The AON Honor Miles

Investigator Wayne David was shot and killed when a firearm he was recovering from a storm drain inadvertently discharged.

Investigator David is a 25-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department. He joined MPD in December 1998 and was assigned to the Third District after he graduated from the police academy. In November 2007, Investigator David went to the Gun Recovery Unit. He was then assigned as an investigator in the Violent Crime Suppression Division in 2021. Investigator David’s commitment and dedication to the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia will never be forgotten.

Col. (ret.) James “Chip” M. Bates, Jr. passed away shortly after participating in last year’s Challenge Ride.  After serving 26 years, he was a proud veteran of the United States Army.  In addition to being a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, he deployed to many overseas assignments while receiving numerous medals and awards during his career.  Post retirement, he continued to work as a military defense contractor, coordinating logistics programs with multiple NATO countries.  During his entire career, he had been to over 50 countries.  Besides his love of cycling, Chip loved riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. He played football at William & Mary and was a passionate Pittsburgh Steelers and VA Tech Hokies fan.  Chip loved spending time with his family and friends, and will always be remembered for his gigantic smile, loud talking, and crazy antics.  He will be dearly missed by all who knew him!

Michael “Michal” Gnatek. Former Aon employee, was a huge “Movement Evangelist”, and participated in the Challenge Ride 3 years in a row, bringing both MITRE and Aon on board as Challenge Teams.

Michal believed that you could take an active role in how poor genetics impact life quality.

Aubrey Gordon. Former Olympian for Guyana in 1972, and USA Masters Road National Champion. A participant of many Clarendon Cups.

He represented Guyana in two Olympics, the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain where he was the flag bearer. Aubrey was a United States National champion on three occasions. He won many medals including, Gold in the 2009 UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships which was held in Sydney, Australia, and 2017 at the USA Cycling Maters Road National Criterium in Augusta, Georgia. He was a silver medalist in 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. Also won numerous races both track and road in the Caribbean.

Jay Moglia, Local racer and founder of the Raw Talent Ranch (RTR). Jay, pictured here on the Podium at the 2017 Clarendon Cup Masters race, had a long history of competition in the Mid-atlantic, including many past podiums at the Clarendon Cup

Jay Moglia passed away after suffering a heart attack while leading a ride from his famous mountain training facility in Lost River, WV, also known as Raw Talent Ranch. The passion that drove him in his different pursuits was an extremely generous one more outward-bound than inward-directed . If you knew Jay, he was a fan of yours and believer in your potential to do great things.

Rick Schofield. Former Colleague of the event organizer. Participated in the event on a number of occasions.

Rick was “one of a kind” and the most amazing son, husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. His smile lit up a room.  He was “the funny guy”, the positive light, a constant learner, and a patient teacher.  Rick believed in being curious and just doing things, loved going to new events/experiences such as geocaching, demolition derbies, NASCAR,  visiting the highest point in a state, and monster truck rallies.

Doug “Bullet” Shapiro. Only the third American to ever compete in the Tour de France. Read about him HERE. Teammate of our current Competition Director.

“He always had this passion and fire. He really put 110 percent into the sport all the time. He was a great guy. Very Loyal.  Great friend,” remembers Weaver, a fellow two-time Olympian and 1984 games bronze medalist.

Highly accomplished bicycle racer, yes, but more importantly, teammate, friend and loving husband and father.

In depth interview on Pez.

Scott Cornell Binde. Founder of OutRiders DC.

Scott’s time in Washington, DC began his great ‘love affair’ with his bicycle. He co-founded the OutRiders DC cycling group and regularly planned and led bike rides for this group. He also enjoyed cycling far & wide in the eastern USA seaboard area, as well as in Portugal, Tunisia, Laos and Alaska and regularly completed rides of 100 miles or more. He has also more recently been an active participant in the Freezing Saddles event which involves bike riding during the winter. Another more recent cycling activity has involved a lot of gravel rides and he commissioned a custom-made bicycle christened “Alvilda”, his mother’s middle name.

Scott became involved in the Lutheran Refugee Services in his early time in Washington, DC and he mentored and formed a close relationship with a Vietnamese family, continuing over the years to participate in their family celebrations and traveling to Vietnam with them.

Marine Corporal Spencer R. Collart, awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for noncombat act of valor. Corporal Collart’s family has received support from TAPS.

He Died Trying to Save Fellow Marines from a Burning Osprey. As the crew chief, Collart was responsible for the safety and readiness of the 22 other Marines on the Osprey, including the pilots. When it crashed, he tried heroically to fulfill that duty. Driven by knowing it was the right thing to do, his father said, Collart rushed back into the burning aircraft to try and rescue the pilots, at the cost of his own life.

Collart joined the Marine Corps in 2020 and served as a crew chief, a highly respected role in the aviation community. At the vigil held last year, family, friends and well-wishers remembered the 21-year-old as someone who would always pick up the phone, who was selfless, and who was also a tough older brother, his sister Gwyneth said.

Chief Willie Frazier. TAPS was there for CMSgt Frazier’s family.

“Frazier loved people” is an understatement. He plugged into people with passion and purpose every single time he connected. Frazier was authentic and genuine in his unwavering dedication to make everyone feel seen, feel heard, and feel loved. Sometimes Frazier knew before the person knew and would reach out at the most ideal time, no matter how much time had passed since the last interaction. Frazier just knew! He always said, “I gotta take care of my people” and reminded others to "Take care of your people”. Frazier was love.

As Chief Will Frazier would say: “Take care of your people”. He was always saying that to people, military… and anyone in the social arena as well.  

In honor of those lost on the American Airlines Flight 5342.

American Eagle Flight 5342 plunged into the Potomac River on the night of Jan. 29, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan International Airport.

To learn more about the victims >

In honor of the U.S. Army 12th Aviation Battalion Black Hawk

The Blackhawk crew included Staff Sgt. Ryan O’Hara, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach.

Ryan O’Hara was a husband, father, and crew chief on board the Black Hawk. Helicopter crew chiefs are responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft.

Instructor pilot Andrew Eaves was a father, husband, and a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army from Noxubee County, Mississippi.

Rebecca Lobach served as an aviation officer from July 2019 to January 2025. She was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion, Ft Belvoir. In a statement, Lobach’s family described her as a “distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, and was in the top 20% of cadets nationwide.”

Mark Neebe. Former Colleague and friend of the event organizer. His friendship and professional guidance contributing to the overall success of this event.

Mark was truly one of a kind—an adventurer, a mentor, a loving husband, doting father to his two daughters and a friend to all who had the joy of knowing him. His infectious laugh, quick wit, and vivid storytelling, often laced with tales of his travels and life experiences, will be deeply missed.

As a model family man, he brought the family to nearly every trip he had to attend. He was also dedicated to being present all of his children’s sporting activities!