WHAT ABOUT THAT GUY?

First of all, thanks very much for the contribution. It was an idea spawned by Strider, one of our many amazing members, but one who has contributed far more than most to the improvement and growth of our club... It was a noble undertaking done in the true spirit of friendship and generosity...

Clif Crews was a regular at the Cheaha Ride-In, the annual Alabama gathering put on my Tim and Sherry Moore, and one Strider and others, like yours truly, also attended fairly regularly. Clif rode an old, ragged scooter... one that belched little puffs of blue smoke when moving, never presented any danger of allowing the rider to get a speeding ticket, or drag any metal parts in curves. He didn't own a Valk, although his brother, Conrad, did...

Clif is a regular guy, however, and one of the nicest folks you can hope to meet. He rode every chance he got, participated in Medievil Reanactments, and was active in another organization for scooter riders. Clif was also one who had lost his leg to amputation... just below the knee.

He would seat himself upon his scooter, put his walking cane through his belt, sort of like placing a sword back in its scabbard, and ride away just like the rest of us. We were all touched by his love of riding, his love of life, and his steadfast refusal to let his disadvantage keep him permanently on the sidelines of the game of life... He was a player, he had high spirits, a most positive attitude, more spunk than most folks I've ever met, and he was no quitter... He was, in short, one of those very few truly inspirational characters you occasionally meet along your own journey of life... if you're lucky...

I haven't seen Clif in over a year now... Cheaha is no longer an event... I did see him last year, however, but time had taken a severe toll on him. He looked frail and weak, talked a bit slower and a bit less, but the fire was still there. He had to make that final trip up the mountain in his cage, though, because he'd had his other leg taken off a few months back, so now he was having to get around on two peg legs. He claimed that he still rode a wee bit when he could, but the trek to this gathering would have been too far and too much for him to safely handle.

One of the greatest ironies in this life is that no one can help another without rewarding him or herself just as much, perhaps even more... Clif is a very worthwhile man, a remarkable role model for the rest of us in terms of how to face adversity and misfortune. Strider is also a very worthwhile man in terms of realizing what really matters then providing the leadership to muster whatever is necessary to make a difference... and, to provide the means for folks like you and me to also make a positive difference in the life of someone else... Again, thanks for joining us in making this possible.

DDT