Cyclerides.com Weekly Update
9/19/18


Greetings Riders,

If you missed the newsletter last week, Click Here to View.


This week I am dedicating the newsletter to my late Father, Kenneth Caraway.

It is with a broken heart and tears in my eyes as I share the news that my Father, Kenneth Caraway passed away peacefully Monday morning at 93 years old. Many of you have have heard me talk about some of the cool things I got to do with him over the years including one of the highlights of my life, escorting him on the Honor Flight to Washington DC to visit the WW2 Memorial as well as taking him on several breakfast flights to Payson and Sedona, something he so loved to do. You might have even met him as he has been to many of my events including the Hearts to Heroes in 2008 where I featured him on stage and most recently at the Cyclerides.com Bike Night last November on Veterans Night. He is a proud WW2 Navy Veteran who served on a tanker in the Pacific as a Pharmacist Mate. I never got tired of hearing the stories of his Navy experiences from 1943 to 1946 including his visit to Hiroshima after the bomb was dropped.

He was an incredible Father who loved his family more than anything and lived his life to do everything for us that he possibly could and more. He was always asking if there was anything that he could do to help me, and many times I would take him up on the offer. If I needed a ride back from someplace, if I needed help packing Hat Saver or if I needed him to rescue me when I ran out of gas, I knew I could count on him. There was nothing I asked of him that he wouldn't drop everything he was doing to come help me. He would babysit our daughter when she was young and looked forward to spending every Christmas and birthdays with us. He was the epitome of a family man who put us on a pedestal above everything else. I knew that he always had my back which made going through patches of rough times in my life that much easier. He made all of our lives so much better, and by example, he was a role model on how to conduct my own life, how to treat others, how to raise my daughter and how to love my wife.

His passing will leave a huge void in my life, but I realize that the grief I feel now will be replaced by all of the wonderful memories that we have built over the last 62 years together. We were so blessed to have him around for so long. Maybe God thought I was a slow learner and I needed him around a lot longer. Whatever the reason, I'm a better man for having him in my life.

He had a wonderful life for 92 years, but in the last 12 months his health was challenging and declined rapidly over the last 3 months. He put up the good fight, but in the end, he was tired and ready to go be with my Mother who we lost 17 years ago. I told him Saturday evening that he did not have to continue to live for me, that he had given me more than I could have ever asked for in a Father and that I would be fine. I told him that if he was ready to go see Mom, I was giving him my blessing to go home to be with God and reunited with Mom. 36 hours later he passed away. Letting him go was extremely tough, but I knew it was the best for both of us as it was heart breaking to watch him suffer. We as a family did all that we could, and now it was time for our heavenly Father to take it from here. We will miss him dearly.

After he passed away, I learned that you could have an equally strong emotion of Joy and Sadness at the same time. I am joyful that he is no longer suffering, but I am sad that I will not be able to call him tomorrow to see how his day is going or take him on another flight. God, please bless Dad as you take him in your arms. We will miss his presence, but will always remember the good times we had together. These photos are from one of our flights to Sedona for breakfast and at the WW2 Memorial with the Honor Flight. Click Here to View.

One of his favorite experiences was at 89 years old to be invited to go on the Honor Flight to Washington DC to see the WW2 Memorial where I was honored to go with him to be his escort. Honor Flight Organization provides the support needed for them to complete a three-day journey of honor and remembrance to their memorials in Washington, D.C. at no cost to them. The Sun City Elks Lodge is raising money to send 11 more WW2 and Korean Veterans on the Honor Flight next Spring. It costs $1150 per man to send them on this trip. If you are so inclined to help with this, in lieu of flowers, our family is asking that you might donate to help these Veterans go to see their National Memorials in the name of Kenneth Caraway.
Please send any donations to:
Sun City Lodge BPOE #2559
Attn: Veteran’s Fund
10760 W. Union Hills Dr.
Sun City, AZ 85372.
On check memo line please write: “Honor Flight-Ken Caraway

Memorial Service is 10am Saturday, September 22nd at the Congregational Church of Sun City located at 18401 N. 99th Ave, Sun City, AZ.

I would like to close by giving a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who left comments on my Facebook post about the passing of my Father. The over 400 comments of love and support from both of my FB pages brought tears every time I read them. It meant more than you can imagine.

Both of the Cyclerides.com Bike Nights in Tempe on Thursday and Westgate on Friday will be happening this week and I will be there. My Dad wouldn't have it any other way.

Please stay tuned and "Like" the Cyclerides.com Facebook Page for updates on special activations, Live Music and Specials at both of our Bike Nights.

