A very cool grandfather
Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:15 am
Monday morning at about 4 a.m. my grandfather passed away.
I mention this here becuase he is the reason most of my family and I got into riding.
He started racing flat track in his 20's, on an old Harley he bought and fixed up. He also raced on the back roads of Ohio, but quit after several of his freinds were killed. (very intresting stories to listen to your grandfather tell you.)
After awhile he figured out that the british bikes were whoopin up on the harley, so naturally he got himself a BSA 440 (I think) then eventually got a 67 triumph tiger. The tiger has, in the past few years, been in the process of being restored by my grandfather and my uncle. It is an absolutly beutiful bike that has been passed on to my uncle.
So this wednsday was his funeral. My uncle, on the tiger, led the funeral procession (I guess thats what ya call it) with about ten more of us on our various other bikes through town. It was a fitting tribute for a deserving man who in my mind, after all the stories of races and drinking and fighting and working, is a legand.
Maybe it was not just in my mind though. AHMRA is holding a tribute race for him.
Yup, I think he qualifies as a legand to many others as well.
So if ya have a drink tonight, have one for an old man you never met, but influenced three generations of family and friends to get off their a$$ and ride.
Good bye #18
I mention this here becuase he is the reason most of my family and I got into riding.
He started racing flat track in his 20's, on an old Harley he bought and fixed up. He also raced on the back roads of Ohio, but quit after several of his freinds were killed. (very intresting stories to listen to your grandfather tell you.)
After awhile he figured out that the british bikes were whoopin up on the harley, so naturally he got himself a BSA 440 (I think) then eventually got a 67 triumph tiger. The tiger has, in the past few years, been in the process of being restored by my grandfather and my uncle. It is an absolutly beutiful bike that has been passed on to my uncle.
So this wednsday was his funeral. My uncle, on the tiger, led the funeral procession (I guess thats what ya call it) with about ten more of us on our various other bikes through town. It was a fitting tribute for a deserving man who in my mind, after all the stories of races and drinking and fighting and working, is a legand.
Maybe it was not just in my mind though. AHMRA is holding a tribute race for him.
Yup, I think he qualifies as a legand to many others as well.
So if ya have a drink tonight, have one for an old man you never met, but influenced three generations of family and friends to get off their a$$ and ride.
Good bye #18
