Get Well Relay

Be sure to let Jon know directly; he's coordinating the overall route.

 

Fitz,
I PM'd you back on the Sandusky/Akron leg. I guess I will be passing off to grutz. Just let me know day and time.

 

Fitz,
Already done. Thought he had me there in his earlier post detailing what routes he currently had.

 

DianCecht- I'm based out of columbia, I offered to do either kc-stl or columbia-springfield

Helmet-I believe I'm on the list for KC to STL. perhaps you could do KC-Como and I could take it from there or we could do a few miles together?

The last day I'd be able to do either run will be this thursday,
i'm leaving for Los Angeles via west texas on friday, returning 9/16 via denver.

That whole trip will be on my SECA, so if any of you WEST COAST GUYS could get it down as far as LA or PHEONIX, i could take it as far as springfield IL on the return leg(albeit a little bit delayed).

Let's get this thing moving!

 

I got KC to Columbia covered. I got a few people to go with me. probably take 50 hwy... a little more scenic and a little less traffic. I am willing to go a little further to help out if you would like. I am more than willing to jump on the bike and go anywhere
I will email you as soon as I know about when I will have the card.

 

Looks like we could keep each other company lowlife...

[quote='Mad_bohemian]...Is it going to be one card or are there several making different journeys?
I will be meeting with whatever rider can take it from Chicago up into Michigan ( South Haven or Benton Harbor) and up to Grand Rapids to hand off to Madmaxim85...
[/quote]

Any word on a carrier from Chi-town Bigfitz?!

 

depending on timing and if i can get my bike to quit running lean - i'll volunteer for chicago to benton harbor. i'll know by thursday if i can do it - any idea when the chicago exchange date is?

 

oh puke - i just looked at that route - is there any chance the chicago exchange can happen further out of town? like, peoria?

 

I want to thank everyone who volunteered for this relay. Our hearts were in the best place and it really shows how much we care when we all volunteer to come together to help a man most of us know only in words. Please use the energy you would have used for this to help someone you know in your daily life. May our memories of Bill never be tainted, and may he live on through us in our good deeds and kind words. I will be hugging my loved ones a little bit tighter, and I hope you are all able to do the same.

Jon

 

Jon,

thanks for putting this together. I would have loved to have been able to shake your hand give you a huge thanks for all your work on this.
Someday, we will meet in St. Joe and hit up a BBQ joint and have some lunch. I'm still buyin
Any other XJ'er that shows up gets lunch or dinner on me, also.

if I could find a way to load my smoker on my bike, I would bring it and make you guys some of the best ribs you'll ever eat.

again, thank you. it meant a lot to everyone here that you took the initiative to put this together so quickly for a person that many of us never met in person.

 

Guys,
Just a thought, but maybe the relay should still happen. I think Bill as much as he liked meeting other XJers and orginizing rides would love to see so many of us meeting up. Of course this would become a momorial ride instead. I'm sure this would help Bill's family in some small way and help to remind them that bikes and people that ride them are not the problem . Not to mention I'm sure Bill would love the Idea of the public saftey awarness this might build.
If any of you find this idea unappropriate i'm sorry. All I know that if it was me that left this world then I would be yelling down from above (Hopefully not yelling up. " Ride damn it RIDE"
Adam

 

I know its late in the show to chime in, but I had a thought...what if instead of a card, we did something like the XJ Relay bag...that way everyone could put a little momento to Bill and the bag could then be presented to Bill's family as a token of our affection for Bill??

 

Good idea Deadulus...not sure what the family would do with them in the coming years though...Here's another idea along those lines...those of you that have pics of Bill at a ride or function could include a picture. What better memory than those of Bill doing what he loved. The rest of us could include a small condolence card and/or a check for whatever amount you care to give. Financial struggles are often overlooked by those that want to help families in time of great sorrow...just a thought...

 

i say we still do it but turn the attention toward making the public more aware of motorcycles on the road.......do it in recognition of bill in the hopes that we can get some media attention and make people more aware of riders, to try to prevent this kind of thing from happening again. Yes i know there will always be accidents, but even one life saved is still one life saved.

 

I am all for the memorial ride. it's a great idea and gets us out on the road.

 

Thanks Adam, for broaching the subject. JonMarkos and I have already discussed the idea as well; our biggest concern is doing more harm than good. To the "lifers" among us, yes, we would want the relay to go on as a memorial. But others who don't understand what runs in some of our veins may hold motorcycles and everything to do with them responsible for this terrible tragedy.

I respectfully recommend waiting for one of us (and there are quite a few) who knew Bill personally and is familiar with his family, to chime in. Everyone is in shock and needs their space right now. We'll see what happens.