Rider down

[ScottsXS]

me and my familys hearts and prayers go out to Lee's family, its a dark day for us all. is there any plans for donations or the like? if so let me know, i dont have much but i would like to help any way i can

[jwhughes3]

my prayers

Please add my prayers to those for his wife and family - I am saddened to hear of his passing and wish I could have met him in person.

John in San Antonio

[Special Ed]

I hope my previous post didn't come across as flippant. I hadn't read the post that said he hadn't made it. There but for the grace of God go any one of us. I hope to meet him at that eternal Rally in the hereafter.
Condolences to all,
Special Ed

[tw1980]

I just got home from a hunting trip and turned on the computer.My thoughts and prayers go out for Lee's family and friends he will be missed.Ride on Lee.

Terry

[DELL82]

Rider Down

NOT a day goes by I don't think about missing friends. Some are riders some just friends. I only met lee Saturday morning and he was happy. I will miss seeing him on rides as will many others. I will keep him alive in my mind every time I mount my ride. Condolences seem hollow but really mean a lot to those receiving them, knowing many knew their loved one and appreciated his being their. Our prayers are with you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Dell82

[trbig]

As the one who put on this rally and was leading at the time of his crash, I can't help but feel some responsibility to this. What if I hadn't had this rally, what if I hadn't done the route backwards this time, what if I'd stopped at a town I normally do that we bypassed this time, what if I'd gone to the hospital with Ivan and pressed them harder to ship him sooner, (It took them nearly 5 hours) etc... Many have told me it's crazy to think of all the what-ifs, but if just one of those things were different, the outcome may have been better.

Have you ever met someone who was so upbeat about everything.. smiley and happy around people all the time.. so much so that it got on your nerves a bit? That was Lee. Funny thing about him though.. is he didn't care if that was annoying you. He'd be happy and upbeat while he told you to kiss his behind if you didn't like it, and wouldn't change who he was. He would find little things in life to get excited about. Lee may have been 55, but if there were something coming up he was looking forward to, he was like a kid and couldn't hold still. He'd just be standing there bouncing like an 8 year old on too much sugar.

I was at Russ' house helping get Ivan's bike going not too long ago, with Lee there. His wife, Terri, and a daughter showed up a bit later. After the daughter left, I tried giving Lee a hard time by saying, "Wow, Lee. You daughter is really an attractive gal. Who was the dad?" He didn't pause a second, but looked me in the eye and said, " Terri's ex- husband." Then he pointed at me.. there with BOTH feet in my mouth and turning red.. and laughed hysterically at my misfortune.

He was just so upbeat, you couldn't faze him. He was honest to a fault. He would be there for a friend and do anything.. above and beyond what a normal friend would do, then make you feel like an idiot if you tried to make a big deal out of it.

At the hospital, they had shoved form after form in Terri's face.. death certificates, social security stuff.. STACKS of papers. After all this emotional trauma she was going through, she came back to the hotel we were all in to stay the night. I gave her a big hug and thought of something... ANYTHING to say.. but simply said, "I'm sorry." This woman was genuinely more concerned for how WE were feeling than herself. She said how sorry she was for all of us to have to go through this. Then, she told me something amazing coming from someone who had just lost their spouse. "Tod, he had looked so forward to coming to this rally. He was out here doing what he really loved to do, so please don't feel so badly." This woman's life had just been ripped apart, and here she was worrying about OUR hurt. Later, there were phone calls from the organ donar people and she wouldn't talk to them in front of us for fear of it bothering or hurting us. With someone like that behind Lee, it is a bit easier to understand how he could be who he was.

It's a terrible lesson to learn, but I think we all went home and held our spouses and kids a little tighter and longer, and even though we weren't riding fast, I think several of us did a re-evaluation of our riding habits. You just can't possibly realize the trauma and pain you cause to loved ones and friends when you're gone. People on here that didn't even know him feel a loss.

I want to say thank you to the people on here that offered kind words for Lee. He actually deserves them. He wasn't one of those guys that you'd have to get up in front of everyone at the funeral and lie and say what a good guy he was. He really was. Please keep Terri in your thoughts and prayers. She's an amazing woman, but I fear a long hard road ahead, though she does have family support.

Lee, we'll all miss you, buddy.


Tod


P.S. Fred, there is a house there by that tree Lee hit. The old guy came down and said, "He ain't the first person to hit that tree." That tree will be cut down whether the state or I do it. It's on the right of way in a dangerous spot, and won't hurt anyone else if I can help it.

[Montreux_Blue]

I feel some guilt also as I feel that I pushed you to go faster maybe causing the rest of the group to go faster than they could handle, but we saw the path and no one witnessed his brake lights come on as if he passed out or something coming out of the corner. You may have been able to change the timing or route but you wouldn't have been able to change whatever happened to him causing him to veer off the road. The spot might have been different but the outcome might have been the same, we'll never know.

