Passing of the Legend

[Kathy R]

 

BTW is that FB's Boston Green RT in the background of that pic.

 

I don't see FB's light setup, so I don't think so.

 

I believe it is owned by the fellow standing next to it in the dark shirt. He lives in the PNW and I am racking my brain for his name.

 

This fellow....

 

 

[EffBee]

 

BTW is that FB's Boston Green RT in the background of that pic.

 

I don't see FB's light setup, so I don't think so.

 

No, it wasn't mine. It was 2000, I believe, and the Boston Green had been out for the past model year (1999). There may have only been 404 imported into the U.S., but it was a current color and we had, I believe, 3 of them at the first UnRally.

 

A little story about Cary, me and Boston Green RT's:

 

Cary's dealership had been open a few months while he got it all in shape, before he had his official "Open House." I'd gone up the Tuesday before the O/H, and had helped clean up the place a little. Especially the mechanic's bathroom which was a grease pit. Everything had a coating of grease, not because of abuse, but because of years of neglect. The toilet was clean, but everything else was just the pits. I spent two days cleaning it. Nothing more than chemicals and elbow grease. Each night, Cary would drive me back to his place south of SF, and I'd crash on the Murphy bed in a spare bedroom.

 

Cary was so grateful for the bathroom's transformation that he wanted to "do something" for me. I declined. He insisted. We came to an agreement. Cary knew how much I loved the color of my Boston Green RT. So he offered that if I ever wanted another one, and he had one, he'd sell it to me at a "super smokin" deal. Fine by me. It was a situational promise for the future in which the circumstances would probably never align. It gave Cary what he was looking for, which was a way to repay a kindness. It was just his way. He was extremely generous (he always thanked me for gifting him one of Peter Egan's books, when the truth was that Cary actually gifted ME the book . . . I can see it on my bookcase in my home office as I type this). Okay, back to the Boston Green RT.

 

Fast forward about 6-7 years. Cary had signed the lease on a new location and had ordered tens of thousands of dollars worth of new fixtures, a fully new parts counter with glass cases and multiple drawers, etc, etc, etc. It was going to be a truly top class dealership. And he'd done it just two weeks before the economy collapsed in August of 2008. He tried, but couldn't get out of those commitments and contracts. So he got his chin up, put his operation in gear and moved the dealership. The future would be what the future would be. It was the start of a mighty struggle which eventually cost him everything.

 

Then one day I got a call. He had a Boston Green RT that had come in trade. He said it was mine if I wanted it and gave me a price. It was a "super smokin" deal. But there was something in Cary's voice that unsettled me. We talked, and he confessed that he had a buyer for the bike and that he could make a couple thousand dollars on the deal and that he needed the money to make payroll. I was in the middle of fiddlyfarting around with a Yamaha FJR, and then a 650 V-strom, and a 60,000 mile RT, Boston Green or not, wasn't a top priority. I told him to sell the bike. He cried on the phone and said Thank You. It was that moment that I knew the dealership wasn't going to make it.

 

I eventually got my low-mileage (second) Boston Green RT. Cary never got a second chance to save his dealership. I still have the Peter Egan book. Godspeed my good friend.

[StuGotz]

Thanks for sharing FB.

 

MB>

[russell_bynum]

 

BTW is that FB's Boston Green RT in the background of that pic.

 

I don't see FB's light setup, so I don't think so.

 

No, it wasn't mine. It was 2000, I believe, and the Boston Green had been out for the past model year (1999). There may have only been 404 imported into the U.S., but it was a current color and we had, I believe, 3 of them at the first UnRally.

 

A little story about Cary, me and Boston Green RT's:

 

Cary's dealership had been open a few months while he got it all in shape, before he had his official "Open House." I'd gone up the Tuesday before the O/H, and had helped clean up the place a little. Especially the mechanic's bathroom which was a grease pit. Everything had a coating of grease, not because of abuse, but because of years of neglect. The toilet was clean, but everything else was just the pits. I spent two days cleaning it. Nothing more than chemicals and elbow grease. Each night, Cary would drive me back to his place south of SF, and I'd crash on the Murphy bed in a spare bedroom.

 

Cary was so grateful for the bathroom's transformation that he wanted to "do something" for me. I declined. He insisted. We came to an agreement. Cary knew how much I loved the color of my Boston Green RT. So he offered that if I ever wanted another one, and he had one, he'd sell it to me at a "super smokin" deal. Fine by me. It was a situational promise for the future in which the circumstances would probably never align. It gave Cary what he was looking for, which was a way to repay a kindness. It was just his way. He was extremely generous (he always thanked me for gifting him one of Peter Egan's books, which he actually gifted ME . . . I can see it on my bookcase in my home office as I type this). Okay, back to the Boston Green RT.

 

Fast forward about 6-7 years. Cary had signed the lease on a new location and had ordered tens of thousands of dollars worth of new fixtures, a fully new parts counter with glass cases and multiple drawers, etc, etc, etc. It was going to be a truly top class dealership. And he'd done it just two weeks before the economy collapsed in August of 2008. He tried, but couldn't get out of those commitments and contracts. So he got his chin up, put his operation in gear and moved the dealership. The future would be what the future would be. It was the start of a mighty struggle which eventually cost him everything.

