Going out doing what you love to do...

[dfpextraordinaire]

My dad passed away about 38 days ago. He was my hero, my mentor, drinkin' buddy and my best friend. When I told him I was going to buy another motorcycle after a 30 year hiatis he told me, " I always wanted a motorcycle but your Mother didn't think i should, I always regretted that I didn't do it." Life is too short to take the road that is so well travelled. Most live their lives in fear, afraid of virtually everything. The truth is, I feel so alive when I am riding my bike, at 53 I feel 19 again. Every nerve ending is firing and I have a smile that is painted on my face. I have no desire to have a heart attack or live until I am so old that everyone thinks that I have lost it! Better to enjoy our youth, do what we love and live like we are dying, we are... I have raised four amazing children, provided for them every opportunity and have experienced the love of a beautiful woman that has given me everything I could ever desire. She was not excited about me purchasing a motorcycle and was afraid, however after she saw the look on my face she realized that this " motorcycle thing" I had was real and would give me something that i needed. Life is good today, I got another life insurance policy, just in case and have a new 06 that will be delivered this month.

You seldom regret what you have done, it's what you haven't done that you will regret!

ride safe, don't drink and watch out for the other guy...

later...

 

[kaitsdad]

My dad passed away about 38 days ago. He was my hero, my mentor, drinkin' buddy and my best friend. When I told him I was going to buy another motorcycle after a 30 year hiatis he told me, " I always wanted a motorcycle but your Mother didn't think i should, I always regretted that I didn't do it." Life is too short to take the road that is so well travelled. Most live their lives in fear, afraid of virtually everything. The truth is, I feel so alive when I am riding my bike, at 53 I feel 19 again. Every nerve ending is firing and I have a smile that is painted on my face. I have no desire to have a heart attack or live until I am so old that everyone thinks that I have lost it! Better to enjoy our youth, do what we love and live like we are dying, we are... I have raised four amazing children, provided for them every opportunity and have experienced the love of a beautiful woman that has given me everything I could ever desire. She was not excited about me purchasing a motorcycle and was afraid, however after she saw the look on my face she realized that this " motorcycle thing" I had was real and would give me something that i needed. Life is good today, I got another life insurance policy, just in case and have a new 06 that will be delivered this month.
You seldom regret what you have done, it's what you haven't done that you will regret!

ride safe, don't drink and watch out for the other guy...

later...

+1

 

[madmike2]

@ dfpextraordinaire, what a great post. My daughters have come to grips with the fact that their dad has chosen this path (motorcycle riding). At first, they were reluctantly resigned to it, now they understand it is all part of what makes me uniquely their father and celebrate my trips and vacations (as long as I report in daily!). As a passion, I set it aside to raise them, but they are grownups now, and I can enjoy increased risk activities. They know I love them and also where the paperwork is for healthcare and life insurance policies, the most trustworthy "princess" is on a parallel bank account so she has access to emergency banking.

They know I love them and have met some of the FJR owners and understand what a unique brotherhood (and sisterhood) this is. Of course, they also know how, uhm, er, headstrong (yeah, that's it, not stubborn but "headstrong") their dad is. They even accepted my ordering an '05 FJR after doing some "cliff diving" on HWY 49 and killing my '04.

They also know how much I love and adore them, and I hold them close at every chance. Check the new signature line.

 

[Ryan]

I had a friend who had been riding for about two months when he was run over and killed by a left turner who was in a big rush to get into a fast food restaurant.

He was 21 years old when he died.

I had encouraged him when he asked me about starting to ride. He loved it, took an MSF course, worked incrementally and safely on his skills, and started with a lightweight standard motorcycle.

I rode my bike to the wake, drawing disdainful looks from some, and met his parents for the first time.

"Billy spoke very highly of you", his dad told me. "He loved riding that bike, and had every right to be riding it when he died. We're glad that you helped him get started, and that you brought so much joy into his life by doing so. Are you going to ride to the funeral tomorrow?"

"I think Billy would have liked that...."

"Yes, and we would like it, too. Thank you, and never mind what anyone else here thinks of it."

I had hoped that someone would understand, but was floored, and honored, by their response.

It was clear that his family knew that he died doing what he loved, and took some comfort in it, but this is probably a rare exception.

John Ryan

 

[odot]

Nice response, ryan. Can't ask for much more then that. When someone pulls a "lefty" in front of me and I can't do anything about it....I'll be aiming for the driver. A forty mile an hour superman doing a fist plant into a white mini van of death.....on the driver side window. I already have this all figured out, kids. Don't consider me morbid or anything like that. Treat me good....I'll treat you better.....treat me bad...I'll treat you worse.

