Monday, May 25, 2015

Sometimes, things don’t work out like you planned

The doorbell rang and the courier stood there, holding a shoe-box size package with my name on it. I knew what was inside.

I carefully opened the box and took out the contents. It was a wooden model of a scooter. Most people would not give it a second glance, but it meant a lot to me. This had been half-way around the world and held by many people who all had one thing in common. We all liked and respected the man this model had come to represent. That man was Bob, who also went by the name of BobScoot. I am writing this on the one thing that tied all of us together, Bobs blog.

Like many, I first met Bob electronically, when he either found my own blog, or I found his. Soon, we starting reading each other’s writings and probably like many, I was drawn to not just what he wrote, but the way he wrote it. Bob poured his heart and soul into his blog. Interesting, funny, moving and always full of pictures both good and ordinary, his blog postings told us about the man, what he liked, how he felt, his travels, and of course the odd things peculiar to Bob, like his pink Crocs, plus his wish to nearly always include a picture of his feet.

Many people followed Bobs blog. He seemed to be at the centre of like-minded people who enjoyed writing about their motorcycle travels. He was the one person we all read about, as his words and pictures were eagerly read many around the world.

Bob often offered his help. I remember I was about to go on a long motorcycle trip and wanting to film and then edit some videos, then this near stranger called Bob who lived thousands of miles away in Canada, offered his advice which was very gratefully accepted. I think that was typical of the man – he helped anybody that he could. He certainly helped me on a few occasions.

Bob died nearly a year ago. It was sudden and a shock. No doubt it hit his family very hard as I think there was no clue he was ill. I remember hearing the news and sitting there numb, as a good friend had been taken from us. Bobs last post on his blog was very typical – on holiday with his wife Yvonne, he posted pictures and words about the two of them driving his Corvette around Kentucky. I really miss reading his posts.

I met Bob just once. When I rode around the USA I didn’t go near to Vancouver where Bob lived, but I regretted that and afterwards made a special trip, renting a bike in Seattle, and rode to his house. Bob and Yvonne were as kind as I had expected, showing me around, taking me to dinner, letting me stay at their house and genuinely wanting to spend some time with another road traveller. Bob did that a lot. I enjoyed reading about his meetings with other moto-bloggers all over America. Not only did Bob read others’ blogs, but he wanted to meet the people as well. What a thoroughly nice guy he was. I remember he laughed when I arrived in Vancouver wearing a copy of his trademark footwear – pink crocs. Bob and I walked around Vancouver both wearing our amusing pink crocs. I am not sure what people thought, but I can imagine!

So, in honour of the man by those that knew him, this model, appropriately called ScooterBob, has been travelling around the world and has been taken to various places to be photographed with and by the people that knew Bob. It is a terrific idea and I really enjoyed seeing the mementos that people have also placed in ScooterBob’s box.

It seemed obvious to me what picture I should include first on this posting – here I am with one of my bikes, wearing my pink crocs, of course…..
ScooterBob, just outside London
While I live near London in England, I took ScooterBob to St Tropez in France on a motorcycle trip as that seemed the right thing to do. We rode from London through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and back into France to reach the Mediterranean Sea. On the way, Sonja (who knew Bob as well as most as she also lived in Vancouver for a while) joined our group as we made our way through Germany. I had intended to post many pictures of ScooterBob in these countries, but as the title of the post says, sometimes, things don’t work out like you planned. Rather embarrassingly, I managed to accidently delete most of my photographs of the trip. Initially, I was horrified, but in hindsight, that is not a bad thing, as it has allowed me to concentrate on writing something about Bob and remember him, rather than show pictures of where ScooterBob was taken. 

So, here are just a few pictures, that don’t do justice to the Bob who took such great pictures himself. 

Bless you Bob, you are missed by many.

ScooterBob meets the Leading Ladies


ScooterBob with Sonja, myself, and some new friends.

This would have been a great picture.  Thanks to Sonja for snapping me, snapping ScooterBob

ScooterBob at the H-D rally in St Stopez, picture courtesy of Sonja 
ScooterBob is now travelling once more, on his way to Shelia.

17 comments:

  1. Great post Gary!

    How did that picture turn out? The one where Sonja snapped you snapping the picture?

    I'm guessing that it didn't make the cut because the result didn't justify lying in the sand with all your clothes on.

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    1. It turned out well, but sadly that was one of the pictures I deleted by mistake.

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  2. I am enjoying scooterbobs round the world tour. Its a shame about the photos getting deleted

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    1. I too am enjoying ScooterBobs travels. It shows just how many people liked Bob and want to share in the remembrance.

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  3. I am enjoying scooterbobs round the world tour. Its a shame about the photos getting deleted

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  4. Gary, I am all teared up, what a great write up. It was nice to share the memories we have on Bob. I fondly remember your border crossing story, and guys showing up in pink crocs at the restaurant back in June 2011 (time does fly by!!!), but no worries, there's not much the people haven't seen on 'couples'. You know Canadians are pretty tolerant when it comes to... Crocs.

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    1. Thanks Sonja. The border crossing story still makes me smile when I think of it.

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    1. Thanks VSL. It was easy to remember good things about Bob and to write about him. No doubt, he was a special guy.

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  6. Great to see ScooterBob still out there travelling the globe!

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    1. It will be interesting to see what ScooterBob does next, and were.

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  7. Too bad the photos got deleted, but nice that you had some backup. And I like the addition of the stories.

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    1. Someone reminded me that Bob used to sometimes delete pictures by mistake, so it was kind of fitting!

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  8. I have tried very hard but I cannot source size 14 pink Crocs(tm) anywhere in the UK! Vive le ScooterBob!

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  9. Gary what a beautiful post! Bob was one of those rare people who was genuine and cared for those her called friend. i first met him in 2011 at the Victoria Capital City Scooter Rally. He was one of the first people to post on my blog and encouraged me to keep writing it and scooting. He also cheered me on through my steps in getting my mc license. My fondest memory was when he brought the Vancouver Scooter club guys over for the rally the following year and the 20 of us did our own ride, i was leading the guys a Bob tail gunned. It was an awesome weekend. His generosity was beyond words, i wrote on my blog about having cold hands because of the winter riding I was doing and shortly after that a box containing heated grips arrived. Beyond everything he was a very cool dude and gracious soul. I miss him! His memorial is this weekend I believe and I can't make it because I'm teaching a novice mc course, but I somehow think he'd be okay with that.

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  10. What an excellent and heartfelt post Gary. It loses nothing from having your camera problems and indeed, I think your words overshadow the photos by a country mile. Sadly, Jennie and I were passing through Vancouver on our way back from Alaska when we received an email from Brandy giving us the incredibly sad news. You've perfectly summed up what most of us would want to say about Bob if we had your eloquence. Very well done.

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  11. What a great post....:-). I think Bob is probably blushing from all of the attention he is getting. He was indeed a great person and is missed by those who knew him well...:-).

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