For the last 15 years our town has hosted a motorcycle rally this week in September. It has grown over the years to an attendance of 200,000+. The organizers tout the great benefit it is to our region, raising $100,000+ for local charities and of course hotels and restaurants make out like a bandit. In recent years the regions hospitals stay very busy patching up riders in their emergency rooms. Generally there will be 2-5 biker fatalities in the area during the 4 day rally. Friday morning a good friend was killed on a Poker run sponsored by the rally. I guess I'm kind of calloused as I never gave much thought to previous years fatalities and injuries since they were unknown to me. But obviously this is different when it happens to friends you know and love. Since Friday I can't stop thinking about John's death and the many family members and friends this has affected. Was this event worth his death or the death and injury of others is a thought I continually deal with.
Please don't flame me as anti-motorcycle, I'm not, have many friends and family members that are owners and riders. Many local folks gripe about the noise and extra traffic of this event each year but it has never bothered me. Although I'm not a owner or rider I kind of like watching all the various sizes, shapes and designs of the bikes as well as the folks that ride them. When my girls were small I would put them on my shoulders and walk down the crowded event areas just taking in all the machinery and crowd energy.
I think it is great we live in a country that allows personal freedoms of our hobbies and lifestyles. John was a very fine hard working family man who loved riding his Gold Wing. As of last night there has been 4 fatalies, riders go home today. I'm just trying to rational was this worth the cost?