Disaster at US Guzzi National in Minnesota

[grossohc]

Wow, unbelievable , Glad everyone got through it relatively unscathed, scary reading about people trapped in there tents also good to see the offers of assistance, as much as we all like bikes they are easily replaceable life is far more important, you will all have something to talk about at next years rally

Gary

[Van]

l,m trully glad that everyone is ok and really saddened to see and hear of the losses.....you say a Tenni has gone missing !! .....and the sight of that beautiful red frame was terrible, glad it was recovered

Mother nature's power is awesome to behold, l've been in a cyclone and seen first hand the terrible power of water and the unbelievable destruction that it can do.

again, l'm sorry for the losses and very glad that the people ok.

Van

[jrt]

Well Richard, I didn't take that photo but.............. You try nearly being drowned, spend the night cold and soaking wet, and look at the carnage all around you when daylight breaks. At daylight, things were still under water. Frankly sir, I couldn't have given a rats a** if my bike was upside down on its handlebars after all that! And YEAH, I lost my EV in all that mess! I'm also thankful I'm alive to complain about it. Don't be so quick to critisize unless you were there to deal with it. You sir, have no idea what it was like!

 

John Henry

 

 

I'm sure Richard was expressing his frustration at the inability to control nature. John, we are all sympathetic to what you folks had to endure and we all express that sympathy and frustration in different ways.

 

I gotta admit, that Sport is one sad picture. In another, I saw one of the riders- he had his head turned about half way around and starting to grimace at the photographer- classic. I really felt for the man.

 

There are many of us out here willing to help- let us know what we can do for you.

[Zoom Zoom]

I'm sure Richard was expressing his frustration at the inability to control nature. John, we are all sympathetic to what you folks had to endure and we all express that sympathy and frustration in different ways.

 

I gotta admit, that Sport is one sad picture. In another, I saw one of the riders- he had his head turned about half way around and starting to grimace at the photographer- classic. I really felt for the man.

 

There are many of us out here willing to help- let us know what we can do for you.

 

A sad picture indeed. There are many more. Tom Au was just ahead of me with his Nero Corsa. He got it out but it drowned at the last minute. He and a couple of us spent the night pushing it farther up hill as the water came up. It was a very tough night.

 

Frustration, I suppose. Those that were there were not only frustrated, but looking at the widespread damage, there was also a feeling of helplessness. The pic you refer to is Pat Cowden(sp). He has a very nice LeMans, (vintage), that did not fare well. He is from Tenn.

 

I still feel that comment was out of line.

 

John Henry

[dlaing]

I'm sure Richard was expressing his frustration at the inability to control nature. John, we are all sympathetic to what you folks had to endure and we all express that sympathy and frustration in different ways.

 

I gotta admit, that Sport is one sad picture. In another, I saw one of the riders- he had his head turned about half way around and starting to grimace at the photographer- classic. I really felt for the man.

 

There are many of us out here willing to help- let us know what we can do for you.

Gimme a break, this ain't no freaking paparazzi that needs to be grimaced at or have camera smashed.

If anything the photos provide evidence for insurance claims and more importantly let us see the tragedy in a way that words cannot describe, so that many of us are moved to help.

Would I grimace at the photographer? Maybe, but the photographer does not deserve it because they are doing a good thing, just the often unwelcome news photographers in politically sensitive places.

Maybe the man grimacing was just sad and not spiteful.

I know if you really felt the photos were so bad you would have censored them.

Please don't shoot the messenger.

EDIT sorry if that sounds harsh. I just don't think the photographer deserves the criticism, but I also understand the urge to criticize the photographer....

[Richard Z]

Well Richard, I didn't take that photo but.............. You try nearly being drowned, spend the night cold and soaking wet, and look at the carnage all around you when daylight breaks. At daylight, things were still under water. Frankly sir, I couldn't have given a rats a** if my bike was upside down on its handlebars after all that! And YEAH, I lost my EV in all that mess! I'm also thankful I'm alive to complain about it. Don't be so quick to critisize unless you were there to deal with it. You sir, have no idea what it was like!

 

John Henry

 

From an earlier post in this same topic:

 

I have no idea what those folk's went through nor will I ever. Must have been really tough to get out with all the carnage going on. I only seen a couple of pictures of the bikes and knowing the value, I would have been foolish enough to try to save the bikes before myself. I'm just that way. I just felt sad for the Sport just laying there and not be attended to. Thus, my comments.

 

Richard Z.

