I just learned tonite that my stepfather was killed on Aug 2nd in Utah while on a road trip. I'm numb at the moment and don't know all the details yet. Apparently a deer ran out in front of him in Utah and he went down, slid into a guard rail and died a few hours later of internal injuries in Grand Junction, CO.

I've been on vacation the past two weeks and just got home from Illinois so my step sister was not able to reach me until this evening. The services aren't until Friday the 14th so I'm thankful I did not miss those.

Bob was very instrumental in my learning to ride and my passion for motorcycles. It was just four years ago when i bought my first street bike at 41 yrs old - an 1100 V-Star. I had him accompany me in looking at it and then had him ride it home for me as I'd never ridden such a big bike before and hadn't been to the BRC til two weeks after that (I'd just ridden dirt bikes in the 70's as a teen). In the four years now since then we've been riding buddies and close friends, spending many hours in the garage washing and servicing our bikes together, talking about road trips, etc. A year later he GAVE me as a gift my first Harley-Davidson, an '05 Electra Glide Classic that he'd had since he'd bought it new a couple years before. He gave me his '05 after seeing how intense my love of riding was and he then replaced it with the '07 EGC that he's been riding since then.

We rode to Sturgis together in Aug of '07 and it was the trip of a lifetime. I took about 300 pics on the trip and since that day I've thought about how much fun we had together riding through 10 states in 12 days. Not a day passes that I dont think of the fun we had.

I took a short ride with him a couple weeks ago here in the our local mountains in San Diego County. That was the last time I saw him as we stopped at an exit ramp in the mountains and said goodnight before heading back home. I had wished him a great trip as I knew he was leaving on this trip the following week. I had no idea that was the last time I'd ever see him.

So many things are racing through my mind, i'm numb and deeply saddened beyond words. I'm sure gonna miss him and his cheery demeanor and his intense passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles in particular. He'd ridden for over 40 years on 20 or so different bikes of all makes but H-D was his greatest love. I'll always be thankful and grateful to him for what he taught me and for instilling in me the love of this greatest of all past times...

Ride safe my friends and enjoy every moment you're blessed with on this earth...

Thanks Dad I'm going to miss you...

 

Wow. It seems like you were lucky to have him in your life. I am very sorry for your loss and pray that God gives you strength to get through this difficult time.

 

I'm sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

 

Those are great words, written for obviously a great man, mentor, and friend. You have lost a lot. I am sorry for your loss. Please accept my prayers to see your family and you get through this tough time.

 

I'm really really sorry to hear this.

 

I am sorry for your loss! Take a ride now and then and think of him. I do that and that makes me feel better.

 

I am very sorry to read about your loss, he sounds like a great guy who had a great influence on your life.

 

What a blessing to have such a man in your life. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Ride on.

 

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family

 

I usually don't read these but for some reason I clicked and as I read about your Dad I thought about my own step father and how much he ment to me. Words cannot express the pain I feel for you at this time. They say time heals all. I don't think so it just sort of scabs over. Deepest sympathy.