anything goes?

This weekend marks the one year passing of my father. Pretty much sucks. The plan is to spend the weekend with my brothers and sisters. Why am I posting this downer. I guess so that anyone that might care have a better understanding of who I am and what makes me, me.

I wouldn't be here posting if it wasn't for my father. No, I don't mean because he was the sperm donor. I mean, his love of everyone that had an engine runs deep within me. From my earliest memories, I can remember my dad being into some sort of car or bike. I was born in 77 and at the time my dad's love affair was with a Vega. He even brought the Vega over to Germany when he took a position with the federal government. I think he was in tears when the engine throw a piston through the block and he couldn't do anything to replace it. That car was then sent to the junk yard. Before we left for Germany my dad had a Suzuki gt750 (water buffalo). That was one of many bikes he owned throughout his long relationship with motorcycles. But he decided that Germany plus owning a motorcycle didn't add up (or so I was told). We spent 9 years in Germany in which there wasn't a bike in our garage. After moving around a bit after living in Germany, we ended up in Virginia. And then my Dad made is move back to two wheels. After not owning a motorcycle for about 15yrs he picked up a 89 gold wing interstate from a local dealer. The fire was re-lit and he so moved onto a 95 wing and then on a 98 wing. Over the years my dad owned many bikes and he would talk your ear off about any one of them. He made serival trips from the east coast to the west coast and logged well over 400k non accident miles on two wheels. He was the man that taught me how to ride and instilled the values of riding in me. We talked about how it was our nature to explore and nothing brought that to the for front than a bike. I think about when he would tell me about buying his first motorcycle and how it was wild to have a little jap bike cruising around the Virginia Beach area. And then all the stories about his Kawasaki Mach III 750 and how it was the fastest thing he had ever experienced in his life. I wish I had the resources and funds to pick up one of those and restore it!!


A day doesn't go by that I don't think about my father and how he made me the man I am today. I never got the pleasure of going out on a cruise with him but feel that he is with me all the time.

Here is a picture of the last time my father was in town:
http://www.msprotege.com/members/Titanium/me dad hans.jpg

My brother on the left, my dad in the middle, and me on the right. My dad moved to Utah and came out to my wedding three almost four years ago. It was the last time I saw him. Thanks for reading.

 

Keep strong and remember he truely is always with you...watching over you anyway. My wife says I have never been the same person since my father passed and that was over 8 years ago. I'm sure this will be a tough weekend but hopefully you and your family can remember some of the old "dad stories" that every family has. Take care and god bless...

 

Rock On, Man. It is good to be proud of your dad. Hopefully you will have kids who will feel the same about you. Not everyone has good memories of their fathers. You are a lucky man.

 

Dad went in '94. Mom last Jan 01. I think of them both often. I think they look down on me though and give their heads a shake from time to time though.

 

Titanium, Don't be sad.Celebrate this weekend. Wear that bent ear proud! Retell those stories in his honer.

 

Good story Matt. Sorry for your loss. Sounds like you have many good memories to carry with you and that keeps his spirit alive. Get out there and carve some corners in his honor.

 

Your dad looks like he was a great guy. Losing any family member that you are close to is never a good thing. Stay strong this weekend, and think about the good times.

 

Thanks for sharing. I lost my Dad about 5 years ago and there are constant reminders of him everywhere. It makes me very happy and proud to see little mannerisms come out in me and my daughter. Though my daughter never met him (she's only 4) she always asks about him when she sees his photo. Stay strong, hold those memories in you heart and you'll never be without him.

 

thanks for sharing your story. your dad sounds like he was a great man, and an inspiration for you, which is what all we fathers hope to be for our children.

now its your turn...im sure he'd be proud.

 

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies. Spent Saturday with my brother and two of my sisters. We had a great time listening to some old music and telling stories. Mixed in a lot of drinking and we had a great time remembering. I think I pasted out around 3:30am.

Sunday I went out for a ride for a couple of hours. Good times!

 

Thanks for the story, I am glad you are be able to spend a lot of time with your father before he pass away. My father pass away when I was young. I do miss him............
Take care and ride save.

Cheers

 

I was very close to my father-in-law. I met his daughter when we were 17, and married her at age 21. We are still together after 41 years of marriage.

My father-in-law and I were best buds. He was always good to me, and we did a lot together as a family. We nearly always vacationed together (my wife and three kids, and my wife's parents).

He had a massive heart attack in our car just when we arrived at the Outer Banks for a two week vacation. He suffered greatly, and died two days later. He was just 65. This happened years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. It was devastating.

Family was the most important thing in his life, as it is for me. He was an unselfish, kind, generous, and forgiving man - religious, moral, and ethical. I've patterned my life after his and it has served me well. He taught me much, and I've tried to pass what I learned from him on to my kids.

There is not a single day that goes by that I don't think about him and the great times we had. It still saddens (and even angers) me deeply and brings a tear to my eye. I miss him terribly. It's still difficult to think about the time that was stolen, so I try to focus on the time we did have.

So I do understand some how you feel. Losing a great man is a very great loss indeed.

 

Yes, thank you for sharing. I have a similar story. My older brother was a huge motorcycle fan and he died just before his 40th b-day (ruptured diverticulum). I got into motorcycling about 9 years after he died...wish he could see me now.
The important thing is to live your life to the fullest...each day.

 

I remember clearly you mentioning the Water Buffalo and the Mach III when we were at the show and looking at the Old Jap Motorcycle Club display. Now I know more about why those old bikes occupy a special place for you ...........Lamps up Brotha!

 

Lost my father to a stroke 4 years ago. The stroke left him unable to breath on his own, swallow, the ability of his body to regulate its temperature, move his left side. Otherwise his mind was clear. Toughest week of my life, sitting with my older brother, younger sister and mom holding his hand around the clock in ICU. He fought for every moment until he decided no more, the night the ventilator was removed we said our goodbyes and I stayed with him until his journey was complete. I told him how I was carrying him out of the hospital, taking him home to sit on his beloved deck, warm sunshine surrounded by his beautiful garden, and a cold IPA always within his hands reach, he appeared to be at total peace. Now my father never favored my choice to ride but understood my love of these sleek machines and always told me to be careful, saying he loved me was seldom heard(born raised in Swindon England with strict catholic upbring, and a father that rarely showed his softer side) but his actions left no doubt. I visit his grave site often via my VFR and sit at his side and enjoy one of his favorite IPAs, reflect on current issues and never forgetting the good times we shared and will share again some day.

Take care, enjoy each day, tell those close you love them or even better show them!

 

As I read all of the post I have to admit some jealousy, I never really knew my father, he left when I was very young, my mother did the best she could with 3 sons, but I never had a father for the advice a young boy needs, never had anybody to kick my butt when I needed it either. I try to be the father to my kids that I wanted mine to be to me, and I have to admit it's tough, how can you lead the pack on a road you have never been on? I'm glad to hear so many of you have/had great relationships with your fathers, feel very blessed.