 

 

Wow, Read the entire thread before you are so quik to critisize yourself. I caught one lousy picture from another site and that was all that I had seen prior to someone getting me more information. I'm sorry if you feel slighted by me worrying about a bike. Maybe you should reflect on why there was so much carnage and no one was informed properly of possible weather conditions. Instead of taking that attitude towards me. Besides, you don't know me. Many years ago I lost EVERYTHING including my pregnant wife in the Andover Kansas Tornado. So don't be so guick to judge... My original comment was why someone would not pick up a bike AFTER the carnage not during.

 

Richard Z.

[dlaing]

Often photos and video will trigger the reaction of "why don't you put the camera down and help?!??!?!?!?!!!"

Just watch YouTube a bit and you will see many examples.

When I saw the bike lying there I had the same immediate reaction as Richard, but then I thought about it and realized a few minutes of time was not critical to the bike's survival.

I am sure we can cut Richard some slack, and the photographer too.

People have different ways of handling stressful situations. I remember once laughing as our family car slid out of control and drove 50 feet into the woods before being stopped by the young trees. If I did it again, I don't think I would laugh and I might have the repressed urge to slap the fool who laughed.

Different experiences and different reactions.

I know I can't fathom Richard's or John Henry's losses, but I sure do empathize.

Why can't we all just get along?

[Skeeve]

Why can't we all just get along?

 

Because we're human.

 

Just because you asked...

 

[dlaing]

Because we're human.

 

Just because you asked...

 

Some day we'll evolve into computers

[Van]

Some day we'll evolve into computers

 

Thats not even funny.........

 

although, the only thing l enjoy about computers is that l get to chat with you lot, and the computer thingy (PCIII) in my Tenni works and the bike rocks!!

Cheers

van

[DeBenGuzzi]

ppl are getting too sensitive too fast round here, don't make Jaap close it down, keep it on topic, bant in the banter section. I've had to moderate myself as I had somethings I wanted to say but didn't. I will say there is some good to this disaster, all of america and probably half the world got to see some pretty sweet Guzzi's on the news if even for the wrong reasons and only a moment.

[Zoom Zoom]

From an earlier post in this same topic:

 

I have no idea what those folk's went through nor will I ever. Must have been really tough to get out with all the carnage going on. I only seen a couple of pictures of the bikes and knowing the value, I would have been foolish enough to try to save the bikes before myself. I'm just that way. I just felt sad for the Sport just laying there and not be attended to. Thus, my comments.

 

Richard Z.

Wow, Read the entire thread before you are so quik to critisize yourself. I caught one lousy picture from another site and that was all that I had seen prior to someone getting me more information. I'm sorry if you feel slighted by me worrying about a bike. Maybe you should reflect on why there was so much carnage and no one was informed properly of possible weather conditions. Instead of taking that attitude towards me. Besides, you don't know me. Many years ago I lost EVERYTHING including my pregnant wife in the Andover Kansas Tornado. So don't be so guick to judge... My original comment was why someone would not pick up a bike AFTER the carnage not during.

 

Richard Z.

 

Eventually, Richard, the bikes WERE picked up. One of the summer residents started a fire around day break. At that point, an RV in that same location as the V11 was still under water. We watched as it slowly become visible and waited. That green V11 was in a low area that was dificult to get to for some time. People started on the higher ground and had begun to stand up bikes. He got his bike, but his truck and trailer was lost.When the water receeded, there was still 5 or 6 inches of mud covering everything.

 

I am truly sad to hear of the loss you had to endure. How do you suppose you might have felt if someone standing around in proximity of you had made some comment regarding something THEY think you should have done? TELL ME YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT OFF! I can no more comment on what you shoulda, coulda, woulda, done than you can on the present situation.

 

Having endured a devastating loss, YOU, of all people, should have thought twice before you opened mouth and inserted foot. You can defend yourself all you want. Your comment was still out of line, the same as if I had made a comment like that about your situation. In your comment above you mention seeing "one lousy picture". So, you're making an uninformed comment about something you know very little about. There are probably close to 60 bikes that suffered that fate, as well as motor homes, campers, and trucks with trailers. After a bike being under water all night, do you really expect everything to happen all at once?

 

Maybe I should reflect on why there was so much carnage and nobody was informed properly??? Hindsight is 20/20 is it not. I can't change what happened. We all felt sad. Many were happy to be alive too. You can relate to that, right? There were several areas that were much lower than where several of us were. This is an event that nobody ever expected to get to this magnitude. The locals have never seen the likes of it.

