Necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 26, 2003 06:08 PM
My Eulogy During ZHooligan's Serive
Darn. I'll never get a chance to win an argument with Don now.
I met Don about 6 years ago on the ferry. I was on my bike. He started talking to me about bikes. He told me about his brand new double X bike. We hit if off from the first time we met. He treated me so well, that I remember thinking to myself that I am baffled by his kindness & love. I remember thinking that I have not done anything to deserve this. I just could not understand it. His family also accepted me the exact way he did.
Men can sometimes be funny about expressing feelings. Don always told me & e-mailed me after we got together what I meant to him.
I'd like to read a couple of e-mails he sent me. They'll show why this has been so hard.
He sent me this on September 11th, 2002.
Today I was thinking about 9/11. It is still pretty vivid in my mind. It is
still quite vivid in my memory the anger and guilt you had and or felt as an
Arab. I just wanted to remind you that you are nor were responsible for any
of this. You should be proud of who you are and what you have been able to
accomplish for yourself. Obviously you have had help and support from
friends and family. I have met some of those folks and they are special
people like yourself.
I can count my best friends on a single hand and not use my thumb. You are
one of those. I am proud to have you as a friend and value that friendship
very much. I am thankful for that our love for motorcycles enabled us to
meet and become friends. Don't ever be bashful to ask for help or refuse it
if offered. A friend like yourself is priceless.
Thanks for being a friend and putting up with my politics and opinions. Hope
this finds you well.
Don
Here's the second one:
Hey, It was good to see you yesterday. I have missed my old friend.
Don
Now I want to tell him that I love him. DON I LOVE YOU.
I want to tell all my friends that I love them.
Dave I love you, Larry I love you, Mike I love you, etc...
I also would like to share a couple of memories.
When I first bought my racing bike I had Don go pick it up for me from the dealer in Bellevue. When he came back he said that I did than on purpose. He could not go exceed 4000 rpm's, which meant he could not go faster than 50 mph & everyone was passing him on the freeway.
Another memory is when we went to Mike Sullivan racing school. Here I am just taking off when Don comes back.
Describe what he did
I am thinking to myself "what is trying to tell me". I didn't know what he wanted, so I just took off. He was trying to signal me that he had just crashed.
Two laps later I crash and hurt my ankle pretty good.
Dazed & confused & literally seeing stars, he hops on the back of a pick up truck to come help me pick up my bike.
That's the kind of person Don was.
I always tried to match his level of kindness, but could never do that. If I showed him kindness, he showed me twice that, and if you showed three times the kindness, he's show four times.
Now I will never have the chance.
I missed him form the second I heard the unbearable news. I am going to miss him every time I read a motorcycle story & want to share it with him. I will miss him when I need an advice about life, be it legal, business, parents, or money issues. I will miss him every time I get a better lap time and want to call him first thing because he was genuinely happy for me. I could hear him say "I AM PROUD OF YOU".
Oh Don why did you leave us?
You're probably wondering what should we do for him and his family. You could go to his gas station and fill up your cars or motorcycles.
Let's all do that and get the station tanks empty.
Don I love you.
____________
3829
  
|
tedg
Moderator
Posts: 8222
|
posted July 26, 2003 08:22 PM
I only got to meet him in person once but did have many conversations with him on this board. The memory I will have of him is me calling him on his cell and asking him where he was, and him standing in front of me telling me I had a green coat on. I had put his number on my cell, I will try to never remove it, just to remember him.
____________
Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted July 26, 2003 08:37 PM
it was a beautiful eulogy necro, and you the delivery was obviously very, very heartfelt. you definitely got me choked up listening to you.
|
Necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 26, 2003 08:42 PM
 Edited By: necro2 on 26 Jul 2003 21:42
quote:
I had put his number on my cell, I will try to never remove it, just to remember him.
tedg,
I am gland I am not the only one who will never remove his number from my cell phone.
I was starting to think I am weird.
____________
3829
|
Necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 26, 2003 08:43 PM
Thank you freek. He made it easy.
The hard part was trying to keep it short, for I had so much more that I wanted to say.