 

Then one day I got a call. He had a Boston Green RT that had come in trade. He said it was mine if I wanted it and gave me a price. It was a "super smokin" deal. But there was something in Cary's voice that unsettled me. We talked, and he confessed that he had a buyer for the bike and that he could make a couple thousand dollars on the deal and that he needed the money to make payroll. I was in the middle of fiddlyfarting around with a Yamaha FJR, and then a 650 V-strom, and a 60,000 mile RT, Boston Green or not, wasn't a top priority. I told him to sell the bike. He cried on the phone and said Thank You. It was that moment that I knew the dealership wasn't going to make it.

 

I eventually got my low-mileage (second) Boston Green RT. Cary never got a second chance to save his dealership. I still have the Peter Egan book. Godspeed my good friend.

 

Yup, that was Cary.

[Bud]

What a great story EffBee.

 

I've heard over and over again what a great guy he was. We should all strive to live up to his reputation.

 

My first UN was the Return to Gunnison.

 

I was welcomed at the KOA by Momma Hoon. What a great intro to some of the kindest and most generous folks around. I've gotten help and advice numerous times and it has all been good.

 

People here can share knowledge in such a way that you don't feel dumb for asking.

 

 

[Traveler1]

I haven't seen any mention on this board about the memorial ride planned for Cary. Riders will meet at Mike Nield's Marin Moto Works, 44 Harbor Way, in San Rafael at 9:00 on 28 September. Not sure who is organizing this, but details can be found on Mike's Facebook page.

[Marty Hill]

Thor, thanks for posting. Wish I hadn't gone east.

[algover]

Ouch! That's Torrey week-end!

[algover]

Thanks for that account, Fernando. I had always wondered what had gone wrong at his new location; I never did make it there before it was gone. Years earlier, when he was thinking about taking over the entire building at his Marin BMW location, we were talking about it and he shared is hesitation about doing so. That was also during another, milder, economic downturn. I told him he was lucky to be considering expansion while other businesses were failing. Too bad it didn't work out later in his new location. If anyone deserved a break, it was he!

[Kathy R]

I haven't seen any mention on this board about the memorial ride planned for Cary. Riders will meet at Mike Nield's Marin Moto Works, 44 Harbor Way, in San Rafael at 9:00 on 28 September. Not sure who is organizing this, but details can be found on Mike's Facebook page.

 

Thor,

Thanks for sharing that. It's kind of buried in this thread. Would you mind creating a thread in Ride and Event Planning, please?

This is the first I'd heard of any such thing and I suspect many others don't know about it.

[Traveler1]

Thor,

Thanks for sharing that. It's kind of buried in this thread. Would you mind creating a thread in Ride and Event Planning, please?

This is the first I'd heard of any such thing and I suspect many others don't know about it.

 

As suggested, I've posted the information in Ride and Event Planning. Thanks for the guidance.

[barryNmarin]

Thanks Nando, that was very tender and fitting for those of us who knew and loved Cary.

 

[Brant Herbert]

Wow! I’m very late on this. So, so sad to hear this news

 

I’m not around here much anymore, but like most everyone here, I owe a great deal to Cary and what he started here. My life took a wonderful turn back in 1999 when I discovered Cary’s original travelogue web page, falling in love with his pictures and stories as he started to explore CA on his RT. I didn’t even own a bike at that point, but living vicariously through Cary’s travels convinced me to buy an RT.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Cary a few times; at his shop in Marin and at the first UnRally. He always had a smile on his face. He will be missed.

[Brant Herbert]

 

BTW is that FB's Boston Green RT in the background of that pic.

 

I don't see FB's light setup, so I don't think so.

 

I believe it is owned by the fellow standing next to it in the dark shirt. He lives in the PNW and I am racking my brain for his name.

 

This fellow....

 

 

Kathy, I have the original of that photo taken at Un-1. Handle: USAF1, Name: Pat (Patterson?), guessing on the last name, couldn't make it out from his name tag.

[algover]

Good to hear from you, Brant!

[Marty Hill]

 

BTW is that FB's Boston Green RT in the background of that pic.

 

I don't see FB's light setup, so I don't think so.

 

I believe it is owned by the fellow standing next to it in the dark shirt. He lives in the PNW and I am racking my brain for his name.

 

This fellow....

 

 

Kathy, I have the original of that photo taken at Un-1. Handle: USAF1, Name: Pat (Patterson?), guessing on the last name, couldn't make it out from his name tag.

 

That is Pat. Saw him a year ago in Fife, Wa. Hi Brant, long time no see.

[Albert]

I'm late to this as well. It's a real shame. I didn't know Cary personally, but the board was his when I joined (BMWRT). I always wanted the chance to thank him in person for what he started. Sadly, that's not to be. RIP Cary.