CrazyKZ (Curt Gran) - 6/17/2012 RIP

[doug5551]

I am very sorry to post this, but want to share the information with those who are not on the LD list. Curt was a member of this forum who posted occasionally, and many of us have his fuzeblock on our bikes.

Here is a link to the ST-Owners thread:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?117924-CrazyKZ-(Curt-Gran)-6-17-2012

and here is a link to a news article:

https://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/566665/Man-injured-after-crashing-into-horse-trailer.html?nav=5010

Man injured after crashing into horse trailer

 

A motorcycle rider was injured after colliding with a horse trailer near Velva Saturday afternoon.

 

The Highway Patrol said Curt Gran, 43, of Penwaukee, Wis., was riding a 2007 Honda motorcycle northbound on N.D. Highway 41 five miles north of Velva when the accident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. Carl Imazawisuna, 70, of Griswold, Man., was driving a Dodge pickup truck towing a horse trailer with two horses and tried to turn right when Gran struck the left side of the trailer.

 

Gran, who was wearing a helmet, was injured and transported to Trinity Hospital. Imazawisuna and two other passengers in the pickup, Gus Higheagle, 60, of Pipestone, Man., and Jonathon Atkinson, 23, of Ginew, Man., were all wearing seat belts and were uninjured.

Curt, I will see you in Gerlach and rally with you in the future.

 

[kaitsdad]

Rest in peace, Curt.

 

[TripperMike]

R.I.P. Curt.

Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Ignacio]

This is WAY too many rally riders...too often.

Curt was one of my close LD friends. Rode seveeral rallies with him including the 2007 IBR and WORD! rally.

A gentleman, great rider, and sportsman of a competitor.

I'll miss him.

 

[escapefjrtist]

RIP Curt.

Thoughts and prayers to his family on this sad day.

--G

 

[karstenp]

I am still trying to process this....very sad. Curt was an amazing person and a great rider.... We will all miss him greatly.

Perry

 

[SkooterG]

****! :angry:

 

[RiderX]

Curt was a friend from college. My mentor for rallying. We had a wonderful time catching up friday. Post rally couldn't figure out where he'd gone until announcement came in. Very sad day indeed.

Always does the right thing, talented rider, touched tons of folks and will be missed. Thoughts and prayers to Cindy.

 

[Warchild]

This is a catastrophic loss to the Endurance Riding community.

No words. Curt was a dear friend and a veteran of Cognoscente events.

His passing represents a staggering, huge loss to us all.

This will be another very rough Gerlachfest this year.

 

[TriggerT]

I had several E-Mails back and forth with Curt during the last few weeks after my wreck at the end of the Bonzai, and then spoke with him for a few minutes before the start of the MN1K. I also passed him on the way to the first bonus location, but that was the last time I saw him, and it was just a friendly wave as riders do.

While I only knew him for just over a year, Curt was an exceedingly friendly and approachable person, and even with only having known him for a short time I saw how much he loved LD riding, and how much he gave back to the sport and the people of the sport.

I think to say that we were all completely stunned and speechless when it was announced at the end of the rally that he had been in a fatal accident would be a huge understatement. I cannot believe he is gone.

There has been talk of the winds having played a role in the accident, and I can say that the winds in North Dakota on Saturday were some of the worst I have ridden through. I had to stop twice to tighten the strap on my helmet, because the wind was pulling it off my head.

Rest in Peace Curt.

 

[Tanker]

Gods speed to Curt and prayers to Cindy and the rest of the family.

Just terrible news!!

 

[rogdeb]

Gods speed to Curt and prayers to Cindy and the rest of the family.

Just terrible news!!

+ 2 Rog n Deb

 

[doug5551]

Joe Denton from LDriders was kind enough to put up this donation site to

honor Curt Gran:

https://www.ldriders.com/index.html

Click on the picture of Curt and Cindy if you would like to make a donation

via PayPal. You don't need to have a PayPal account to donate.

 

[BIODSL]

Joe Denton from LDriders was kind enough to put up this donation site to

honor Curt Gran:

https://www.ldriders.com/index.html

Click on the picture of Curt and Cindy if you would like to make a donation

via PayPal. You don't need to have a PayPal account to donate.

Money donated. This **** is getting old. Three riders I know, friends, who I had the honor of riding with in the 2007 IBR have been lost in the last year. I'm in a bit of a state of shock, here. And can't even begin to imagine the pain Cindy, his wife of less than a year, is going through right now. May God see her through this. Those of that are of the persuasion, pray for her. Pray hard. And donate some funds to make things a little easier.

Trigger mentions the wind and it's pretty much a confirmed fact that DPK rode into a super cell thunderstorm during last years 1088. I know the rallies are not to blame, but let's be honest here; when your competing (and if you're rallying, you have a competitive spirit in you), there is a temptation to keep pushing even when the little voice in your head says it's not a good idea. I'm not saying Curt did it in this situation, but I've done it and others on this list have. Remember there can be a price to pay for that decision.

A very long time LD rider and rally master used to make the following statement during his rider meetings "This rally is not worth dying over." I'm going to try very, very hard to listen to that little voice the next time my ego tries to convince me otherwise.

 

[Ignacio]

Joe Denton from LDriders was kind enough to put up this donation site to

honor Curt Gran:

https://www.ldriders.com/index.html

Just a note from a forum admin with a stamp of approval on this endeavor. We don't do it in very many cases, but helping Curt's wife is one of these times we give the nod on this forum. And Joe Denton is of the highest order of integrity and will make sure it happens as stated.

In no way is it required or expected of anybody, but if you feel like helping out....myself, pretty much all the LD community including IBA members, and his wife appreciate it.

I donated a small amount myself. Miss you Curt.

 

[TriggerT]

I thought of my contribution as both a little something to help Cindy through what has got to be the hardest thing she has gone through in her life, and as kind of a payment for EZ-Bake, which Curt shared with all of us even though he certainly could have kept it to himself and had a huge competitive advantage over all the other rally riders. Thanks Curt, you will be missed, you will be remembered.

 

[foshow150]

:rip_1:

Prayers, nothing but sadness.

 

[turbodave_98]

This is a very tragic lost to LDRs. I shall never forget first meeting Curt moons ago in the Waffle House somewhere in the USA. He started a tradition that seems to have endured with LDRs. Prayers go out to his wife and family. He was truly a great guy.

 

[Warchild]

Trigger mentions the wind and it's pretty much a confirmed fact that DPK rode into a super cell thunderstorm during last years 1088. I know the rallies are not to blame, but let's be honest here; when your competing (and if you're rallying, you have a competitive spirit in you), there is a temptation to keep pushing even when the little voice in your head says it's not a good idea. I'm not saying Curt did it in this situation, but I've done it and others on this list have. Remember there can be a price to pay for that decision.

I admit I struggled mightily when I heard about the demise of Curt this past Sunday morning.

In an attempt to gain comfort through knowledge, I made an inquiry about this incident to folks who spoke directly with the authorities on-site at the time.

Basically... this was a freak thing. It wasn't an issue where the rider was pushing beyond his limits.

The accident happened on ND Hwy. 41 north of the town of Velva. The Sheriff on the scene confirmed that it was simply a gust of wind that was responsible. Curt had been traveling through an area with some trees and was just coming into an open area when it occurred. I think we've all had some experience when moving into the flat open plains after having some sort of buffer and then getting slammed by the wind. I know I have.

The truck with horse trailer was making a right turn, Curt went to pass it on the left and the wind slammed him back into the side of the horse trailer. He was fully geared from head to toe, as always, but the force of the blunt trauma was too great to survive.