Enjoy your week and Please Ride Safe!
Barry

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Now there are 2 Cyclerides.com Bike Nights
Tempe Marketplace on Thursday and Westgate on Friday nights
2 Nights per Week. East and West Valley.

West Valley

Friday Nights September 7th - November 16th
Cyclerides.com Bike Night at Westgate Entertainment District -
This season will be all Friday nights from September 7th - November 16th. Live Music every Friday night with some of the best bands in the valley. We are kicking off this season with great soul and classic rock by "The Visitors". Other bands include Strangeland, Skarlett Fever, Broken Toys, Backstage Crew, 74th St Band and Bad June. Enjoy Vendors, Live Music and Food & Drink Discounts throughout Westgate. Thanks to our presenting Sponsors again this season, Arrowhead Harley-Davidson, Ridenow Powersports Peoria and Indian Motorcycle Peoria and our associate sponsor Law Tigers. They are what makes this happen. http://b.link/crbnfall18.

For those of you that have not been to Westgate, I like to call it the "Times Square of the Desert" that presents a great venue for a bike night that has been going on for 10 years as one of the biggest bike nights in the Southwest. Cruise and park on Coyote Blvd. next to the fountains, then visit the vendors and grab something to eat and drink at one of the many restaurants. Stay tuned for the food and drink specials. I look forward to getting this started again to provide a great place to ride to on Fridays nights. Ride in on Friday, September 7th to help us kick it off for the season. See you there!
Restaurant Deals for Westgate: Click Here to view

East Valley

Thursday Nights, September 13th - November 15th
Cyclerides.com Bike Night to Tempe Marketplace See Photos from Opening Night. Click Here.
This is first time since 2011 that we have done a bike night in the East Valley and I am excited to be bringing it back. We will be riding into Tempe Marketplace for 10 consecutive weeks on Thursday nights starting on September 13th and ending on November 15th. This is a fantastic venue conveniently located at the Loop 101 & 202. We will utilize the street and courtyard area in the center of Tempe Marketplace and will be able to cruise through and park our motorcycles on the street that is normally closed to traffic. There is a built in stage, tables, umbrellas and misters in the area that will keep you cool. 

We will have Live Music every week and will open the first bike night with the 74th Street Band on September 13th. There will be Vendors as well as Food and Drink specials throughout the complex. Click Here for Food and Drink Specials at Tempe Marketplace. Dave and Busters has a great 2nd story patio that overlooks the road and band that you will be able to hang out in and watch the bikes cruise through. California Pizza Kitchen is on the ground level with an outdoor patio and Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que with a large outdoor patio where all the bikes exit, as well as many other places throughout the district.Live Music for September will include: 74th St. Band, Backstage Crew and Skarlett Fever on September 27th. Ride in and help us kick it off on Thursday, September 13th. See Photos of where we will be having bike night. Thanks to Tempe Marketplace for allowing us to do this and to our presenting sponsors: Desert Wind Harley-Davidson, Ridenow Powersports Chandler, Indian Motorcycle Chandler and Nash Powersports, along with our associate sponsor Law Tigers who help make this happen.

I am really excited to provide 2 excellent Bike Nights covering both sides of the Valley on Thursday and Friday nights so that everyone will have the opportunity to have a fun place to ride. It will keep me moving, but I am looking forward to seeing riders on both sides of town. Thanks for your continued support of our new endeavors.

Next Week

Saturday, September 29th
Rocktober Fest at Desert Wind Harley-Davidson. Swainsong Productions presents Roctober Fest on Saturday, September 29th from 2pm - 8pm at Desert Wind Harley-Davidson. Enjoy 3 of the Valley's hottest bands performing Live. Rock Land, Ripple Affect and the 74th Street Band will be jamming from 2pm - 8pm. There will be a Beer Garden & Whiskey Bar, Smokin' Hot Grill and a Bikini Bike Wash. Enter to win an AR-15 and a Voodoo's Fender Telecaster. Proceeds benefit families of fallen police officers. Desert Wind HD is located at 922 S. Country Club Dr. in Mesa, AZ.

Extras
 
Mid Week Updates will be made on the Cyclerides.com Facebook. New Easy to remember Facebook address. Go to www.facebook.com/cycleridescom. Over 7000 LIKES! Take a look at all the new photos posted on the wall. If you are not on Facebook, you can still view the  page, but you will not be able to post. There will be a link there for you to sign up for Facebook if you are inclined. Click the LIKE button!

Video of the Week
Here is an example of Mass Transit in Asia. Click Here. Click on the Video of the Week graphic to view.
 
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Until Next Week,
Blessings and Safe Riding To All,

Barry Caraway
"The Road Is Yours - Take The Ride"
www.cyclerides.com

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