____________
3829
|
kcadby
Pro
Posts: 1733
|
posted July 27, 2003 01:43 AM
Edited By: kcadby on 27 Jul 2003 02:45
Wow...
I was just on top of the world (in my mind)...posting about running a ZX12 motor I just built/started for the first time...
Now???
I'm very sad...
I never met Don in person but I still thought about him a lot these last few days...many times while building this motor...
MANY times while degreeing the cams and finishing the assembly today (Sat.)...
I actually thought about engraving his name somewhere on/in? the motor today before I put it in the frame but...it's not mine to make that decision (wouldn't do it with telling the owner either)...
Seems like a little bit of his spirit could be in there though 
That's my story...and I'm sticking to it 
I thought (felt/KNEW) he was a cool/GOOD person just by the way he came across on the board(s)...but...reading your eulogy has made me realize that I didn't even have a hint-of-a-clue how much of a A+++ Human Being Don actually was...
Just don't ever forget how lucky you guys were to know him in the flesh...
|
TurboBlew
Moderator
BUSY DOING THE SCHIAVO
Posts: 4590
|
posted July 27, 2003 07:36 AM
Necro.. my heart feels for you and swft, and Don's family. Im sure he's touched many of us so that we'll all remember him.
Losing friends is never easy.
|
Necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 27, 2003 08:36 AM
Thank you kcadby & TubroBlew. I am not used to this expreience. I have never lost a close person before.
That's a neat idea kcadby. Too bad it wasn't your own motor.
____________
3829
|
princesskiwi
Administrator
MISTRESS of SMACK
Posts: 7688
|
posted July 27, 2003 09:55 AM
What Don has taught me (so Far).
He followed his heart and did things he had passion for. Maybe that's why he was able to be happy and kind.
Maybe if more of us did things that made us happy, our happiness would filter into the lives of those around us.
It was his passion for motorcycles that opened him up to meeting new people. Other people who loved bikes too. It helped him to find all of us here and share with us.
What ever you have a passion for, whatever makes you happy - find it, and do it.
Don't do anything that hurts those around you, that you love.
Wear your gear - if needed.
(Who knows your passion could be knitting)
Make your world a BIG place and fill it with other people who have found you because you share the same passion.
Accept people as being 360 degree people and be there for all the times in between the rides...
|
worm~hole
Needs a life
Miles to go before I sleep....
Posts: 10623
|
posted July 27, 2003 10:09 AM
Edited By: worm~hole on 27 Jul 2003 11:18
quote:
.
Don't do anything that hurts those around you, that you love.
Wear your gear - if needed.
(Who knows your passion could be knitting)
...knitting needles can be dangerous...I had better set up some 'Sheriff's Line Do Not Cross' tape around me and wear my OSHA approved safety goggles, then...I'm sure Don would appreciate my 'thoughtful' tactic...I can see him laughing at me now
____________
“We sleep safe in our beds because rough men
stand ready in the night to visit violence on those
who would do us harm.”
-George Orwell
|
tedg
Moderator
Posts: 8222
|
posted July 27, 2003 07:03 PM
quote:
quote:
I had put his number on my cell, I will try to never remove it, just to remember him.
tedg,
I am gland I am not the only one who will never remove his number from my cell phone.
I was starting to think I am weird.
Wierd yes (welcome to the board), about this no.
____________
Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
|
necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 27, 2003 08:07 PM
____________
3829
|
kcadby
Pro
Posts: 1733
|
posted July 27, 2003 08:56 PM
I will engrave Zhooligan on my Dragbike Crankshaft...he will get to go round and round... MANY THOUSANDS of times
I can guaranty his name will also be in the winners circle...repeatedly
|
necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 27, 2003 09:16 PM
That's cool kcadby.
I wonder if he had a clue about people's reaction to his death.
____________
3829
|
redelk
Moderator
Please... speak to the hand.
Posts: 3212
|
posted July 27, 2003 10:49 PM
Edited By: redelk on 28 Jul 2003 00:03
As Promised....
