FJRiders.com

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 9:12 am This post is for Maralee:

For the 1911 remembrance ride we have riders, so far, coming from South Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

We also have some maybes that hail from Virginia, Louisiana, Florida, and the midlands of South Carolina.

Hopefully this will be a special day as we salute Duane, and have a chance to console and give face to face condolences to Maralee.

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Tue Jan 24, 2023 9:30 am UPDATED 4/11/23

Based on the responses to the RIP thread I let Maralee know that a lot more FJR riders wanted to be there in person than were able to attend. I have asked Maralee, and she has agreed, to have a local remembrance ride, very informal, nothing fancy, the purposes of which so she can meet her FJRider well-wishers in person and they can express their condolences.

There will be riding 3-4 hours. There will be food involved, see below. There will be other things as well...This event will held on Saturday, April 22nd (rain or shine - as Duane would want it no other way). I know that Duane's son-in-law Chris Revelle, a newly minted rider with a VFR from Cheeseland, will be with us no doubt. - Mark/wheaton

Updated 4/14/23: Looks like 21for breakfast at STAX, and 29 out at the farm, 27 for BBQ .


UPDATE 4/14/23
That brings me to making a list of ride attendees for planning purposes: I know stuff happens, but you must be at least 95% committed to consider yourself committed to this April 22nd ride.

Remembrance Riders

1. Mark/wheaton
2. Lumberg (no bbq)
3. Wayne/extrememarine
4. Danh600
5. Carl/Griff
6. Kyle Bridges/Duane's young friend on a Kawasaki
7. Chris Revelle/Duane's Son-in-law riding VFR that Duane helped him get from WI.
8. Joe/El Toro Joe
9. Jim/Zooomm
10. Iris
11. Andy/Bikergeek
12. Sooze
13. David/Wheaton Jr
14. Bob/Intech
15. Jeff/FJRPittsburgh
16. Steve/Festus
17. Joe/Blueridgerider
18. Scott/BlindSquirrel
19. Josh/Cav47

At STAX for breakfast
1. Maralee
2. Maralee's daughter Erica, Chris Revelle's wife

Attending only at Marilee's farm
1. Louanne, attending gathering at Maralee's farm only -bringing Bobby's BBQ
2. Duane's mom
3. Etta/Mrs Griff
4. Amanda - Maralee's daughter/ JD's wife
5. JD-Maralee's son in law
6. Sonya - Jason's sweetheart
7. Blessing, my son David's wife
8. Christine- my daughter (no bbq)

UPDATE 1/29/23

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:40 pm WE HAVE A FIRM DATE for the Duane Wellington /1911 Remembrance Ride.

April 22nd (Saturday) - Rain or Shine as Duane would have wanted it.

More details in the coming weeks as they become available. I can tell you that there will be a ride. It will be Saturday, April 22nd. It will be meaningful for us, and helpful to Maralee, Duane's widow.

Additional Details:

So let me confirm what is set in stone as of right now, 2/21/23:
-Ride is set for the morning of 4/22/23
-We will meet before the ride for breakfast at STAX Original -amended, I have told the store manager 8:30, so lets all be there at 8:15am so we can be seated asap for larger group. Everyone will be responsible for the cost of their breakfast plus 20% tip...but I will pay the bill so we can keep the ride moving along. I will take cash only without giving back change so please bring singles if you need to. Im not checking checks, no time, but trusting. The only one I'm buying breakfast for is Duane...sweet tea and BLT...as per custom before covid.
-We will ride up 178, then turn east on East Fork road...one of Duane's favorite connector roads.
-We will then ride US276 south to the Caesars Head overlook and stop there for a group photo.
-We will then head southbound back into SC, then wander however I feel led down to Marilee's farm.
-It will end up at Maralee's farm in Laurens, SC at the end of the ride.
-There will be a chance to give condolences directly to Duane's Maralee, face to face.
-I will make sure that food from Bobby's BBQ will be there at the farm where we will have a meal after the ride. No expenses will be incurred by the family (but the Riders can contribute, $15-$20 if they are able)
-After the meal, there will be a toast, some violin, and some other things[/b]
-There may be a chance to help Maralee out on the property with some labor if you feel so led and Marilee has anything in mind

Update APRIL 7TH- The 1911 Ride - Saturday, April 22nd - Public Route File.

