Because of the sad news, I got to wondering

[annguyen1981]

I'm wondering how many of the past members have died and no one knew about it...  I mean, if I were to get into an accident tomorrow, no one here would know.  I've never met, in person, any one on this board.  I'm sure I'm not the only member in this situation.

It's sad to think, but it could happen.  Someone close to our hearts could be gone and we wouldn't know.

It's also got me thinking that I've been lucky so far in that I haven't dealt with the issue of death much in my life.  The only time was two years ago, when a friend (she wasn't a close friend) committed suicide.  I was affected then, but nothing major like a family member or something.  But now I'm 25, and now I'm gonna be dealing with the issue more and more.  It makes me depressed to think such thoughts.

Sorry guys.  I can't seem to fall asleep. My mind is racing.

[pantablo]

As far as dealing with death, as you get older you come across this more often than you like. It never gets easy. I've had several close friends from my bicycle racing team killed-3 in the last 5 years that I rode.

[yamahonkawazuki]

unfortunately pablo you are right. as a child someone dies, and although hard you essentially get over it rather quickly (usually)

[annguyen1981]

When I was around 5~6, my grandmother (mom's side) died.  I remember going to the wake.  I also remember that each year (for I think 3 years after) I attended a memorial service with my mom.  I'm vietnamese, and I guess it's a tradition.

But what I don't remember is my grandmother.  No matter how hard I try, I can't remember her.

[pandy]

It's hard to sleep when our hearts are heavy.

A tragedy such as Rich's passing certainly does cause our brains to race....we consider the possibilities of consequences of our riding.....we consider safety issues.....we consider our own mortality and that of those close to us...

And our brains hurt from thinking so much, and the pain and noise won't let us go to sleep.

Just don't forget--during the pain--about the good things Rich brought: his sense of humour, his knowledge of motorcycles, his contributions to GSTwin, such as his FAQ, how down to Earth he was, how much he was loved here, how deeply his death has affected so many. He made a place in our hearts, and he won't be forgotten (as you wouldn't be, and as most of us wouldn't be, were we to follow him to the twisties in the sky).

Rich spent far too short a time with us, but he left a big impression, and he created a lot of love. 

You're old enough now that you'll remember, annguyen. 

[ajgs500]

Well... when I was 9 my best friend/cousin died of cancer she was 7.  When I was 16 a friend died in a car crash he was 17.  When I was 17 a very close friend of mine was raped and murdered, she was 18.  When I was 20 another friend died of cancer, she was 19.  Never once has dealing with death gotten easier.  I doubt it ever will.  I do however remember each of these people and every now and then something will remind me of them and I will smile cause I know that they will always be with me.

[ashman]

From age 14 to 21 I lost all four my grandparents, great grandmother, and step grand father. So I've been to quite a few funerals and it honestly got harder each time.

-ash

[annguyen1981]

I think it might be the remembering part that makes it so hard.  Like I said, I don't remember my grandmother, so I'm not really affected.  But I thnk about my friend every once in a while, and tears start rolling.

But feeling this way can't be all bad.  If we didn't feel sad, that would mean we didn't care, right?

[john]

Well for me as I get older the reality of my own mortality and the preciousness of life becomes far more real.

[annguyen1981]

Well for me as I get older the reality of my own mortality and the preciousness of life becomes far more real.

That brings up another point.

We all think in our minds that we are invincible.  But there was a time (a VERY LONG time) that we didn't exhist. And that time will come again.  It's hard to think about it; about how it'll be like.   We won't even be able to think.  We just plain won't be.

[annguyen1981]

With the updated pic of Rich on this board, I just realized that he's only 5 months older than me.  Make my mind race even more.

[ajgs500]

He's exactly 19 days younger than me.

[yamahonkawazuki]

ive got a lil more than 5 years on him

[weaselnoze]

i thought he was in his 30's!

[Kerry]

I just realized something.  Rich was born on the very day that I left home to go to college!

I flew from Frankfurt, West Germany to Salt Lake City, Utah ... so I gained 8 hours of sunlight that day.  I wonder if Phaedrus would find that significant...?

[annguyen1981]

I'm still stunned by last nights sad news.  I couldn't stand staying at home doing nothing, so I went for a short ride...  Kinda a little memory ride for a fallen friend.

All I could thiink of was Rich.  At one point, I started crying, and I HAD to pull over.  Not a good combination to be doing at the same time.     I'm still crying as I post this.  I can't imagine how his fiance must be going through.

[makenzie71]

I have a will and in it I state that it's Kalee's task to inform all of m customers and friends online that the "event" has happened.  I have a tremendous life online...I'm not a person who could just slip off into the darkness completely unnoticed.

[Alphamazing]

Rich's passing got me thinking too. I've never had to deal with death before involving anyone I've known until now. This is the first person I've actually gotten to know, even the little I did, who has passed away. As I grow older I realize this will be a more common occurence and it saddens me that I will undoubtedly have to go through this again.

I've been thinking about what would happen if something like this happened to me. I fear my father would stop riding motorcycles, which would be awful. He is the reason I first became interested in them, and having him give something like that up would be awful. I'd want him to keep riding because it's something he enjoyed doing. I think Mak's idea of a will of some sort is a good idea for me as well. I am very active on this board and y'all mean a lot to me. I have many friends through here and wouldn't want to suddenly dissapear with no word of warning. Eh, it's hard to think about stuff like this.

[makenzie71]

Brian, having a will isn't a good idea just for something like this...it's just a good idea.  The legal hassle of dealing with heirship bs is astounding...a will bypasses everything.  My father passed away over a year ago and I'm still trying to get it all figured out.  In Texas, you could scribble something on a napkin and put your name on it and it's legally recognized as a legitimate will...but would dad do that?  Oh well...

I just know that people will need to be informed should I pass.  Before it was a part of my will I had the "list" in my safe with my other valuable documents.

[starwalt]

This evening I watched Mark Neale's "Faster" again. If you like motorcycling, as you probably do if you are on this forum, then find it, rent or buy it and watch it. With the horrible news of our loss of Rich this weekend, several quotes from the documentary apply to what we have chosen to do and enjoy.

I may have missed a few words here and there, but the messages are clear.

"In the rider's veins there are drops of Dionysian madness which are beautiful, they give the heroes of motorcycling the power to live life fully. " -- MotoGP Physician Dr. Costa

"These sort of things happen and you've got to go on anyway." -- Red Bull Team Mechanic

"The riders live as gods. At certain moments they understand that they must go back to the world of man. This is not a punishment because they have transformed man's world into paradise." -- MotoGP Physician Dr. Costa

"They say 'Why do you let your son do that? He's gonna kill himself!' It has given him meaning. It's his life, something he believes in." -- MotoGP Rider John Hopkins' Mother


Regarding street riding...

Cameraman: "Do you ride a bike?"
Red Bull Mechanic: "No. It's far too dangerous isn't it?"

"It's dangerous. It's dangerous to you, but for all the f%%king idiots who drive the car." 
-- Valentino Rossi

Rich chose to live his life outside of the fear of it. Circumstances intersected with his life and a tragedy occurred. Tragedies will always occur.

I salute you Rich, my unmet friend and GS brother.