Each year in July Cyclists from Naval Air Station and the North Florida Bicycle club gather for a ride to honor the life of Lt. Cmdr. Jim Warmowski and all the others in northeast Florida who have lost their lives while bicycling and to remind drivers and rider that we all share one road.
On July 14, 2002 Jim Warmowski, a former NAS Jacksonville naval officer and avid athlete was struck and killed while riding his bicycle by a driver who was under the influence of Methadone. Warmowski was training for the prestigious Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. He never got the opportunity to ride the 112 miles ride across the Hawaiian lava desert on his bicycle nor hear the applause from the thousands of spectators that lined the streets in 2002.
Lt. Cmdr. Warmowski was not only an avid cyclist but a loving family member and friend. He was also a great patriot who loved his country and was willing to offer his life in service to a cause greater than his own self-interest.
The ride on July 15, 2012018 will once again be sponsored by the North Florida Bicycle Club. The ride will start in silence from the Fleming Island Winn Dixie parking. It will proceed slowly south on Highway 17 for 11.2 miles to the memorial marker where there will be a short remembrance ceremony.
After the ceremony concludes, the ride will continue at normal paces along the roads surrounding Green Cove Springs. Contact Mark Atkins at prez@nfbc.us for more info. THIS RIDE COUNTS FOR POINTS AND MILEAGE.