 

Many years ago, I was delivering news papers and there was an accident on one of the streets that was on my route. It drew a crowd. There was a person lying on the ground and emergency people were working. Someone in the crowd made the following comment: "Is he dead yet?" That got me to thinking. What if there was a family member standing there in the crowd to hear that? DO YOU THINK THAT COMMENT WAS OUT OF LINE? Richard, you're probably a nice guy. Please consider the ramifications of your comments in the future.

 

Nuff Said!

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

 

Ben: You are of course correct. I do however feel that this needed to be said. I was there. I lost a bike. If I had to pick, I'm thankful it was not the LeMans. My point is that people should think a little before they open their mouthes. I guess this is all I have to say on this topic.

[Richard Z]

Eventually, Richard, the bikes WERE picked up. One of the summer residents started a fire around day break. At that point, an RV in that same location as the V11 was still under water. We watched as it slowly become visible and waited. That green V11 was in a low area that was dificult to get to for some time. People started on the higher ground and had begun to stand up bikes. He got his bike, but his truck and trailer was lost.When the water receeded, there was still 5 or 6 inches of mud covering everything.

 

I am truly sad to hear of the loss you had to endure. How do you suppose you might have felt if someone standing around in proximity of you had made some comment regarding something THEY think you should have done? TELL ME YOU WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT OFF! I can no more comment on what you shoulda, coulda, woulda, done than you can on the present situation.

 

Having endured a devastating loss, YOU, of all people, should have thought twice before you opened mouth and inserted foot. You can defend yourself all you want. Your comment was still out of line, the same as if I had made a comment like that about your situation. In your comment above you mention seeing "one lousy picture". So, you're making an uninformed comment about something you know very little about. There are probably close to 60 bikes that suffered that fate, as well as motor homes, campers, and trucks with trailers. After a bike being under water all night, do you really expect everything to happen all at once?

 

Maybe I should reflect on why there was so much carnage and nobody was informed properly??? Hindsight is 20/20 is it not. I can't change what happened. We all felt sad. Many were happy to be alive too. You can relate to that, right? There were several areas that were much lower than where several of us were. This is an event that nobody ever expected to get to this magnitude. The locals have never seen the likes of it.

 

Many years ago, I was delivering news papers and there was an accident on one of the streets that was on my route. It drew a crowd. There was a person lying on the ground and emergency people were working. Someone in the crowd made the following comment: "Is he dead yet?" That got me to thinking. What if there was a family member standing there in the crowd to hear that? DO YOU THINK THAT COMMENT WAS OUT OF LINE? Richard, you're probably a nice guy. Please consider the ramifications of your comments in the future.

 

Nuff Said!

 

Zoom Zoom,

John Henry

 

Ben: You are of course correct. I do however feel that this needed to be said. I was there. I lost a bike. If I had to pick, I'm thankful it was not the LeMans. My point is that people should think a little before they open their mouthes. I guess this is all I have to say on this topic.

 

My comment was NOT out of line. It's your opinion that it was. The context you took it might have been. But, my comment was after the damage was done, there was abled bodies taking pictures and not attending to the damaged motorcycle.

 

September 3 2006, almost 1 year ago today. I was hit by a car on my 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R1 #177 Eddie Lawson Replica. Me and the bike went through a barbed wire fence. The First (not the second) thing I did was get up and go attend to the bike. It was bleeding badly since the Crankcase was cracked. Thats when I realized this. (Picture taken 2 months after the accident and 3 days after released from the Hospital)

 

Notice, no pictures of bike wrapped in Barbed wire nor pictures of me during or just after the accident? thats because friends were attending to the important things and not standing around taking pictures.

I spent 2 months worrying about the bike and the day I finally saw it was the saddest I had been in some time. I spent the next 7 months fixing the bike (without insurance money from the deadbeat that hit me without insurance).

 

The most gratifying day was when I could put the bike back on the track and enjoy it. Not, posting aftermath photos of the accident.

 

The bike now:

 

So get off your high horse and get off my back. AGAIN, you don't know me, nor understand where I am coming from about my comment.

My feet are firmly on the ground and never came close to my mouth.... Maybe you should have read further into the thread prior to opening yours..... I have ZERO regret for my comment about the picture. Its true. Someone felt it more necessary to take pictures than be of some help to others.... After all my years and things I can't control, I do know when to get out of the rain...

 

Good day Sir,

Richard Zimmerman

[DeBenGuzzi]

this topic is back open, play nice.

 

 

everyone has a different take on things, there is no "right" answers here.

[docc]

So, can a drenched Sport be set upright and ridden off? (Like a 1911 with the mud shaken out?)