Well, like I said, jonwright, I and 4 other riders decided to celebrate ZHooligan's life by joining up with about 25 other sportbike riders and go on a serious distance ride to our state's twisty Holy Grail. We stopped for gas just before we hooked up with the others for lunch. It was there that my clock said it was 1 pm (11 am PT). It was all kind of surreal. I had printed out a copy of the picture on our home page and had been carrying it in my tank bag. I pulled it out, sat down on the curb and just looked at it for a moment. Tears started to well up in my eyes. Some of the other riders I was with asked if I was okay and when they saw the picture in my hand, they understood why my mood had changed. Actually, they didn't.
With the exception of jonwright, the others do not visit this forum. They thought I was sad over Z's passing, but that was not the case. This ride was supposed to be a celebration, not a time to be sad. The reason I was sad was that I felt I had let Z down. You see, earlier in the week, jonwright and I measured the sag and finished setting up the suspension for the new Diablo Corsas I had just put on the bike. Between the new tires and the setting up of the suspension, the bike is now handling better then it ever has. I can honestly say that the "7R Swingarm Project" is official complete and I am now ready to do my "full report" on how it was accomplished. It's the tardiness of that report that was making me sad. I remembered that back in March, Z posted....
Not trying to put pressure there on you Elk, but we would like to make this a spring or early summer read and not a winter story! Your damn picture of the two swing arms has really sparked my curiosity! Looking forward to your report!!
I also remembered that after I had posted an update about some of the problems I was having, Z posted....
Thanks for all the info and research Sherm...
His post was really encouraging for me. SERIOUSLY! Z is one of the few folks on our humble forum that I put atop a pedestal because of his vast knowledge and experience of taking a perfectly good motorcycle and actually making it better. To have him interested in something that I was doing was both a honor and an encouragement to do it and do it right. Since all the "mechanical" aspects have been basically finished for several weeks, I did not really think that waiting until after I had finished my "field testing" before I made my "final report" would really make that much difference. Okay, so it wasn't "early summer", but it least it was not "winter", right? My, how fate can play cruel jokes on some folks, huh?
jonwright also paused to pay his respects to Z. When he saw the picture I had brought, he said that he had also printed on out, but in the rush to get hooked up with the rest of us, he had left his copy on his kitchen table. I offered him my copy and after looking at it for a moment, he put it the inside pocket of his leathers. We spoke to each other about how we had great respect for Z and how we admired his sometimes bitting wit. Most of all, we found his humility and his willingness to help others to be something we wished we had just a fraction of ourselves. Though we might learn a lesson and try to follow his example, we both knew that we'll never attain Z's level. After looking up at the bright pale blue sky, with large fluffy white clouds peppered here and there, we also knew that he would expect us to at least try.
The other thing we knew was that our time for "remembering" was done and it was now time for us to continue to fulfill our commitment to "ride our collective asses off". First we had to meet the rest of the riders at a small rural restaurant for lunch. Considering the heat index was approaching 110F degrees, we probably should not have had those 1/3 and 1/2 lb burgers since we'd end up "paying" for it later. Oh well. Another lesson learned.
As we left the restaurant, there was a state trooper and a park ranger setting up a serious speed trap at the entrance of the highway that went to our destination. I don't know if they we setting up because of the unusually high number of sportbikes or what, but we just chuckled in the fact that if they were waiting on our return, it was going to be a long wait. Even if we were to come back that way, it would have been well over an hour and a half later. That is if we were coming back that way. We weren't. When we finally got to our destination of the state's twistiest road, it was "ON"! A husband and wife couple that was with the group stopped to take 35mm pictures and videos of us riding through the corners. They also had a video camera mounted on their bike and followed some of us on the way back.
Here's a few pictures I took of the "first flight" ("fast" group) that ran through.
By the time everyone had at least one pass through and back, the heat was starting to take it's toll. Since many of us felt that we were starting to lose our "edge", it was decided to make the 150+ mile ride back to our homes. It was already later in the afternoon then we had planned and we weren't too excited in dealing with the "evening traffic" (read: drunk rednecks) of the rural towns we'd have to go through to get home. Being the only one in our group with a radar detector, I get the "honor" of leading our group through the small towns that are known speedtraps. In reality, I think I'm just the "bear bait", but we all were at the point to where we just wanted to get home.
