Tribute to Mark Bixby, Director of Long Beach Bicycle Festival
By Tony Cruz

The cycling world lost a dear friend yesterday. His name was Mark Bixby and he was the organizer of the Long Beach Bicycle Festival. Mark was more than just an avid cyclist and advocate for bicycling throughout California. He was much more in so many ways.

There are very few people that I know that could bring others together and inspire them like Mark Bixby did. Mark had a special passion and vision to serve and better his community in away that I had never experienced before. He had a supportive and very natural ability to motivate people, regardless if he had just met you, or you were already a friend and fellow Freddy out riding side by side with him on the open road at the crack of dawn. It was his unselfish and welcoming nature that immediately drew people to him, including myself and made it great to know him on many levels.

Mark Bixby.

The love and care Mark took for his family was always his priority. He worked hard to finish up his days work eager to set off on another Bixby family adventure. If there was ever a father of the year award I'm sure Bixby would have taken the center block on the podium. He was just that good at everything.

Marks openness and dedication to friends and his community was unmatched. It was the most evident thing to me about Mark from the first time I met him to the recent afternoons we spent on the sidelines of our daughters soccer games. Mark, with camera in hand capturing all the action of the games to generously share with the players, coaches, and the families. He expected nothing in return but to see their smiles and enjoyment of the images he'd taken of the team as memories for everyone to share in. 

Mark will be deeply missed and my love, prayers, and support go out to him and his family. For me the essence of Mark Bixby was his drive to pursue and to achieve everything good and worth going after in life.

Rest in Peace Mark Bixby.

Tony Cruz