Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Pulling the Chute for Pops Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Hey JB, What a wonderful tribute to your dad. We have been involved in several of those ashes processes. My brother's ashes were sprinkled in a secluded beach near Summerland, CA, just south of Santa Barbara. It was so windy with those offshore, dry, Santana winds, from Orange County all the way up the coast. The winds were creating white caps on the ocean from Malibu to the Santa Barbara Harbor. Our first thought was it was going to be a "rough" ride 8 miles south to the secret spot. As we got to the harbor, it was still blowing along the tall cliff side areas and outside on the ocean. But for some reason, the boat slips and a portion of the coast line down to the secret spot was perfectly glassy, smooth. We all wondered what was happening. My wife thought it was a fitting tribute to my brother, but did not want to get sick or wet while doing the dispersal from the boat. As we rode in the boat to the spot, the glassy surface of the water was eerie. Not one cloud was in the air, but all of a sudden, a blob of a white cloud was over us and created a shadow on the boat. Very weird. Then a small perfect sized wave came rolling in under the boat and we all watched it break, rolling into the beach. By the time we got back to the harbor, the whole coastline, near the shore, was blasting with super strong offshore/Santana winds. This is where we were just cruising back. For some odd reason, we were spared the strong winds during this whole escapade. My brother was a true hot rod/drag racer from the very early days in Long Beach. But, his recovery from the drag racing accident, was surfing and it helped a lot along the way. The next day, we drove up to San Luis Obispo to check out the university for our son. It was blasting offshore winds with white caps, the whole way up and back. Jnaki Tributes are awesome and inspiring. When my brother's friend passed away, my brother rode his 1000cc Kawasaki Motorcycle almost 3000 miles to Wyoming and back to scatter the ashes on a remote, fly fishing river for his friend. Our (LATE) condolences to you and your family. A great story of you and your dad's escapades.
What a fitting tribute to your father and great story, thank you for sharing. It takes a lot to warm up this cold heart, but having remembered watching the 3w Larry video when it was originally posted and reading this, all I can think is Car people are a swell bunch!
@Jive-Bomber Jay - The Pebble Beach & Bonneville deal was a wonderful tribute for your father ... kudos to "B" (i.e., @Deuce Bruce Meyer) for packing his ashes in the chute. When my father ("Deuce Bruce" Olson) was diagnosed with cancer in June of 1990, his best friend, (the late) Gary "Goodguy" Meadors insisted they attend the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August (an event that had always been on his bucket list but was never able to attend because of conflicts with Speed Week and/or Goodguys events). My parents & the Meadors' were able to enjoy the day in Carmel (while I was in Wendover attending Speed Week). Unfortunately, Pebble was the last automotive event my father was able to attend ... and he passed away in October of 1990. At Speed Week in August of 1991, my father's ashes (urn) were strapped to the roll bar behind John Walsh ... as he drove the "Thomas-Walsh-Walsh-Cusack" #333 Roadster to a 2-way average of 213.853 MPH (becoming a member of the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club): ... after which, his ashes were scattered over the slat flats during the 43rd Bonneville National Speed Trials event: RIP Bob Klessig ... Larry Roller ... Gary Meadors ... Jerry Ward ... Bruce Olson ...
Have done the same thing for a friend of ours at Speedweek. And when My time comes,thats where I,ll end up
Those are some great tributes! My Father passed this spring, his passions were hot rods and sail boats. I believe I'll sprinkle some of him in his 57 Vette that he bought in 62. My buddy donated a small old sailboat that may get used for a viking funeral! I used to joke with him about using his big boat for that, but it's been sold already.
I was at Speed week when they put Gray Baskervilles ashes in a chute and let them go at 200+ everybody in my family knows that's where I'm going in the end
I hope that my crew does the same for me. Whether it be Daytona, Speed Week, Indy, Pebble Beach, I want to go out as I lived life. Hand built bicycles, custom cars and motorcycles, even my homes have been unique and ahead of the curve. So, it's only fitting that we should want to go out in style and let our spirits bring happy vibes to the events that we loved. As we all try to grasp the meaning of Bob's life, maybe the thing to do is every day that we are on this planet, try to emulate the man that we all admire. Even if we fall short, we will still make the world a better place....especially the car world
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