Our normal "cruising" speed as we approach these towns is about 80 to 85. The amount of traffic at this time of day, like the number of cops we had seen during the day, was unusually high. About 5 miles before getting to one of the largest towns we'd be going through (pop. 6,500), my V1 beeped once and then went crazy... just as a state trooper crested the hill in front of me. I had already started to hit my brakes as he drove by. I looked down at my Sigma and saw that I was still doing "10 over" and his brake lights were coming on. Knowing that I was "tagged" I pulled over as soon as I crested the hill. I waved jonwright and another one of our group's riders to go on since I thought it best that they not stop too. Little did I know that the rest of the group was back there doing a "blocking move" on the trooper by doing about "10 under"... all in order for me to have a chance to make a run for it. Since it was a highway that we all ride on almost every weekend, I figured it was best that I not run. I figured that if I did, it would just piss him off and he'd just be looking for us for the rest of the summer. After all, I thought I had scrubbed off enough speed that I stood a good chance of getting out of it anyway.
When the trooper pulled over, the first thing he said when he got out of his car and started walking towards me was, "Well, you score points by stopping.". I thought that I was sure to get a "lecture" and be sent on my merry way. One small problem. He didn't clock me at 65 or less like I had thought. He said it was obvious that I was slowing down rapidly and his radar finally locked on at 71. Oops! That would be just past that "magic 15 over" at "16 over". He went on to say that anytime someone is doing more the "15 over", it was an "automatic ticket". After examining, my concealed weapon permit, driver's license and insurance card, he asked me if I had any tickets on my record and I respectfully told him that I did not. He handed my permit back and took my license and insurance card to his car.
At this point, I was mad at myself because I had not written the check for the WMRRA Injured Rider Fund and I'd be looking at least $150 (if not more) to get "probation" on the ticket I was about to receive. Damn! I felt like I had let Z down twice in day, by not doing what I said I would do. At least not "when" I said I would do it. Even though it was early evening, the heat was still so unbearable that sweat was just rolling down my face. The trooper saw this and motioned me to come over to his car. When I got to his passenger front door, he rolled down the window and offered me a seat in the car to cool down. I politely and appreciatively declined and returned to my bike to wait for the inevitable. He finally got out of his car and I immediately noticed that he did NOT have his ticket book with him. Instead, all he had was my license, insurance card and a small piece of paper. He presented me my license and insurance card and said that he was going to just give me that small piece of paper since I stopped and warned me that if he caught me speeding again, he'd have to give me a ticket next time.
Here is that small piece of paper (slightly edited to protect the guilty)....
All I can say is that the check to WMRRA will go out in tomorrow's mail and I'll put my "little piece of paper" right next to your picture on my garage wall. I'll also finish that report soon, I promise and...
thanks, Don. Thanks for everything.
____________
There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
|
necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 27, 2003 11:06 PM
That was awesome redelk. My check will go out tomorro also.
I am making a scrap book with his pictures, the program from the service, my eulogy, his daughter's peom during the service, his racing pictures, etc.......
Today I called his cell phone just to hear his voice. It made my heart skip a beat.
____________
3829
|
necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 27, 2003 11:17 PM
I also learned during the serive that he had 4 degrees. Two of the are Masters Of Science.
In addition he was a Pool champion.
He didn't talk much about himself.
____________
3829
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted July 27, 2003 11:59 PM
yep, i had a hard time keeping my jaw from dropping during Dave's eulogy. i knew Don was successful at a few things, but seems he was successful at jsut about EVERYTHING!! and not jsut a little successful.
his daughter's poem was absolutely heart wrenching to listen to. she looks a bit like my sister too, which made it even worse.
red, sounds like it was a real nice way to honour don's memory. i think the short ride we had here was the hardest part to get for me. it just seemed so right, yet of course so wrong at the same time. hehe, he posted a while back about how i'd need to get an overflow resevoir for my bike if i was gonna ride with him. my rad kept overflowin (onto the ground) for half the ride cause the escort was movin so slow. how ironic.
|
necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
|
posted July 28, 2003 08:13 AM
I am going to try and get a copy of the poem.
____________
3829
|
|
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC