I never met this guy, but accorning to pretty much everyone i talked to he was one of the friendliest, most-approachable, and talented riders of the East-Coast bike scene. This article appeared in my hometown newspaper The Winston-Salem (NC) Journal, unfortunetly their web site didnt have the pic, but heres the article and I'll try to scan the picture tomorrow. Ive heared that a lot of his friends also post on RM so if you've got somethin to say, go for it.
The Article from here
LEWISVILLE - Two years ago this week, Jack Doub rode his mountain bike for the last time. Jack, 17, was still recovering from a leg wound that he had sustained four months earlier while riding in Snowshoe, W.Va. Although he was unable to race while the wound healed, he was filled with joy to be on his bike.
He rode with a group of buddies that included Chip Duckitt, a long-time friend who had introduced him to mountain biking six years earlier.
Jack popped a wheelie and rode on one tire for a mile while Duckitt and friends watched in amazement.
"He was out of shape but having a blast," Duckitt said.
Within a week, Jack felt sick, as if he had the flu. His father, Jay, took him to the doctor and, later, the emergency room. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong.
A few days later, Jay Doub found Jack dead on the floor of his home in Lewisville.
Jack, who was a junior at Mount Tabor, was the only child of Jay Doub and Ann Williams.
Doctors determined that the leg wound had become infected. How the infection developed remains a mystery. Jack was a "germ-o-phobe" who took excellent care of his wound, his father said.
Had doctors discovered the infection, Jack probably would have lost his arms and legs, his father said.
"He wouldn't have been happy with that," he said.
Jack's death sent shock waves through the tight-knit mountain biking community. His father was swamped with letters and calls from riders across the country.
A fearless rider of boundless energy, Jack had developed into one of the nation's top racers in the downhill and slalom events. But Jack was beloved for his giving spirit even more than for his biking skill.
During races, he was known to stop and lend a hand to a rider needing help. Younger riders approached him for tips. Shortly before he died, he was offering advice to riders on the dual slalom course at Hobby Park.
"He just loved being on the bike. Bottom line," Duckitt said.
His friends and family want to pass along Jack's passion for mountain biking to a new generation of riders. Last Saturday, thousands of children across the nation, and in a few foreign countries, took a ride on a mountain bike during the first National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.
Jack's friends and family organized the observance with help from the International Mountain Bicycling Association. They plan to make it an annual event.
Rep. Richard Burr has introduced a resolution in Congress to make the first Saturday in October National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.
"When he [Jack] passed away, we wanted to do something that would continue his memory and in some way would promote mountain biking," Duckitt said.
Locally, about 50 kids rode mountain bikes on new trails at Rich Park in Mocksville.
The ride in Mocksville brought together many of Jack's closest friends.
Charles von Isenburg, who owns Mock Orange Bikes in Mocksville, built the trails at the park and donated several bikes for children to ride.
Other friends loaned bikes, too. Jay Doub grilled hot dogs and served drinks.
Von Isenburg said that Jack would have enjoyed seeing all the young riders.
"He really helped promote what he loved to do, which is neat because a lot of kids his age wouldn't have done that," said Von Isenburg. "At the races, he was this 16- and 17-year-old kid who was approachable and more apt to teach than the others."
Von Isenburg's shop has become a hangout for many of Jack's friends. One of Jack's bikes - he owned six - is in the shop. His photo hangs on the wall.
"We think about him all the time," Von Isenburg said.
Jack grew up thinking of the outdoors as a giant playground. When he was 18 months old, his father fitted him with skis and pushed him down little hills.
Jack developed into a talented alpine skier. He also loved to fish, climb and kayak, often with his father at his side.
When he was 11, Jack saw Duckitt riding a mountain bike at Grandfather Mountain.
"It was probably me doing wheelies more than anything that caught his attention," Duckitt said.
It wasn't long before Jack was riding his mountain bike up hills, over obstacles and off rocks. He switched from racing in cross-country events to downhill and slalom events.
"He was an adrenaline junkie, to say the least," Jay Doub said.
His father built riding trails on his 80-acre farm and drove him to trails in the North Carolina and Tennessee mountains.
Jack started racing in a national bike series. Within a few years, he was near the top of the rankings.
"There was nothing that he did that he didn't do well," Duckitt said. "He never went into anything half speed for sure."
In 2002, he won second place in his age group in a national slalom competition in Snowshoe.
The next day during a training ride, he jumped off a rock, fell about eight feet and landed on a stump, cutting open his right leg.
The injury ultimately led to the infection that took his life.
His father does not blame mountain biking for Jack's death.
"The wound could have come from a car wreck or falling out the door. He was continually getting hurt," Doub said.
A wall in his office is crammed with reminders of Jack. Tacked on the wall are a painting, some newspaper clippings and photographs that Jack took. Most of the wall is filled with photographs of Jack riding his mountain bike, dressed in his trademark outfit - blue jeans and an orange helmet.
