Sunday, May 12, 2013

Saturday --- A Motorcycle Day.....

Though I never even threw a leg over one.

The trailer had been hooked to the car Friday evening so that I could leave home early for coffee with the boys in Mpls.  After a quick stop at my place of employment to pick up something I'd forgotten Friday afternoon, it was off to North Mpls for coffee.

Besides the things we normally discuss and debate, Saturday's 'edition' included an event on the BNSF tracks that run next to Diamond's Coffee Shoppe.  The local Steam Train enthusiasts had completed a restoration of #261 and it was making its first voyage up to Duluth on our North Shore.


Rail enthusiasts had to be cautioned by the local constabulary for encroaching on the tracks in places on the cool, blustery morning.

After coffee I headed across the river into rural Wisconsin to carry out a grim task (and the reason for my m/c trailer) of picking up our good friend Walter's crashed Moto Guzzi.  I learned the sad news Wed. afternoon that Walter had been airlifted from the site of a deer/motorcycle crash.  Thankfully the power company lineman found the bike and Walter lying in the grass and stayed with him until help could arrive.

The crashed Guzzi needed to be picked up from the tow company and taken back to Walter's home.  I've got photos of the bike and 'other' that I won't be sharing, but our evaluation of the bike, Walter's gear and the evidence that we could muster tells us that the deer essentially knocked Walter backwards off of the bike; any damage on the machine was high up and the damage to his helmet and everything else pointed directly to the brain trauma suffered.  Wife Elaine and son Thomas would really appreciate your thoughts and well-wishes.  If you visit, note the many comments by Selena....it was her dad that was first on the scene; her dad's kindness a gift to us all.

Evening plans were carried out, namely visiting one of Minnesota's higher learning institutions for the screening of the locally produced film "Girl Meets Bike".  Our combined review would be.... disjointed story that was hard to follow, beautiful cinematography of rural MN and WI roads and scenery, fine European machines featured, smooth sound track and special attention paid to fine, fine (and accurate) motorcycle sounds.  In other words, Guzzi's sounded like Guzzi's, Norton's were definitely Norton's, Triumph's were where they belonged, etc.  More sex and more liquor than I needed (are we really like that??) but overall, fun to see real machines, ridden by real riders in places locally that we know.  Dinner and discussions with friends capped off the evening and made for a very long day.

Today, time spent with mom and her sister for Mom's Day.

For Sonja and Roland, this very old family heirloom.....




10 comments:

  1. Coop - I will put your friend in my prayers.

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  2. I keep my fingers crossed for your friend's speedy recovery. Glad that somebody found him, and had the courage to help.

    Your family heirloom must be quite old. By the language at least 100 years?

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    1. Thank you Sonja, Walter is ready for some crossed fingers. It is very possible that the utility worker wasn't the first one to pass the scene.

      Based on who passed the framed words on to whom, we know it was pre-1900.

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  3. My riding buddy in St. Paul is quite a train fan. I'll have to ask him if he knows anything about #261.

    Sorry to hear of your friends crash.

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    1. There are a couple of groups/clubs in The Cities doing Steam work, this was the Nordeast contingent

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  4. I was so sorry to hear of Walter's accident. I sure hope he makes a full recovery. From what you've said it sounds as though the deer were leaping and caught him as he was going forward. So scary. Keep us posted.

    But on a side note that train sure is purty.

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    1. We are convinced that a 'high' deer is what caused the damage.

      Whenever I'm lucky enough to be around steam, it is easy to appreciate my Gramp's love of its aliveness.

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  5. My heart always breaks when I see the words brain trauma. It nearly always changes everything. I know of these things. It sounds like he has other challenges as well. I hope all things turn out well.
    ~k

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  6. Thanks Keith. Walter's body has had a hard life already and we are all hoping for the best now.

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