Send all your thoughts & prayers to Schilling

Morning @Schilling. I haven't gotten out for a ride yet but thinking of you.
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Thinking about you 24/7 my friend. We've logged quite a few miles together, many of those have been some of the best moments I've ever had on a bicycle. When I ride with you it forces me to push right up to the limit, even on days when that shouldn't be possible.

Remember this winter when a group of us went to Chimney Rock in the snow? At first the ride was manageable for those without Fat Bikes, and then it started to snow. The snow was falling so fast that the finely packed trail soon disappeared, replaced with several inches of fresh powder. One by one riders fell off the ride, defeated by the dire conditions. The snow got deeper and deeper as we rode, until eventually it was myself and Woody on Fat Bikes with you chasing us on a Single-Speed 29er. No matter how hard I pushed you stayed inches away, never losing traction, even while I was sliding around, doing everything in my power to keep my bike under control. Harder and harder I pushed, but there was no way to crack you.

I've never seen you crack. I've never seen you give up. Find traction where no one else can and push through the impossible.

You got this.
 
Schilling family
In case you were wondering why we never call him Chris, there is an unspoken rule that nobody named Chris is allowed to be called Chris on the team. Because there are SIX of them. It's like 1/3 of our team! Plus Schilling sounds cool.
Chris B, aka Iggy who I don't even think people know his name is chris since everyone calls him iggy even in person @pooriggy
Chris G, aka Mr. G (teacher) or Gozik @ChrisG
Chris R aka Chris-RU or RU-Chris (yea we actually say that outloud) @ChrisRU
Chris S, but still not Chris S for Schilling aka 26er, yup we say 26er out loud too because 26er's last name is too complicated @Chris26er
And the actual Chris Schilling. @Schilling
And Kristine is a Chris, er Kris. I've heard someone say "hey Chris" and Kristine turned around so that counts too.@muddybike
 
Hey Chris just checking in. I rode again at Allaire yesterday. This is the first time in a while that I have been able to get a ride in three days in a row. Most of the time I am just lazy but like so many other people have mentioned they have overcome the excuses and went out and rode there bike because you have inspired them. @BiknBen post got me thinking to a conversation we had about riding different parks other than Allaire. I laughed when he called you the mountain biking gypsy. It is so true. Every picture I have seen of you over the last few days that people are posting on here and FB you are at a different park. I am going to get out to somewhere other than Allaire. I'll start easy with either Six Mile, Hartshorne or Clayton. Then I'll work my way to Chimney Rock. Then I'll head further north.

HTFU!

Rogers
 
Hi Chris, just wanted you to know I tried to channel a bit of single-speed power. (Yet another thing you do well and I do poorly.) Thinking about you this morning - about how much you contribute, and how many folks you've guided through their briar-patches-of-the-soul at the end of the pain-train. Get well soon. Lots of folks feeling lost without you.
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Amazing how small a world this is.. Stef was at the bus stop yesterday and one of our friends (Christy) in the neighborhood saw us liking all the Schilling FB stuff and began to tell Stef that she went to High School with Chris and her brother is really good friends with him. At the little league game last night, I was speaking to Christy (Her husband is my kids coach) about it and she told me a funny story about her possibly running into Chris at their 20 year reunion. It's crazy how small this world can be.

Anyway - I think the first time I met Schilling was at Tymor H2H race last year or maybe Taconic... One of those.. Either way, I just came back from a preride and saw an Orange and Blue kitt'd person just chill'n. I approached and introduced myself and true to form, Chris was more than willing to share great wisdom and advice of the race course. After that, I would see Chris all over the place, group rides, races... He always seemed like the first person I'd see at an event. Strange how that happens. Shit - @Flaubert and I even ran into him at Dirt Fest. We talked for a while and tried to line up a time to ride together that weekend but it never happened. SAD FACE :(. I really wish I hooked up with Mitch and Chris that weekend and rip through Ray's Revenge.

One thing that amazed me about Chris at Dirtfest - He rode more miles than me that weekend and left to race Jungle on Sunday. I know I was beat from all that riding, I don't know how he managed to race after all that Dirt fest'ing. Dude is strong! Like @pooriggy stated after Chris raced Bearscat this year "you are no *****!"

When Chris recovers, I'll extend the invite to ride with me at Raystown.

Heal up Chris!
 
Chris,

We have only met in passing, but I have been following your rides on Strava for a while.

Yesterday I went for a road ride and thought about you much of the time, sending my positive energy your way.

There were a lot of hills on my ride up to Kittatinney Valley State Park and every shift reminded me how challenging it must be to ride a single speed as you do on your mountain bike. As I rode through the park, I thought about how impossible it would be to ride up that hill to the cell phone tower on a single speed. You are a rock.

I am also sending you my very best wishes for a speedy recovery and I hope to see you back on Strava very soon.

Your family and the MTBNJ community are your rocks.
 
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