"She was a really effervescent, very friendly person who cared for kids and camaraderie. When she'd come into the transition tent at 2 a.m. I'd giver a little push as she got back on her bike. She used to love it."

That's how Crazy Larry Melnik remembers Isabelle Dubé, smiling at him under the spotlights as she churned her legs and headed out into the night on another lap of the 24 Hours of Adrenaline.

Dubé was a mother to Lea and wife to fellow racer Heath McCroy. When she wasn't training, she was a well-respected teacher who campaigned frequently at town council for childrens' issues. She was killed by a grizzly in 2005 while training for one of the endurance races she was known to love.

"When she died, I realized I didn't want to just go to her funeral and have her life sort of pass by," Crazy Larry explained. "I thought, hey, I know a lot of people in the cycling community. why don't we turn around from this and make a tribute ride?"

And he did just that.

Now in its seventh year, the Isabelle Dubé Tribute Ride will take place June 5, exactly seven years to the day since Dubé's funeral. Riders will meet at the Canmore Public Library at noon and pedal to Banff with a full police escort.

Crazy Larry wants to get as many people as possible to come out and ride. Realistically he's hoping for around 100 riders, but said eventually "I want to make this Canada's largest cycling rally.

"This is a platform for all cyclists to come together to pay respect to all those who have passed away who had a love of cycling, just like Isabelle did."

For more details about the ride, go to isabelledubetribute.com.