on Facebook and just wanted to pay my respects. Jon seemed like a top fellow and it’s very sad to see he was cut down like this. RIP, @itburns.
Don’t think I can add much to what has already been said so well But I think its really cool how much we actually do know about our fellow Velominati by virtue of their posts. @itburns was a cool dude and always had interesting things to say… He will be missed. I’ll make sure to put in some proper reflection time for him on my next ride. VLVV
“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”
Ulysses – Lord Tennyson
This phrase seems to embody the Velominati, and @itburns in particular.
Fair winds, my erstwhile companion of the road. Fair winds …
@Skip
+2 I agree that @mminsc sums this up perfectly.
Sad. Very sad.
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. VLVV all.
No light can be made of such sad news, I hung my head on reading this. It is a strange thing, never meeting but feeling like you know someone. I will pay tribute on my next ride @itburns, just know that you are missed. And to Jons family, we are all feeling for you too.
Awful news. Rest in peace @itburns. My condolences to all those who loved him. His avatar and handle always made me smile.
Thanks for the keepers for gracing this page with this sad news, as said above, this site is the link for many of us. Thank you.
RIP @itburns Nothing more to be said. I really would’ve liked to have known you…..
@Bob Martin Thanks for the info, Bob. Much appreciated.
Absolutely effing awful! Never met Jon….not sure of the circumstances but this stretch of road can be treacherous (traffic, condition, visibility). A couple of years back my group came upon a guy who had caught his wheel on a crack between lanes and had been pitched into the adjacent lane and run over. He survived but had a long journey back to fitness. I am riding this stretch of road tonight (Memorial drive) and will send out best wishes/prayers on the way.
RIP Jon and condolences to his family/loved ones.
Greg L
Terribly sad news. It could so easily happen to any one of us on any given ride.
Tomorrow I plan on laying down the V in Jon’s honour.
We never met, but I guess we didn’t have to, to be brothers.
VLVV
My condolences to Jon’s loved ones. I never met him in person, but this community would not be the same without him. Merckxspeed.
Screw this shit:((( I feel the pain… A good man left us… RIP Jon!!!
What a beautiful outpouring for our friend. As people are adding photos or emailing them over, I am adding them to the album in the post. Keep ’em coming.
I think this is hard for all of us to digest. I feel lucky that he spent the time he did with us and am angry and upset he was taken from us before his time.
Be careful out there.
VLVV.
RIP Jon.
There is also a tribute page for Jon on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403487096540974/
Jon was a longtime friend. One of my closest over the past 20 years. His absence will leave a void in my life. He often inspired me to try harder, be better, and just go out and ride. He will be missed greatly…
Hollow feeling in chest and sadness at loss of a fellow Velominati. Condolences to Jon’s family and close friends.
Ride In Peace @itburns
@motor city This again. So disappointing to read about.
@Dan Sorak
Thanks for sharing this. I just requested to join the group. Fantastic pictures and thoughts of Jon. Makes me wish I knew him better, we would have gotten along well.
Small world made smaller. Heart swelling with sadness.
RIP.
The VMH & little one got a few extra hugs on Saturday after a near miss less than a km from home. Scary how easily it can all go wrong.
I’ve been a long-time lurker here, drinking in the proper life. Order a copy of The Rules via UK Amazon seller since it wasn’t available in the US. Velominati helped restore my passion for cycling after several years of stagnation due to, among other things, working in a bike shop, and long standing back problems. Left the shop, had back surgery, and found Velominati. I love riding again.
But this article made me register.
This truly is heart breaking. While I don’t know anyone here from Adam, I can only offer great sympathy for this loss.
Ride on, friends.
Sad news, a terrible day whenever a brother of the wheel is taken.
Condolances to family and friends and Merckx speed to healing.
the very few times I have had to experience this, on the next ride there always seems to be an extra push from behind. Similar to a no chain day….for that I say thanks to the spirit of the wheel for the reminder that the sole taken will always be with us..
never met you @itburns, but thank you for the push Today.
@Bob Martin
Thanks Bob. It truly means a lot. Thanks for going to him at that time. So sad.
@Dan Sorak
Thank you for this. I just requested to join.
@Buck Rogers
Me too.
@Dan Sorak
Wow. Fabulous tribute there. Jon was obviously loved by many, and for good reason.
I’ve been lurking for a few months and this is my first post. A somber occasion as it is, such events tend to bring people together. Seeing the admiration for Jon, it reminds me why I ride. Not simply to improve myself as a rider, but to improve myself as a human. The suffering that we do forges a camaraderie that cannot be felt any other way. I live in Austin, a couple hours down the road from Houston, but this still hits close to home. It is my hope that when my time comes, no matter how it comes, I will have lived my live worthy of the praise that Jon did in his time.
Jon was a great childhood friend and his passing comes as a shock. He was always the wisest of our group and carried that into his adulthood. RIP Jon! I’ll never forget the great times we had as children in NW Houston!
Several important people in my life have passed way before their time (my dad, my uncle, my cousin). It never really becomes normal that they aren’t around anymore.
Condolences to Jon’s relatives and to those who knew him.
@Bob Martin
Thanks Bob, we are glad you were there and thanks for sharing your thoughts. You are right about the time of day, it’s a dangerous time with that bright sun blotting out everything horizontally. And right again with your last line.
Prayers for Jon , it does burn! Ride on Dude…
Wow. Wasn’t expecting this when I came here today, saw the photo caption and didn’t quite believe it. This hits surprisingly hard. It is always weird trying to explain this place to people. More then just a website or some people from the internet.
RIP @itburns. Condolences to any and all.
I like the black armband idea. Perhaps we should have a decentralized memorial ride this weekend in the (organization not attitude) vein of the Festum?
Jon’s friends from the 1984 graduating class at Cypress Creek High School remember him and are very sad to learn of this tragic event.
We will miss you Jon. :(
Ugh. Condolences to Jon/Itburns’ family and friends. He was and will remain a major pillar upon which this site rests. I hope to live up to his joie de VLVV.
I will repeat what many have written: Ride in Peace, Jon. We will miss you.
-cal
@Buck Rogers
Well I think we all do what we have to but is was so very Heartbreaking…
Much of what I have heard and read has frankly been incomplete and confusing so I wanted to resolve questions you all must have.
its important to reflect on Jon’s life and friendship. He’s in a good place because he has clearly touched so many terrific friends who love and care Selflessly.
There road ahead, lets Ride in Jon spirit :)
@DerHoggz I agree with all your sentiments. It is a true tragedy and almost impossible to explain and put into words. I’ve never met any of you and yet feel closer to you than the guy who sits next to me at work. All I can do is express regret and say my thoughts are with all close to Jon.