Kristina Kittelson

Ride On Kristina (1967-2021)

On March 27, 2021, Kristina Kittelson adjusted her helmet, clipped into the pedals, and rode into the afterlife.

Had this ride not been hosted by colon cancer, she would have invited hundreds of women she inspired from Singletrack and Skinny Tire Sisters of Western Colorado, a group she started in 2011 to connect women bicycle riders. She also would have reached out to the riders and trail builders in the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA), a mountain biking organization she once coordinated.

Cocky riders beware. Don’t misjudge this petite woman as she hands you your ass up the ledges and down steep sandy slickrock. Do you remember her standing on the highest podium at the 2014 GJ Offroad 30-Mile Women’s Masters competition? Crushing the West Elk Classic? Or, vying for the winner’s circle at the 40-mile GJ OffRoadcompetition only to lose position when she stopped to help a fellow rider after his crash? Kristina was always somewhere on a podium, on a mountain bike, on a road bike, or on a bicycle built for two with her husband Brian.

A love found later in life, Brian Kittelson (Big Kitty), captured Kristina’s heart with his gentle spirit and wicked sense of humor. Kristina loved a deep belly laugh and he made her laugh every day. They shared 13 loving years together and doted on their cats Guy and Poo. In addition to biking, Kristina and Brian shared their love of camping, adventure, and wild spaces in a converted VW van. Her cross-country skiing adventures led her to the Grand Mesa Nordic Council, where she served as its enthusiastic Membership Director from 2014 to 2016.

In her work life, Kristina despaired that she would ever find her passion. She pursued a lifelong search after graduating from Fairfield High School in 1986. She earned a certification as a Transcendental Meditation Instructor from the Maharishi University, a B.A. from the Colorado Institute of Art, a B.S. in Biology and Nursing from Mesa State College, and a Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado to become a Nurse Practitioner. Always curious, an indefatigable researcher, Kristina turned to academia like a mountain bike needs single track. She applied her expertise to St. Mary’s Hospital, Rocky Mountain Orthopedics, Fruita Canyons and Community Hospital. Her career was cut short when she became full-time Stage IV cancer thriver. Get a cancer screening now, she would urge us and her Internet followers.

Kristina continued to have a rich life post-diagnosis, and it was during this time she connected with her birth father, George Tribelhorn, with whom she developed a strong relationship. She took a train trip through Canada with Brian, took a road trip with her mom in the desert, deepened friendships, and explored the life of the mind in new ways. She started her meditation practice at age 5 at the Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa, where she grew up and continued the practice during her lifetime, meditating with her mother Mary Ellen the week she died.

The wearer of many hats, Kristina had one for every occasion and sported a stylish chapeau like no one else. She rocked Athletica and made strong women proud. A devourer of books, she made us think on issues easily avoided. Her thoughtful opinions seared the Internet. Kris suffered no political fools.

She was a student of yoga, player of games, drinker of red wine and rich coffee, and oh Kristina, you loved a good meal. Oh ice cream, Kristina never met a flavor she didn’t like.

Quests for food were taken with friends, so many friends, who made friends from knowing Kristina, who paired people together as soon as they named their interests, their passions, their quests. If you were a beginner, she could find you a riding partner. If you were an intermediate, she had the group for you. No matter which group you fell in, she would ride with you. She was the ultimate community builder.

So as a community, let’s get on our saddles, raise our water bottles to Kristina, and conquer those trails, wherever they may be. Kristina would like you to remember: Life is Bliss. Expansion of happiness is the purpose of creation, and we are all here to enjoy and radiate happiness everywhere, as spoken by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Ride on sister.

Kristina is survived by her husband Brian Kittelson, mother Mary Ellen Maguire, brother John David Van Dyke, nephew Brent Van Dyke, Aunt Kathleen Dunn, Uncles Robert S. (Georgia Kahn) and Ed Dunn (Yvonne), Damon Dunn (Suzanne), in-laws Robert and June, and Pamela Kittelson.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to:

The Cycle Effect at: https://www.thecycleeffect.org/

PalTown https://paltown.org/

Trails-One Riverfront https://oneriverfront.org/trails/