 

[Mike-H]

odot...You evidently like using the old "rock through my window.....fragmentation grenade down your chimney routine"...gotta love it :clap:

 

[odot]

Mike...only if you pull out in front of me. If I don't crash the window....I'll break it with my elbow and have a nice "chat" with the driver. Just don't pull a lefty on me.

 

[FJRMGM]

having had a heart attack three years ago I can truly say life is too short to spend it doing crap you don't like and not doing stuff you do like, like riding a motorcycle.

So, I make time to ride my motorcycle.

The worst thing that could ever be said about me is:

"Did you hear about Mike? He died at work".

 

[Toecutter]

The worst thing that could ever be said about me is:
"Did you hear about Mike? He died at work".

Unfortunately for me, that's the one I have to hope for. If I make the grade while on duty, Eve gets a $175,000 bonus. I know, money can't buy happiness but it can sure take the edge off of sorrow. Every man dies, not every man cashes in on going out.

 

[radman]

So much to say. The quote I placed in the Death thread-

"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life"

says it all for my attitude-and I think many of us here. So many I know are gone, yet here I am, having cheated death a hundered times at least, and rarely knowing how, nor why. Another quote, though I don't know who to attribute it to, is "No one I've heard of has said on their death bed "I wish I'd spent more time at work". Ever since hearing that many years ago, my life has never really been quite the same, as it has affected my attitude so that I have enjoyed my days so much more, and will until an accident stops me. Should a fatal disease loom large..... well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

The worst thing that could ever be said about me is:
"Did you hear about Mike? He died at work".

Unfortunately for me, that's the one I have to hope for. If I make the grade while on duty, Eve gets a $175,000 bonus. I know, money can't buy happiness but it can sure take the edge off of sorrow. Every man dies, not every man cashes in on going out.

dang, when I was in the military, the life insurance was $300,000. Jip

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

In the second grade I was in a coma for 9 days with Meningitis. The other two were adults and they both died.

I was 6 when my cousin died coming home from the prom when her date fell asleep and hit the center divider.

So my reality of death was early. I hate Funerals!

Jack London quote "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet."

"Don't Fear the Reaper"

Just do everything as safe as you can!

 

[Toecutter]

"Don't Fear the Reaper"
Just do everything as safe as you can!

"We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion"- Maynard James Keenan

If you don't believe it, then the Matrix has you, poor sad nobody.

"Play nice"- God

 

[odot]

OK...I am going to quit riding. I'll just hang out in my house and suck up cockroaches with my vacuum cleaner. When they come out. Otherwise, I need a new rear tire.......what did they say? avon?

 

[Mike-H]

odot...you keep fibbing like that & you won't be able to put your helmet on ....next thing you know people could start calling you pinocchio :huh:

 

[odot]

Dude....I don't have a helmet......I am one of the few "non-users" here. Call me dead. Call me stupid. Sooner or later, I will be both.....after I am stupid.

 

[Mike-H]

odot ....just for that....I hope you live a long & happy life.....because it's hard to talk with someone who's dead.....just my opinion of course... <_<

 

[Fallen Jim Rides again]

odot ....just for that....I hope you live a long & happy life.....because it's hard to talk with someone who's dead.....just my opinion of course... <_<

And harder still to get into a flame war with them.

Bran eh? I gotcher bran.

On topic, I have stated many times that if there was any chance that I might live forever I would do a lot of things differently. Since there is no chance of that happening, at least using this body/identity/whatever, I choose to live as fully as possible within my meger means. And when I fall down, I get back up. Till I can't.

The weather is fine and I believe that I will go for a nice long ride this weekend and remember those who have fallen. Hopefully some of them will be riding along and maybe even watch for what I don't see. IF I leave this existance while riding, you won't have to tell my friends or family that I went out doing what I loved. They already know.

 

[Toecutter]

Bump. Sorry Gun. :****: Thank Dana on the other forum.

This needs to go around one more time. Some serious philosophical crap from some seriously philosophical folk, a couple of whom are no longer with us and no longer able to make fresh contributions....

 

[2WheelTiger]

A few of you are aware, some not, that I have incurable bone marrow cancer. (Multiple myeloma). I will eventually die from the side effects of the disease.

Speaking from a non-philosophical viewpoint, I'd rather be struck in the back of the head by a baseball sized meteor than die "doing what I love". After all, motorcycle accidents are preceded by fear and panic. Death is preceded by pain and confusion.

However, either option would be faster than what's going on now for me.

I wrote a piece in my blog some time ago about the minor blessing those of us with terminal diseases get. It has to do with our ability to say what needs to be said and correct what needs to be corrected before we go. We have the time and the perspective to do the right thing for/with our friends and families.

Since none of us wants to have regrets as we pass, I urge each of you to get right with your lives, in whichever way you find appropriate. We will all eventually die and none of us knows exactly when.