Paul “Randy” Inglis Sr., Leader in Delaware’s Cycling Community
Randy
The local bicycling community was shocked last week to learn of the death of Randy Inglis, a leader in Delaware’s cycling community.
Randy was the general manager of The Bike Boutique (TBB) in Wilmington, which is where I first met him. When TBB was in its original location in downtown Wilmington I asked Randy if Bike Delaware could put some Bike Delaware cards in his shop. He readily agreed and we discussed some of the biking issues and recent biking successes in the area.
Randy was a pioneer in locating the bike shop downtown and creating a partnership with a nearby fitness center so bike commuters could store their bikes and get a shower before heading to work (dubbed “bike-lodging”). But the poor economy and too small a customer base in that location led to TBB moving out to the Trolley Square area.
When my favorite local bike shop closed, I started using TBB to meet my needs for general bike maintenance. I enjoyed chatting with Randy, and with each conversation, learned more about Randy’s total commitment to bicycling. He supported various charity rides, promoted Bike Delaware and helped with other biking initiatives.
Randy had been the Northeast Regional Coordinator for USA Cycling since 2007. “Randy was very supportive of all of us with an interest in biking whether it was racing road, mountain bike, cross, track or TT events,” Masters bike racer Jo Johnson told me. “He wanted to be a contributor to our success. The Time Trial (TT) from Augustine Beach was a well attended event which he started and promoted. One year to make it safer for the riders crossing the bridges, he purchased some asphalt cold pack and came out the day before and tamped it in place on the road side so the TT riders could safely handle the road transition. That was the kind of guy he was – if something needed to be done he would either have someone handle it or he would, but either way it would be done right.
“Randy was instrumental in bringing the Wilmington Grand Prix to the city of Wilmington and making it one of the preferred national races on the national Criterium circuit. Then he added the Grand Fondo to the same weekend…[which] takes us through lots of the hills and valleys in the Chateau country terrain around here. In addition, he started the Deep Blue Race Team which I was a member of when I first started racing, and [he] coached some of the riders as well.
“One of his dreams which has yet to happen was to organize a road race that would finish with a lap of Dover Downs similar to Paris Roubaix but of course without the cobbles.”
If you wanted to do something related to bicycling, said Jo, you would work with Randy.
Randy is survived by his wife Sheila Sullivan-Inglis and children PJ and Ethan Inglis, of North East, MD, his daughter Aynsley Inglis of Wilmington, brothers Bruce, Michael, Kevin, Wayne, Peter and Jeffrey, as well as many nieces and nephews throughout the New England area.
We are saddened by the loss of this loving father and husband, leader, advocate and friend.
A bike ride in memory of Randy is scheduled for 5:30 pm on Tuesday, July 22, starting from Toscano, in Trolley Square. See Bike Delaware’s Facebook page for more information. His obituary can be found here.
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