Contributions can be made via paypal, or pm me and I will email an address to send contributions. All funds will be sent to Carl and Joannie.
Click here to contribute
Before you decide whether this message will be quickly read and not acted upon, please read on.
It's the eve before I set out to Moscow for WFO, and I just hung up with EscapeArtist, who called to see if I would help him get a fund for Carl started. After hanging up, I got to thinking back to when I was Carl's age.
My first bike, a Nighthawk 650, was purchased when I was 20 with help from my grandpa, who in a fit of insanity agreed to loan me the money. It was my only ride for two years, and in the rain I wore a cheap plastic rain suit without sufficient riding gear underneath, to keep dry. Five years later, after getting through grad school, I was just starting my career, out of college, lots of school loans and barely enough money to buy a not-so-decent leather jacket and pants so I could at least pretend I was riding safe. I bought my second bike, an FJ1100 that had 26k miles, and I scraped to buy it. I had to ride with a chain that probably needed replacement and a rear tire that was close to being worn out. The $300 it cost was money I didn't have, despite being a newly minted attorney (I worked for the State AG, who paid me less than I made working full time in college for Nordstroms). I was grateful to learn how to do my own repairs, because I couldn't afford the dealer.
I can't imagine being told I couldn't work for 3-6 months. I had no insurance at the time, except what work provided for medical and dental. Savings? I think I had a little bit in my 401k that would have lasted about two months max. But one of the guys I worked with, 20 years older, well into his career, and the owner of several Nortons and a Motogucci, took pity on me I guess, and helped me along, passed along hand me down gear, and even covered the cost of an event we both attended. Plus he let me ride his Motogucci supersport knowing full well I had no insurance that would cover a crash. I'm almost his age now, and financially a long way away from where I started. Time to make a payback on karma.
The generosity displayed to me has changed my perspective on motorcycling. Ever since, I've been surprised by the willingness of motorcyclists, but more particularly FJR owners, to help out their fellow riders, even those they've never met. Yeah, the economy sucks now, many of you may be out of work, and most are watching their bills increase while their savings and retirement have decreased. Plus, we've had a spate of bad crashes on the Forum, and it is easy to pass over these calls for help for our fellow riders, even as we are eyeing the next farkle or dropping more dollars on the next rally. No guilt...like me, you've earned it. But what makes the community and this forum special is that people always rise to the situation.
I met Carl last year when he and Joanie rode up from Portland to Seattle area for our tech meet. Carl had bought his FJR wrecked, but determined to slowly build it back up. Boy didn't even have a windshield the first time he rode up, but everyone took a shine to him. He is the kind of guy too genuine and determined to let his ego get in the way, the type of guy who would show up to help you work on your bike with only a phone call. Frankly, a lot more selfless than I was at his age.
Right now, he's kind of doped up, with a busted leg and fractured pelvis, and months of rehab in front of him, with his FJR likely not in much better shape. So, WFO riders: ride 75 instead of 85mph on the way up and back this weekend, and take the $$ you would have paid in speeding fines and make a contribution to help Carl get through this. Weekend riders: pack a sandwich and drink and take the bucks you would have dropped on lunch and a beer and send them Carl's way. And you guys over 40? Its time to make a deposit into your instant karma account, for the times you made it without crashing and when a crash would have meant tough medical and financial hardship. If you don't have the spare cash, consider parting with some FJR goodies nesting in your garage and able to find a willing buyer on the forum.
I'm away until Sunday at WFO, with limited email, but EscapeArtist will chime in to answer any questions.