"Orange helmet, red hair and blue jeans," his father said. "That's Jack."
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Bellesweet cam
The Article from here
LEWISVILLE - Two years ago this week, Jack Doub rode his mountain bike for the last time. Jack, 17, was still recovering from a leg wound that he had sustained four months earlier while riding in Snowshoe, W.Va. Although he was unable to race while the wound healed, he was filled with joy to be on his bike.
He rode with a group of buddies that included Chip Duckitt, a long-time friend who had introduced him to mountain biking six years earlier.
Jack popped a wheelie and rode on one tire for a mile while Duckitt and friends watched in amazement.
"He was out of shape but having a blast," Duckitt said.
Within a week, Jack felt sick, as if he had the flu. His father, Jay, took him to the doctor and, later, the emergency room. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong.
A few days later, Jay Doub found Jack dead on the floor of his home in Lewisville.
Jack, who was a junior at Mount Tabor, was the only child of Jay Doub and Ann Williams.
Doctors determined that the leg wound had become infected. How the infection developed remains a mystery. Jack was a "germ-o-phobe" who took excellent care of his wound, his father said.
Had doctors discovered the infection, Jack probably would have lost his arms and legs, his father said.
"He wouldn't have been happy with that," he said.
Jack's death sent shock waves through the tight-knit mountain biking community. His father was swamped with letters and calls from riders across the country.
A fearless rider of boundless energy, Jack had developed into one of the nation's top racers in the downhill and slalom events. But Jack was beloved for his giving spirit even more than for his biking skill.
During races, he was known to stop and lend a hand to a rider needing help. Younger riders approached him for tips. Shortly before he died, he was offering advice to riders on the dual slalom course at Hobby Park.
"He just loved being on the bike. Bottom line," Duckitt said.
His friends and family want to pass along Jack's passion for mountain biking to a new generation of riders. Last Saturday, thousands of children across the nation, and in a few foreign countries, took a ride on a mountain bike during the first National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.
Jack's friends and family organized the observance with help from the International Mountain Bicycling Association. They plan to make it an annual event.
Rep. Richard Burr has introduced a resolution in Congress to make the first Saturday in October National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.
"When he [Jack] passed away, we wanted to do something that would continue his memory and in some way would promote mountain biking," Duckitt said.
Locally, about 50 kids rode mountain bikes on new trails at Rich Park in Mocksville.
The ride in Mocksville brought together many of Jack's closest friends.
Charles von Isenburg, who owns Mock Orange Bikes in Mocksville, built the trails at the park and donated several bikes for children to ride.
Other friends loaned bikes, too. Jay Doub grilled hot dogs and served drinks.
Von Isenburg said that Jack would have enjoyed seeing all the young riders.
"He really helped promote what he loved to do, which is neat because a lot of kids his age wouldn't have done that," said Von Isenburg. "At the races, he was this 16- and 17-year-old kid who was approachable and more apt to teach than the others."
Von Isenburg's shop has become a hangout for many of Jack's friends. One of Jack's bikes - he owned six - is in the shop. His photo hangs on the wall.
"We think about him all the time," Von Isenburg said.
Jack grew up thinking of the outdoors as a giant playground. When he was 18 months old, his father fitted him with skis and pushed him down little hills.
Jack developed into a talented alpine skier. He also loved to fish, climb and kayak, often with his father at his side.
When he was 11, Jack saw Duckitt riding a mountain bike at Grandfather Mountain.
"It was probably me doing wheelies more than anything that caught his attention," Duckitt said.
It wasn't long before Jack was riding his mountain bike up hills, over obstacles and off rocks. He switched from racing in cross-country events to downhill and slalom events.
"He was an adrenaline junkie, to say the least," Jay Doub said.
His father built riding trails on his 80-acre farm and drove him to trails in the North Carolina and Tennessee mountains.
Jack started racing in a national bike series. Within a few years, he was near the top of the rankings.
"There was nothing that he did that he didn't do well," Duckitt said. "He never went into anything half speed for sure."
In 2002, he won second place in his age group in a national slalom competition in Snowshoe.
The next day during a training ride, he jumped off a rock, fell about eight feet and landed on a stump, cutting open his right leg.
The injury ultimately led to the infection that took his life.
His father does not blame mountain biking for Jack's death.
"The wound could have come from a car wreck or falling out the door. He was continually getting hurt," Doub said.
A wall in his office is crammed with reminders of Jack. Tacked on the wall are a painting, some newspaper clippings and photographs that Jack took. Most of the wall is filled with photographs of Jack riding his mountain bike, dressed in his trademark outfit - blue jeans and an orange helmet.
"Orange helmet, red hair and blue jeans," his father said. "That's Jack."
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