I was blessed to have a wonderful father. He treated my elder brother and myself with respect and dignity and schooled us both from day one, with the essentials for living a good, honest life. He was certainly firm in his approach but always with a loving foundation that was strong and unwavering. We were always very proud of him and he was best friends to both of us. He influenced us positively in so many ways and shared his love of life by example. Dad loved cars and motorcycles, which he inherited from his father and he passed that on to us two boys. Dad always had cool cars and was a natural, gifted mechanic. He bought us our first project cars and guided us through completion. He took us to Races from a very early age and broadened our knowledge by subscribing to car magazines both foreign and domestic, which we could not wait for them to show up every month. Dad loved to drive and would rather drive 1200 miles to their vacation home in his V-12 Jag, than fly. I think the biggest disappointment in his life is when they yanked his licence, after a minor prang at age 94. Dad passed away at 96 in 2019. Miss him everyday.
Here are a couple of photos of my Dad on one of his motorcycle buddies, new Honda 450 in 1966 ( when my father was on a business trip to the States from Australia). That guy is the late Bud England, a gentleman and a scholar, from Milwaukie, Oregon. Bud loved motorcycles and had a fantastic collection that he shared with guys like Dad and me. (We immigrated to the States in 1969) He would call up and invite us on a Saturday ride.
Usually on different machines and we would swap around during the ride. Those rides up along the Clackamas River, on beautiful roads in incredible country are some of my favorite memories. We all had beaming smiles and they were joyous occasions.
Here is my Dad on his Vincent Black Shadow. My father and Bud England were on a business trip in England and were at lunch with some other guys and talking motorcycles. A gentleman overheard their conversation and introduced himself and said he was the Chief Engr for Vincent when they went out of business and he bought all the inventory and was completeing brand new Black Shadows and would they be interested. Dad, Bud and another business associate at the lunch table all bought one. The fellow shipped them to Portland, Oregon and when they arrived, flew out, unpacked them and then instructed them all on starting proceedure etc. Dad had his for many years and I put about 90% of the miles on it. It was a funky old thing but special in many ways. I have a few Vincent stories from those days. One of Dad's buddies just had to have it and made him a very seriou$ offer and the Vincent was GONE !!!
My Dad is in beloved MG TF 1500.
