Rider spotlight: Bellingham couple to get married during #BikeSTP

For Kim Thornadtsson and Don Ligocki, this year’s STP will be extra special. Not only will it be their tenth Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic in a row, they are also getting married!

Kim and Don have been bicycling together for 23 years, and have been a couple for 22 of those years. 

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“Neither one of us had done any biking events back then, we just rode whenever and wherever we could,” said Kim, a long-time Cascade member.  “Some friends told us about STP and we did our first one in 2002, and have made this our annual weekend get-away ever since. It’s the highlight of the year.”

The 2012 STP may very well become the highlight of their lives as they are briefly stopping in Chehalis to be married by Pastor Randy Faro at St. John's Church over lunch time.

Kim said they’ll be wearing the 2012 STP jersey to wear for the occasion.

“Yes, we are wearing spandex. Some people think I should wear a dress but biking is what we do!” said Kim.

“Barring any flat tires, we will be married by 1 p.m. Saturday, July 14, and back on our bikes headed for Portland,” added Don.

The STP wedding was Kim’s idea since neither of them wanted to host a big, fancy wedding.

“I was pleasantly surprised to have him ask me after 22 years of being together,” Kim said. “We are considered senior citizens at this stage of our lives, both being over 50, so the idea of something big and extravagant was not what we wanted to do.  So I thought, why not do this while doing something we both love?”

Don and Kim will be joined by two “biking friends” to serve as their witnesses.

Kim said the remaining ride, from Chehalis to Portland, will be the honeymoon so be sure to wish them well when you see them on the road!