Wheaton has put together a route departing the Stax's restaurant in Traveler's Rest, SC and ending at 1911 / Duane's homestead near Laurens, SC.

The link posted below is a zip file hosted on the FJRiders.com site. Clicking it will download it to your computer / device. The zip file contains 2 GPX files - Leg 1 and Leg 2; Leg 1 takes us from Stax to the Caesar's Head Overlook (group photo op), Leg 2 takes us from there, south bypassing Traveler's Rest and Greenville and on to an Exxon gas station just off I-385, which is about 10 miles from our final destination. The plan is to ride the final few miles as one large group to arrive at the 1911 homestead together. The GPX file does not have that final leg or the final address included out of respect for Maralee's privacy. The GPX files were created in Basecamp; as with any technology, the potential for variances exists.

Click HERE to download the 1911 Ride GPX file.

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 7:03 am UPDATE: APRIL 11TH
Going to split up into smaller groups so here is what I am looking at: We will gap a few minutes between groups when heading out from STAX, from Caesar's Head overlook, and from the final gas stop in Gray Court. (The route will be posted soon)

18 bikes as of 4/7/23:

Note: GO Team - see bottom of list, I have asked these two gentlemen to direct people at STAX, before and after, so we can get out of there safely and in a minimal of wasted time. Once all the groups are out of the clusterfck of that intersection, Wayne will be running with brights on and they will pass all the teams...so be ready for them and go to the right half of the lane, back off the throttle, and let them pass. They will wait for us at the turn in to Caesars' Head SP. They will also lead out of Caesars' Head and wait for us at the gas station in Gray Court, where we will congregate for a short while before heading to Maralee's farm place.

Alpha
Bob-Intech-Team lead
Kyle Bridges
ElToroJoe (Sena 50s)

Bravo
Josh/Cav47-Team Lead
Scott/BlindSquirrel
Jeff-FJRPittsburgh
Steve-Festus

Charlie
Jim-Zooomm-Team Lead
Iris
Griff
Joe-Blueridgerider
Geek and Sooze

Delta
Mark-wheaton -Team Lead
Danh600
David-Wheaton Jr
Chris Revelle

GO Team aka Cat-Herders
Wayne-Extrememarine
Lumberg

Spot Links:

• Extrememarine

• BikerGeek

• Intech

• El Toro Joe

• CAV47

Hi Mark. Yesterday was amazing. It really was a Great Day. There really aren’t enough words to say Thank You! You have been a great support since this happened. I just want to say many many thanks to all the FJR riders for all their thoughts and prayers! To those who traveled near and far to be here Saturday it warmed my heart to know how much Duane and I mean to you guys and I know there were many others who wanted come . Who knows, maybe sometime in the future y’all can ride by and say Hi , you guys are always welcome here. I wish I could have talked more about Duane but I was trying real hard not to cry to much. And I just wanted to say Thank You to all those who contributed to the card and money . That will be a tremendous help over the next couple of months . Thank You ,Thank you all! I’m not as good at putting my thoughts into words as Duane was , but I really appreciate all you have done for me. There’s so much I want to say but this is getting long so we’ll have to text again in a day or two. THANKS! again. Maralee

wheatonFJR wrote: ↑Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:56 pm So. It is only about a week since I heard that Duane died. It feels like months.

There is a woman that lost a husband that needs support. Remember This. I will be making requests soon to ask you to help do our part to assist his widow.

I’m glad everyone loved Saturday. FJRIDERS are an outstanding group who not only share their love of riding but also are concerned about each other and willing to help when needed and I am proud that Duane was a part of the group .And I am honored that you guys have been with me through this. I didn’t get to ride much when he went on group rides, but the times I did get to join in the gatherings I really enjoyed listening to the guys talk. I’m gonna miss it As I said earlier, y’all are always welcome. And maybe in the near future, when I get some stuff settled, Christine can come and spend some time with the horses. Thank you for the song you played ,it was perfect! Did Duane know you played the violin? He would have called it a fiddle haha! Maralee

Festus wrote: ↑Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:44 pm Mark, can you please let her and her family know that I (we) are thankful for them allowing us to visit their home and celebrate Duane's memory with them?

Festus wrote: ↑Thu Oct 19, 2023 1:20 pm I think he thought just as much of you as you did of him.

D-Eagle wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2024 9:35 am Mark, that photo is awesome.