[Wildkat]

Nobody should feel guilty about this... It was a tragic thing that could have happened at any time... at any rally... in any direction...

I've said time after time that Tod was leading a heck of a ride... It was a good pace and I was impressed with how well everyone was handling things.

I was riding sweep and there were very few times that we had a separation in the pack and the times that were... were generally caused by cars pulling in front of us or maybe just a general slow down from an inchworm effect.

Those of us in the back weren't riding fast, particularly around that curve... There was nothing out of the ordinary and only Lee knows what happened to make him go off the road.

Sometimes... it's just time.

We're going to miss Lee and his kooky way of doing things... but we have lots of memories of his smiling face... and the fact that we were able to put some of them there, I hope, will bring some comfort...

[BigDick]

I just got the word from Ivan today about 4pm. I hijacked my wife's phone to get on here. I only had the chance to meet Lee once, on our Cassoday run earlier this year, I'm sorry that I didn't have the chance to get to know him better. My thoughts are with all who knew him.

[Bob Falter]

I put off replying because I’m not good at sad stuff. Never know what to say. Having met Lee and Terri makes it even harder. Feel sorry for all the pain that Terri and the kids are going through. As far as why, how, or what caused it, all I can say is bad thing happen, it’s a part of life.

Bob

[Bohn Frazer]

Rider Down

I was following Lee through that curve and was tracking his progress. As many of you know who have ridden with me I am not a highly skilled or agressive rider. I didn't feel as if we were going at an uncomfortable pace in that curve and as I told several, we had that curve in the bag. I am attentive to brake lights in curves as when I see them come on, I get on mine. I do not recall braking in the last half of that curve as I usually try and brake going into a curve so I am sure I can accelerate through the curve if I want. We were at the point where we could have easily accelerated out of the curve. I do remember the point where the bike seemed to stand up and no longer appeared to be receiving rider input and when it happened, I was puzzled why the bike was going off the road when the curve was pretty much behind us. From that point on, it went off the pavement onto the shoulder, straight toward the tree, and did not appear to slow down or turn prior to impacting the tree.

I was impressed with the professional actions of Brent Hoovestol who did what he could do to help Lee, and was glad he and Kat were close behind Linda and I.

When my time comes, I would want to go out with my boots on doing what I loved with the people I like. Lee did that. I fear only time will ease the pain to his loved ones and the rest of us. My prayers are with his family and loved ones.

I saw a picture on this thread of me standing next to Lee at the motel on Friday night where we were smiling and enjoying life and the photos of Lee helping rebuild Ivan's bike. That's what my memories will be of Lee. When my time comes I too look forward to the big ride on the other side. I'm sure Lee, Bob Jones, and many others will be waiting on all of us. . . . . Bohn

[webbcraft2150]

Sad and tragic. There is little I can say to help his family thru this tough time, or those that were there and tried to help. It is a reminder that for all of us, today could be our last and there is nothing we can do about.

I had a chance to trade jabs with Lee at the last MOM rally and enjoyed our conversations. He truly was an energetic human being that loved his bikes and riding.

Todd, there are a million what ifs and shoulda, coulda, woulda's. We all take an inherant risks when we saddle up, which may be part of the draw to riding. Don't beat yourself up buddy, this whole deal was out of your hands.

Vio con dios Lee. Say hi to Pathfinder for me and I will catch you guys later. Tonight I will cast my gaze toward the stars and wonder which one you are, and remember the short, but good time we had together. Flash your brights for me so I know which one is you.

[WMarshy]

My deepest condolences go out to Lee's family and friends.

I am grateful for knowing Lee as much, or in reality, as little as I did. I so looked forward to meeting him and sharing the open road together. Just because I never met or rode with Lee does not mean he didn’t touch my sole. A person like Lee, so full of character cannot be forgotten. My fondest memory of him will forever be engraved here on channel 11. To Lee: I salute you. Just Ride…Leave It All Behind.

[Toolmaker Tim]

So Very Sorry

Haven't been on the site for a while. Got frustrated with the bike, leaking gas and brake problems. Got home from work and thought I'd see what was going on with everyone.

What a kick in the gut. My condolences to Lee's wife and family. My the lord keep and bless you and yours.

Tod, in all of the posts I have read of yours you strike me as good man who gives 100%. The is nothing you could have done differently that would have changed anything. When the Lord wants you he will call and you will go. At least Lee was doing he loved doing

[devilschld]

i have been on a couple of rides with lee. one of my first was when ivan got hurt. as for the riders who were with him. not a single person was at fault. when it is time for us all to go, it is time. just think all of u. he is in heaven looking down at us smileing and saying stay safe all.