HIGH POINT – About 500 cyclists turned out for a ride to honor of one of their own Sunday in High Point.

At about 1 p.m., cyclists started to assemble for “Today We Ride for Dave” – a tribute for David Sherman, who was killed in a cycling accident in Guilford County last month. Sherman, 55, was vice president of Sealy Inc. in Trinity.

The ride started and finished at The Fitness Center at High Point Regional Hospital.

“He was a great guy – very dedicated, very determined,” said Rodney Simpson, who organized the ride with three other cycling enthusiasts – Robert Lippitt, Duncan Chapman and Don Shaw.

Simpson, a coordinator at The Fitness Center, coached Sherman for about a year.

On Oct. 24, Sherman was riding his bicycle on N. Church Street north of Greensboro near N.C. 150 when a vehicle traveling northbound steered left of center and hit him head-on. In connection to Sherman’s death, Eden resident Grayson Dawson has been charged with felony hit and run and death by vehicle.

For many of the cyclists, the ride had triple meaning: paying tribute to Sherman, promoting safety awareness among cyclists and the public, and making sure justice is sought for who is responsible in Sherman’s death.

“We rode a great deal with Dave,” Shaw said. “We could think of no better way to pay tribute to him than have a bike ride and invite hundreds of our closest friends to participate.”

Two separate rides – 25- and 50-mile routes – were held Sunday, taking cyclists through Randolph County and the Caraway Mountain area.

Cyclists who participated in the event were encouraged to make donations in Sherman’s name to Yield to Life, a cycling safety advocacy group. Those who did not attend the event can send a check to High Point Bank, attn: Don Shaw, 312 Main St., High Point, NC 27261.