The Beating of Clara's Heart - Happy Holidays

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 6:29 am

Hello Folks,

Happy holidays from the great state of Montana. It's 21 degrees with snow in the forecast.

I rode my bike 10 days ago. I think the high was 28, but the road was clear. I took a few photos, and include them in a Photobucket album (see URL below). The album also has some photos of my engine rebuild. A few might remember that my CB750 threw her cham chain in May of 09. It took more than a year, but we got her running again and I had a wonderful summer. It was so worth it. Matt would be proud. For those of you who might be reading this post, and who do not know, Matt McDonough was my mate and the owner of Performance Sport Bikes in Missoula, MT. He died in a motorcycle accident four and half years ago. Frankly, I didn't think I would be able to ride (or more specifically maintain) my bike without him around, but I thank God that I have. He left me a wonderful legacy and there are some wonderful folks on this site that have come forward as part of that. Matt knew a lot about motorcycles and loved the CBs. He had an 1100F and I'm glad that one of the members of this site now has the bike. And I have Clara B, my 1979 CB750, which we bought from a mechanic/rider down the Bitterroot Valley in 2003. The year after Matt's death I put 8,000 miles on my bike and I really didn't go far from home. She was my therapy. That's what Matt called motorcycle riding: his therapy. I didn't truly understand until he was gone. I like to believe that some of Matt's spirit now rides with me. On my tank bag, I have a picture of him and the memorial patch that the guys here on the CB1100F site created as a fund raiser for me. It was then that I truly and forever learned that I had a fraternity of riders supporting me as I moved through this devastating time in my life. I like to think that Matt rides with us all, all who knew him, and who have the patch, and who read his words on this site today. So I return here tonight, on the virtual eve of a new decade, close to the solstice and the lunar eclipse, and I say Hallelujah! Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Let's Ride!

http://s970.photobucket.com/albums/ae182/glenda_820/Rebuilding%20Claras%20Heart/

Glenda from MT

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:19 am

Hello Glenda,fantastic the bike is running again.All the best wishes and lots of safe rides in the future.
Wim

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:52 am

Merry Christmas Glenda. Keep riding that bike. It IS good for you.

Cheers, John

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:58 am

That's great to see. Merry Christmas!!

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:00 pm

Merry Christmas. Best wishes for the future.

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:46 pm

Glenda,

This site does have a family feel which of course Matt was a huge part, he is missed.

Have Merry Christmas,

Kelvin

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:50 pm

MERRY CHRISTMAS Glenda!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:52 pm

Merry Christmas...... Very Happy

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:14 pm

That is a lovely post Glenda. Smile

Merry Christmas and best wishes.

Foxyj.

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:36 pm

Seasons greetings Glenda.

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:15 am

A very Merry Christmas to you, Glenda!

Hope you don't mind me putting up some pics of Clara!

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:34 am

Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year..

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:29 am

Glenda;

If you ever ride over to Great Falls, please let me know. There are a couple of other F bikes in town, but I've lost contact with the owner's. My fault, things happened. If I get over to t'other side of Roger's I'll warn you before hand!

And good on you for keepin' on keepin' on.

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:09 pm

ALL of us wish you a Merry Christmas and the very best for the coming New Year Glenda.

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 4:06 pm

Merry Christmas Glenda. Have a happy and safe New Year!

Dave

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 4:22 pm

Gosh.

I didn't expect so many folks to respond. It means the world to me! Thanks for touching base.

And also thanks Cliffiec for posting my photos. Wasn't sure how to do it on the site. The close up shows that I have a CB900 side panel on the bike. Matt put that there. My other panel has a small piece missing at the bottom and just before Matt's accident he was working on a 900 (he was thinking he wanted me to ride it). Anyway, I ended up with the panel and chose to keep it. It sometimes confuses people when they approach from that side. I was concerned that I misrepresented myself but now I don't even think about it...except when I see it on my bike on the CB1100F site Smile

I just heard that the New Years Run here in Missoula is being planned. I've only ridden in the event a couple times - when Matt was still around. This year will be daunting. We had another 6-8 inches of snow dumped on us two nights ago (know it doesn't compare to other parts of the country Smile

and there's more in the forecast. Still, I'm sure there are folks who will ride, including one of Matt's best friends Chris Ruhnke, who has carried on Matt's tradition of riding his bike through one of our favorite watering holes, the Rhino in downtown Missoula.

So Merry Merry and Happy New Year. Thanks again for being there!

Glenda

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:08 pm

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:30 am

Merry Christmas from Courtney Love and me. (the patchwork 1979 that's hauled my butt for 15 years and could be Clara's twin.)

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 3:25 pm

I don't know you ... and chances are we will never meet ... but your words ring true for all of us that "ride to live and live to ride"!!

May I offer you this prayer of goodwill to keep you safe as you ride on!!

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Dan