When we were having lunch on Friday, I had to remind myself to slow down, to try and enjoy every minute of the weekend, because it always goes by entirely too fast. And as usual, it was Sunday evening and we were saying our farewells in the Saltgrass parking lot. The drive home that evening was a total bummer and it was obvious everyone felt that way.
This year was different for me in that we’ve been here for just over a year now. We get to ride pretty much whenever we want and as a result, I wasn’t looking forward to the riding nearly as much as I was the visiting aspect of it. Of course, that all changed as soon as we got to the track on Saturday afternoon. Even though we couldn’t ride on the track, I was ready to get suited up and goof around. While Prag, Lawdog and Boyd worked their tails off, the rest of us hung out and played in the puddles. It was a blast and really, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. If at all possible, it seemed like a more intimate time than most Saturdays at the GMB.
The food and fellowship at Howard’s was awesome. It’s always a great time. Prag makes a mean brisket and that ain’t no lie! Sunday…well, Sunday really was a blur. Something about getting up at 6 a.m. just seems so wrong. I guess it doesn’t help that I’m not a morning person. It was fun working the gate for a while and then being run off to get a few practice laps in. Thanks Jedi and Tooth Fairy!
One thing we did this weekend was to wear a label with a fallen rider’s name on it. I think every name on that list was worn on Sunday. Just a very simple gesture, but it really had an impact on me. I wore two names, Kirby Killion Jr. and Cody Fidler. For those of you who don’t know, Cody was only 5 years old when he passed away while riding. He crashed and was getting up when he was run into by an older boy. I remembered reading about him over on RiderDown.org and knew that was the name I wanted. Much like I can’t begin to imagine the Berg’s grief, the loss of a young child just hit me even harder. Some parents created a flier with what they call “Cody’s Rules”, you can see that here:
http://www.riderdown.org/forum/photo...Cody_small.jpg . Cody, I hope you enjoyed riding with me on Sunday, because I sure thought about you all day.
It was great meeting those attending for the first time. It was also great to watch and see not only how they interacted with everyone else, but also the impact it had on them. I hope each and every one of you left with more than you came with. I had a blast riding on Sunday. Really, more fun than a person should be allowed to have on a bike…and certainly more than a 35 year old mother of two should be allowed to have. I’m not about to start naming names, because I’ll leave someone out.
I am honored to have spent time with everyone. Not only that, it’s so cool to see that even though we didn’t get much riding time on Saturday, that the realization that as long as we were all together, it was all good.
Mr. Berg… thank you for opening your home on Friday and your heart for all these years. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult this is for you. But we appreciate it. Your sincere nature and your willingness to share your grief with us has had a huge impact on me personally. You are one fine man. Thanks for the reminder on Saturday not to sweat the little things. And thank you for your kind words on Sunday. I am beyond honored to know you and your family. I can only hope we can continue Garrett’s legacy and that he’s smiling down on us. Godspeed Garrett.
10-11-2007, 10:35 AM
GMB Reflections 
I guess I'm looking to relieve more of their pain than is possible. I am usually left with a helpless feeling when I think about what I can do for the Berg's. If showing up at the GMB is the best I can do, then that's what I'll do.
