Eddie James passes away.

[Semper Gumby]

Oh No!

I think this is the Rev. Eddie person that was with us.  Perhaps someone can provide more details...

http://www.bmwmoga.info/forum/showthread.php?p=11631#post11631

Y'all be careful out there.  The world is much more interesting with you all in it!

Team Strange Thread here - http://www.network54.com/Forum/154362/thread/1260193003/last-1260274909/Eddie+James+passes+away+12-6-09

Stupid f^@king cage driver-
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/21886110/detail.html  


Sincerely,

[Bob_Roller]

I checked or member profiles, and the Rev. Eddie that was registered here, is from North Carolina, so I don't know if they are one in same or not .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

We don't have HOV lanes in Indiana.  Are they such that the [stupid] van driver could not get out of traffic?

They didn't mention if he was legal in that lane (had passengers).  If not, he will probably be in more trouble for that than for vehicular manslaughter...

[NC Steve]

Our Rev Eddie was originally from Ohio, and moved to the Asheville, NC area maybe 3-4 years ago, with a couple of tractor-trailer loads of Airhead bikes and parts. Looks like he hasn't been signed in here since last February. Nice guy, kinda private, used to sell some stuff on Ebay too.

I saw another post about this accident over on a Guzzi board, let me check things out there and see if I can get any details...

[Semper Gumby]

Parts of I -75 north are six lanes + an HOV lan of really fast traffic and HOV is right up against the wall with nowhere to go.  But on a Sunday there is not that much traffic.....

Hard for me to pass judgment without more info (despite my earlier post).

One of the reasons I ride the R65 is that it doesn't go that fast and I have really good brakes (Really Good brakes).

I walked away from R100RT mono a couple of years ago because it was just too dang fast.  My wrist felt comfortable at 90...yikes.

[Bob_Roller]

Don't know the rules in Atlanta, but it is common, that HOV lane rules don't apply to weekends .

Again not familiar with the expressway system in Atlanta, but I've seen HOV lanes being the far left lane, with no breakdown lane available, just up against concrete barriers, and lets face it, if you had a serious problem with your vehicle, with the lack of driving etiquette these days, it's not uncommon for other drivers not to let you lane change, if you are not at least doing 20+ mph over the posted speed limit .

Not enough information available here to get a good idea what all of the circumstances were .

[NC Steve]

Well, I've been forum bouncing for a while this evening looking for more info, and it does sound like this is indeed "our" Rev. Eddie. I never knew his background, beyond getting a few R65 parts from him, and had spoken to him once or twice long ago, when I first got my R65. Always seemed like a gentle man, and a decent guy. He didn't much want to cut loose of his parts, though: a true packrat!

But from all I've heard and read tonight, he was legendary among the long-distance travelers in the cycle world, and was a total Airhead fiend, of all shapes and sizes. He was known and loved far and wide, and often competed in (and won) numerous Iron Butt rallies and variations thereof.

So adios, and RIP, Rev.

[Semper Gumby]

The following from Bob Woodridge of BMW of Atlanta:

The memorial for Eddie will be at 2:00, Sat. Dec. 12th with visitation at
1:00 at:

H.M. Patterson & Son
173 Allen Road
Sandy Springs, GA 30328

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Eddie can be made to the
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation 302 Ridgefield Ct. Asheville, NC 28806, or
online at www.pbtfus.org phone number 828-665-6891.

A casual celebration of Eddie's life will be held in January in Minneapolis.
More details to follow.
__________________

[NC Steve]

Just a few more details


Lisa (Eddie's Fiance) has finalized the arrangements for Eddie's funeral services.

The Services will be at 1:00pm this Saturday, December 12th. There will be a Visitation at 1:00pm and the Service will be held at 2:00pm. For those who attend, please be prepared to share a story or two. Eddie was a unique individual, there is no reason that his send off should be any different. We all need some humor with our tears. There will not be a cemetery service.

The location of the funeral home is: H. M. Patterson Funeral Home
173 Allen Road
Sandy Springs, Ga 30328
This is in Sandy Springs which is on the north side of Atlanta. The funeral home is off of I-285 and Roswell Road and it's easy to find. Get off 285 at Roswell Road, go north a few hundred feet to the first street and turn left, go about 500 feet to Patterson's on the left.

For the folks who will be riding, we can gather at BMW Motorcycles of Atlanta. The address is 1750 Cobb Parkway South, Marietta Ga 30060. It's a short ride to Sandy Springs so we'll leave around 12:30pm. Hopefully we'll have a good turnout for the ride.

Lisa understands that a lot of Eddie's friends from Minnesota might not be able to make it to Atlanta. She wants to have a Memorial service for him sometime in January in Minnesota. She will get that information out as soon as plans are firmed up.

[Semper Gumby]

OK - I'm there.  Bob and Lynda's (BMW of Atlanta) at noon and then leave at 12:30.  Anybody else?

It would be cool to have the R65.org flag on hand but I know its kind of short notice.

Ack Ack.

[NC Steve]

OK - I'm there.  Bob and Lynda's (BMW of Atlanta) at noon and then leave at 12:30.  Anybody else?

It would be cool to have the R65.org flag on hand but I know its kind of short notice.

Ack Ack.

Bill, were you able to get to Eddie's service today?
If yes, how'd it go? Good turnout, I hope?
Please fill us in if you can...

[Semper Gumby]

Nope the R65 is at Boxerworks getting a new front end and the Firebird did't have the alternator for electric heat.

I'll chat with Bob of BMW of Atlanta about how it went.  36'F and rain is not conducive to un-augmented motorcycle riding...

Wimp out for sure..

[Semper Gumby]

I have not seen the accident report but I drove by Northside drive in the HOV lane today heading north and saw some green accident paint marks on the lane about 200 yards before the Northside exit.  It appears the accident site was about 300-400 yards north of the exit of a left hand turn.  And there was about 5 feet from the left hand edge of the HOV lane to the wall!!!!!  The paint marks were in the center of the lane!!!  I might try to get a picture if I out and about tomorrow.

Forecast is for rain.