Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:16:05 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
From: ejg 

Like many a bright light, extinguished all too soon.
And yet, he died *living*.
Godspeed Kermit. Damn we'll miss ya.
-- 
e.


Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:57:05 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
From: Brian Diver 

Dang it!  So sorry to hear about this.  I never met Ken but we had
some great email chats together and I looked forward to meeting him in
person one of these days.  He felt like a LD riding buddy from the
start.

Condolences to his immediate family and all the extended family who knew
him.

--
Brian Diver
www.PDQ-signs.com
Everett, WA IBA # 8270


Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:23:19 -0600
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
From: Tim Timmons 

From AP news:

A 51-year-old Washington man died Saturday night in a crash on Interstate
80. The Nebraska State Patrol Scottsbluff Communications Office says it
happened around 10:00 at mile marker 16 in Campbell County. NSP says the
Vancouver, Washington man was driving a motorcycle when it slid into the
median and rolled. The 51-year-old man was thrown into the passing lane of
westbound I-80, but he was not hit. The man's name has not yet been
released, but family members have been notified.


From: "Ed Gardner" 
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:10:03 -0400
Subject: RE: Ken Morton

I am stunned.  Ken was one of the seven WLeatherites I have met in
person, when he rode through Florida on his "hopeless" Honda twin in a
previous IBR.  I will miss his online presence, his very human and
sincere postings, and the chance of meeting him in person again.  My
condolences to Lisa and Sam and his many other friends here in WL.


From: Jon Diaz 
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:58:45 -0500

I don't pretend that it can't happen to anyone, and its a battle we are
all in......am I being selfish doing this thing called motorcycles.

I'm sad about his wife left behind, his kid who needed his guiding hand
someday, and the people who needed his nursing skills when he finally
graduated.  That was just a punch in the gut all afternoon. :(

This isn't meant to stir any discussion......I read the note about Ken
when my daughter and I were off to do something together this afternoon,
and my head just wasn't in the game with her for the rest of the day.
I need to go give someone a hug.


Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:52:22 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
From: Shasta Willson 

I thought about that today more than once.  I lost a friendship to
that argument when I started riding, but honestly I don't think I ever
questioned the sentiment behind "living is more than breathing in and
out" until today.  Today I wondered -- am I just justifying what I
want to do?

Then I went for a ride.

I met Ken before he divorced Sam's mom. He'd considered the balance
between risk-taking and responsibility in life at great length.  I'm
desperately sorry the ruler snapped off short for him.

Shasta


From: Jack Lewis 
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:27:07 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton


We all go into the woods. Every one of us meets some bears.  Some meet
more bears than others.  Some conquer bears proficiently; others are
clever at avoiding bears and some are just plain lucky, but eventually
every one of us meets the last bear -- the one we don't get past.

It is my opinion that Ken nailed up plenty of big, fine bearskins on
his barn.  Kinda like you, Jeff.

His death is not an object lesson.  His life is an example.

--
Jack Lewis
www.jaxworx.com
(206) 356-2214


From: Jack Lewis 
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:56:16 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton

On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 9:44 PM, Seth LaForge wrote:
>
> I really worry about how this is hitting Sam. =A0I'll be writing him a
> letter tomorrow. =A0I can't yet imagine what it'll say. =A0I'm
> convinced
> Sam was on track to become a decent member of society, but after this
> I suspect he'll have a difficult time summoning the willpower to stay
> the course. =A0He needs all the support he can get.

Hear, hear.  I'll be writing Sam, too.  I don't really know him well
enough to know what to say, but that's not really a very good excuse,
is it?

So I'll be writing him.  Writing... something.  We (that's the big,
"all y'all" form of "we") are sort of Sam's family now.  Families
don't always share a name.  Family are the people who show up.

Ken was real good at showing up.  That was a fine lesson.

--
Jack Lewis


From: Tim Timmons 
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:34:07 -0600
Subject: Re: Ken Morton

I will miss Ken.  I was introduced to him by my brother, Ted.  Ken was one
of those guys that could make you feel like you had been friends forever
- even after just meeting him.  He always treated me as an equal - one of
the best things about him.

Ken lived his life - and died doing that which he loved.  He will be sorely
missed, yet will live on with all of us in our memories.

-tim


Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:44:05 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton
From: edward walsh 
To: Oregon Biker Scum,  WetLeather 

I am deeply saddened to hear this. Peace to you Craig, Lisa, Sam, and
others in his direct and extended family.

While I exchanged emails with Ken and talked with him at event's at
Martin's place, I did not know him as well as others here... it is
clear he touched a lot of lives deeply. I do know he was a clear voice
contributing on OBS and WL and I followed along in all his adventures
as related on list(s) and in pictures. Nursing, motorcycling, and
bicycling will be worse for the loss.

Peace.

Ed.W


From: Rolland Waters 
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:15:12 -0700
Subject: Re: Ken Morton

On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 12:27 PM, Neal wrote:
> http://www.kneb.com/news/index/4709b84c-23ed-4ad9-8ecf-64474c4c6e28
> Not to get into too much speculation but it sounds like nasty
> sidewinds could have been a factor.

Yah. Could have been sudden, too:
"Severe weather struck the Panhandle Saturday night, as a storm moving
across Eastern Kimball to Southeast Cheyenne County produced tornado
reports
and hail.":

http://www.kneb.com/news/index/fee685fb-53a7-412a-a7ad-f1ff81b01e0c


Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:04:03 -0700
Subject: http://wetleather.com/memorial/kenmorton.html
From: Donn Christianson 

As I look at the first picture on the memorial page I note the right
sidecover on Ken's Silverwing, where I painted, "Beware the Gremlin."
Ken laughed and said, "The Gremlins will have to try to keep up with
me."

I've always been in awe of the IBR types.  Though I've had my own long
days in the saddle, nothing has compared to what I have seen you go
through.  As I painted that frivolous warning on Ken's bike, I could not
help but wish him all the best on something I knew I would never
attempt; for it was not for me.  I respected Ken for his optimism, for
his taking on this challenge, to chase people like Jeff Earls around
the country in pursuit of nothing more than being able to say, "I did
that."

The miles and years have flashed by, both for Ken and for me.  As I lay
in my berth on Brigadoon last night, as she rocked gently on the shore
of Lake Union,  I thought about a quote:

"There are an awful lot of people in in the world who confuse
breathing in and out with *living*." -- Dave Svoboda

I told my Kerry, "He was always so kind and friendly to me.  When Bronze
died he sent me a letter or two that really made a difference, really
helped.  When my father died, he was kind again, reminding me that
people cared.  When I left WetLeather, he sent me a kind goodbye.  I'll
always remember him for his kindness.  When we sold him the Ninja 250,
he said he'd take care of it.  It went to a good home.  I always
really liked Ken, even though I could never join him chewing up the kind
of miles he did. He lived well."

It is my sincerest wish that Ken's family, his friends, and WetLeather
eventually find their way to peace from this loss.

-- 
Donn Christianson
S/V Brigadoon
Seattle, Washington
"Be kind whenever possible.  It's always possible."  -- His Holiness,
The Dalai Lama
The Freedom Project
http://ourfreedomproject.blogspot.com/