I'm sad to say that a friend of mine was killed yesterday evening while riding his motorcycle home from work. As he was heading east on a 2-lane highway, there were 2 vehicles heading west. The first vehicle, who was a jacka$$ pulling a trailer without operational lights, slowed to make a left turn. The second vehicle didn't see that the first one was stopping, swerved into the eastbound lane at the last second, and hit my friend head on, killing him instantly. He was 51 and leaves behind an adult son and a girlfriend with whom he had just bought a house. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I met him last summer right after I bought my first motorcycle, a Kawasaki Voyager. He also rode a Kawasaki and was waiting for me beside my bike after work on the first day I rode it in. He was like a big kid the way he excitedly talked about bikes and riding, and I liked him from the start. He was also the first person to welcome me into the motorcycle community by asking me to join the local Kawasaki riding club, and to go riding with another great group of guys on a regular basis. We've since ridden about 8,000 miles together including an Iron Butt ride, Rolling Thunder, and a 10-day trip through the Montana Rockies just a month ago; experiences I will never forget and might have never done as a new rider without his encouragement.
To me, he was more than just a riding partner...he was a friend. His excitement about riding, but even more so his friendliness, will forever hold a place in my heart and memories. He didn't know it, but I was in a very rough patch on life's road at the time I met him. His unreserved acceptance, along with that of the rest of the riding group, made life better for me just when I needed it. That is his legacy in me that I would like to pass on.
I rarely make emotional decisions, but I am really struggling with whether to keep my bike or not. I'm not afraid to ride it...I even rode it to work today. However, to keep it seems very selfish because his accident has reminded me that I have my wife and 3 of my 4 daughters depending on me as their sole source of income, as well as being there to be their Dad. Life insurance replaces the money, but nothing could take away their anguish in losing me in a tragic or avoidable way.
Thanks for letting me lay all this on you,
Stew
I met him last summer right after I bought my first motorcycle, a Kawasaki Voyager. He also rode a Kawasaki and was waiting for me beside my bike after work on the first day I rode it in. He was like a big kid the way he excitedly talked about bikes and riding, and I liked him from the start. He was also the first person to welcome me into the motorcycle community by asking me to join the local Kawasaki riding club, and to go riding with another great group of guys on a regular basis. We've since ridden about 8,000 miles together including an Iron Butt ride, Rolling Thunder, and a 10-day trip through the Montana Rockies just a month ago; experiences I will never forget and might have never done as a new rider without his encouragement.
To me, he was more than just a riding partner...he was a friend. His excitement about riding, but even more so his friendliness, will forever hold a place in my heart and memories. He didn't know it, but I was in a very rough patch on life's road at the time I met him. His unreserved acceptance, along with that of the rest of the riding group, made life better for me just when I needed it. That is his legacy in me that I would like to pass on.
I rarely make emotional decisions, but I am really struggling with whether to keep my bike or not. I'm not afraid to ride it...I even rode it to work today. However, to keep it seems very selfish because his accident has reminded me that I have my wife and 3 of my 4 daughters depending on me as their sole source of income, as well as being there to be their Dad. Life insurance replaces the money, but nothing could take away their anguish in losing me in a tragic or avoidable way.
Thanks for letting me lay all this on you,
Stew