Thank you for doing so. I was stunned by the news late last night and knowing his love for cycling I was really hoping someone would start a thread.
RIP

Indeed he was one of "us". He was not any sort of celebrity "Fred". He struggled to become a very competent cyclist — apparently (aside from his inherent love of the sport) in an effort to buttress his struggle against the afflictions that finally overtook him.

The word "genius" has been overused and misapplied. In the case of the late Mr Williams, it is significantly applicable. He straddled a new consciousness in the English speaking world. And because of the kinaesthetic nature of his work, he could transcend the grammar of language and translate his humour to other cultures and languages around the globe.

Very roughly at the same time as the greats of British comedy were not being fully appreciated by the North American public, (Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, ‘Spike’ Milligan, John Cleese etc) the greats of modern, American comedy were also part of a cosmopolitan change in thinking, attitude and language. The likes of Jonathan Winters, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, and George Carlin were on the leading edge of a new consciousness. Williams was influenced by most, if not all of the above. He carried the baton to the next act.

Anyone who is old enough to have watched the "live" performances of the Winters-Williams, extemporized performances on Johnny Carson's “Tonight” TV show will never forget the experience. It is still marvellous to watch them via the archive. But for those of our membership who were not yet born, please be advised that these moments were transformative. They became legendary. At the same time, and quite ironically, these ephemeral seconds and minutes may have appeared to some people as trivial antics recorded on video tape. But, not for the first time over recent centuries, such playful, poignant moments became part of a new language shared by millions across the world.

As we cycle on, we will remember how Robin Williams revered life, love and language. From now on, there may not be a ride when I do not remember that wry smile.

A personal addenda: suicide and the love of life are not mutually exclusive. They derive from the same source. The act of living and the deliberate act of dying inexplicably diverge. For more is the pity and grief.

Yours is an incredibly insensitive post.

Well I have to agree with your opinion. But perhaps the writer is too callow to understand ... or adherent to beliefs that are best left alone here. I think my post above says exactly the rest of what I want to say. I do not seek to promote a debate here ... but only to temper/tone down something I do not want to see develop on this thread.

Very Sad - He gave us so much - May he rest in peace

May the wind be always at your back.

Rest in peace, Robin.

I agree with you, I don't want to see a thread devoted to remembering and honoring Robin Williams devolve into something else.

yea, the post is not very thoughtful. The pain one must be in when they commit such a final act, has to be considered.

"we're all going to die. that doesn't make much sense, does it?"

- john cheever in 'the swimmer'

I am watching a salute to Robin on Charlie Rose as I type this. What a loss. Good Morning Vietnam!

Thanks for the tip. Wow the way he seemed in that interview makes it even harder to believe what happened yesterday. Was that recorded about 5 years ago?

There were interviews from the '90s to as recent as 2011.

Here is a hilarious story about Williams from Conan O'Brien which involves cycling. Enjoy.

"Choice" may not be the correct word here.

Williams was affected by bipolar disorder and depression, which tend to be difficult to treat. The bipolar disorder likely influenced some of the impulsive choices he made with regard to relationships that he had, and the self-medication (booze) made things even worse. Add to that the culture in which he lived (narcissistic/superficial/unsupportive) and to the crushing workload he had and it's easy to see where the death spiral came from.

Williams realized he needed help, which is why he was back in rehab recently. It might not have been the correct choice from a medical standpoint, though, especially if he was going through a depressive period (as he was).

The Black Dog is ultimately fatal for some people. Sometimes luck and support structure have quite a bit to do with the outcome. It's not like we have that great of an infrastructure to treat the mentally ill anymore - thanks to the APA recommending the closure of psychiatric hospitals.

RIP Robin Williams.

Won't get into philosophizing or pontificating. Will just add a link to this video, as I think it was pretty neat. RW and Koko.
Robin Williams Has A Tickle Fight With A Gorilla

Robin Williams and Dario Pegoretti;

Robin Williams and Dario Pegoretti: The Comedian and the Bike Builder - WSJ

R.I.P. 'ride in peace' funny man.

He'll always make me laugh.

Very well put.

For many, the completely logical choice is not if but when.
When you can wrap your mind around that concept, you can begin to understand it.

I hope he finds as much peace as can be found on a nice bike ride.

For me, his Parkinson's diagnosis puts a different perspective on his story. He reportedly felt that gradually losing the ability to ride a bicycle would eventually rob him of his favorite way to keep his spirits up.

Robin Williams chose one way to deal with PD; Michael J. Fox and Davis Phinney have chosen another, and I am not in any position to judge either course of action or to know what I would do in a similar situation. For me, it is all about individual freedom of choice.

here here.

We were next door to Tiburon, in Mill Valley, when Robin Williams death was publicized. It hit us like a ton of bricks and several community members all had stories about their heartwarming personal encounters with him. May RW rest in peace.

Airman portrayed by Robin Williams reacts to actor's death | militarytimes.com

Interview with the real life DJ in Vietnam that Robbin played in his '87 breakout movie, "Good Morning Vietnam". Pretty good movie actually (had to look it up and watch in again today). I'm afraid it's the only one of his that I've seen.

I agree.
People deal with things very differently, one size does not fit all.
The outcome in this case is extremely sad. It may not be the choice I would have made but I was not in his shoes.

I was unaware of the Parkinson's diagnosis. It could easily have been the last straw. I can't imagine how one goes along that close to the edge and continues to function. I can, however, relate to what the release must feel like. RIP

This 2003 interview is great. He had 60 bikes at the time.

For the love of bicycles: A 2003 interview with Robin Williams - VeloNews.com