NH-JP
2nd Fastest Old, Slow Guy!
Sorry I have not been on and posting lately.
Had a traumatic event happen 2 weeks ago. Here is a summary that I had put out there the day after:
Hey Guys.
I don't even know where to start in writing this.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day here.
Schedule has been crazy for me lately. Kids, life, you know the deal. I had not actually been on my bike for 3 and a half weeks! For me, that is a huge gap in time.
Yesterday was the only real day that I was able to make work for getting a pre-ride in for the small bike ride prior to the event.
I was really expecting to go ride it alone, you know, middle of the week, middle of the day.
But the night before my buddy texted me that his day had changed, and he was available, and psyched, to come ride. Yes! A beautiful day, and 2 friends out for a nice long ride.
I felt tired in the morning, just an overall life tired, but when I got on the bike I was invigorated. I felt so loose and fresh!
We were having a fun time, fun banter back and forth. A couple of quick stops here and there checking on mechanicals, on each other. The start of a great time.
And then the day changed.
We were riding through a very easy section, Class 6 road that was really wide open and flat. There was a tough climb coming up, and it is when, in your mind, you start to steel yourself for it. That was when I looked over my shoulder, saw he was just a bit behind me, and I pushed on.
I made it to the top of the climb, and stopped. This is our norm. Wait at the top, see who got stuck on the climb (like 1st and 2nd gear climb), joke about it, and catch your breath.
I waited a minute or two. I did not hear anything. Took off my helmet, and walked a little bit down the hill and around the corner to a point where you have a good line of site on the difficult section. No one coming.
All right, he must have had a mechanical issue. I'll go check on him.
Back to the bike, helmet on. Heading back town the hill. Slow though. I figure at any moment he is going to be coming right at me. No such luck.
I got all the way back down the hill. Back onto the flat, non technical section, came around the corner to find my friend in a heap in the middle of the trail. Not 50 yards from when I last looked back over my shoulder at him.
It was horrific.
I cannot describe to you what it is like to see your friend in that condition, to feel so helpless, to feel guilt.
I tried to save him. First responders tried to save him. He was gone. He is gone.
His name was Frank Colon. And he was my friend.
He was so enthusiastic. Always had a smile on his face, and he LOVED to ride!
It really makes no sense. Where he was, how it happened. A freak accident.
So today I am at a loss. Trying to process it all.
Look around you. Realize all that you have, all that is important to you, and cherish it.
Riding in the woods I always knew in the back of my mind that an accident was a possibility, but I always thought of it in terms of a broken something, NOT the end of a life.
So today Frank lives on, in our hearts and in our minds. Frank was a father, a husband, a member of MVTR, a member of the MT. Pisgah ATV Club, a board member of NETRA, and a vocal representative of our off road community.
Thank you for your support. I love you guys, and the community that I am lucky to be a part of.
JP
Frank was a husky guy too, on a TE300 when it happened. 3rd gear.
I got on the bike once right away with 2 of our other riding buddies. They wanted to see the site. To try and understand. To make sense of it.
I then hopped on a plane for a family vacation that had been planned.
Flying home today, and supposed to race on Sunday.
Not even sure I can do that.
I know it’s what he would want me to do.
I know I can ride, but how to rip? Dunno.
Taking it one day at a time, and trying not to cry too much, or too often.
Anyway, just figured I would put this out there.
Had a traumatic event happen 2 weeks ago. Here is a summary that I had put out there the day after:
Hey Guys.
I don't even know where to start in writing this.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day here.
Schedule has been crazy for me lately. Kids, life, you know the deal. I had not actually been on my bike for 3 and a half weeks! For me, that is a huge gap in time.
Yesterday was the only real day that I was able to make work for getting a pre-ride in for the small bike ride prior to the event.
I was really expecting to go ride it alone, you know, middle of the week, middle of the day.
But the night before my buddy texted me that his day had changed, and he was available, and psyched, to come ride. Yes! A beautiful day, and 2 friends out for a nice long ride.
I felt tired in the morning, just an overall life tired, but when I got on the bike I was invigorated. I felt so loose and fresh!
We were having a fun time, fun banter back and forth. A couple of quick stops here and there checking on mechanicals, on each other. The start of a great time.
And then the day changed.
We were riding through a very easy section, Class 6 road that was really wide open and flat. There was a tough climb coming up, and it is when, in your mind, you start to steel yourself for it. That was when I looked over my shoulder, saw he was just a bit behind me, and I pushed on.
I made it to the top of the climb, and stopped. This is our norm. Wait at the top, see who got stuck on the climb (like 1st and 2nd gear climb), joke about it, and catch your breath.
I waited a minute or two. I did not hear anything. Took off my helmet, and walked a little bit down the hill and around the corner to a point where you have a good line of site on the difficult section. No one coming.
All right, he must have had a mechanical issue. I'll go check on him.
Back to the bike, helmet on. Heading back town the hill. Slow though. I figure at any moment he is going to be coming right at me. No such luck.
I got all the way back down the hill. Back onto the flat, non technical section, came around the corner to find my friend in a heap in the middle of the trail. Not 50 yards from when I last looked back over my shoulder at him.
It was horrific.
I cannot describe to you what it is like to see your friend in that condition, to feel so helpless, to feel guilt.
I tried to save him. First responders tried to save him. He was gone. He is gone.
His name was Frank Colon. And he was my friend.
He was so enthusiastic. Always had a smile on his face, and he LOVED to ride!
It really makes no sense. Where he was, how it happened. A freak accident.
So today I am at a loss. Trying to process it all.
Look around you. Realize all that you have, all that is important to you, and cherish it.
Riding in the woods I always knew in the back of my mind that an accident was a possibility, but I always thought of it in terms of a broken something, NOT the end of a life.
So today Frank lives on, in our hearts and in our minds. Frank was a father, a husband, a member of MVTR, a member of the MT. Pisgah ATV Club, a board member of NETRA, and a vocal representative of our off road community.
Thank you for your support. I love you guys, and the community that I am lucky to be a part of.
JP
Frank was a husky guy too, on a TE300 when it happened. 3rd gear.
I got on the bike once right away with 2 of our other riding buddies. They wanted to see the site. To try and understand. To make sense of it.
I then hopped on a plane for a family vacation that had been planned.
Flying home today, and supposed to race on Sunday.
Not even sure I can do that.
I know it’s what he would want me to do.
I know I can ride, but how to rip? Dunno.
Taking it one day at a time, and trying not to cry too much, or too often.
Anyway, just figured I would put this out there.
