Husky Memorial

[Agent2]

I am pretty much a cold hearted bastard, but I have to admit I sometimes get tears in my eyes when I visit The Memorial. Not only reading the plaques remembering those who have gone ahead, but also thinking about the friendship of the off road community for taking the time to make and install the signs.
Although vandalism is minor (some of the holes on the bike are intentional to discourage parts being removed), popularity of The Memorial is its greatest enemy. It's not legal, even rumors of the BLM wanting to remove it. Luckily, the negative press that would happen if that occured is probably why they leave it alone - for now.
Also, I believe the road from Cuddeback to the Memorial is the most dangerous ride in the SoCal desert, especially on weekends, high speeds and lots of blind curves.
All that said, if you haven't been there, it is a must see. If anyone wants to do a ride out there, (perhaps a mini DBA meet), let me know, its been a while for me, time to pay my respects.

 

[Sun]

I am pretty much a cold hearted bastard, but I have to admit I sometimes get tears in my eyes when I visit The Memorial. Not only reading the plaques remembering those who have gone ahead, but also thinking about the friendship of the off road community for taking the time to make and install the signs.
Although vandalism is minor (some of the holes on the bike are intentional to discourage parts being removed), popularity of The Memorial is its greatest enemy. It's not legal, even rumors of the BLM wanting to remove it. Luckily, the negative press that would happen if that occured is probably why they leave it alone - for now.
Also, I believe the road from Cuddeback to the Memorial is the most dangerous ride in the SoCal desert, especially on weekends, high speeds and lots of blind curves.
All that said, if you haven't been there, it is a must see. If anyone wants to do a ride out there, (perhaps a mini DBA meet), let me know, its been a while for me, time to pay my respects.

Good idea.

 

[Mihylo33]

Very Moving indeed!
HAppy trails

 

[Rolls]

It is a touching site. Is that a rear fender of a street bike? WTF? Not dirt? I cant read what the plate says. What does it say?

Good pics

Yes. That's a Harley fender. It does seem a little out of place out there doesn't it? Sorry for the blurry pic. Looks like it's time for a new camera.

This is the story of the Husky Memorial. A fellow by the name of Jim Erickson loved to ride his 390 Husqvarna (Husky) dirt bike in the desert around Cuddeback Dry Lake and East of California City. Unfortunately, in 1987, he died and his buddies took his motorcycle out to this spot in the middle of the desert and planted it in concrete and put up a metal flag. Over the years it has been vandalized and even shot up but his friends still go out and put on new gas tanks and fenders, etc. to keep it looking good. In the more recent years it has become a rather sacred spot and become quite popular as other memorials have been placed out there for riders who are no longer with us. This is very close to the spot where my good buddy, Bill Perrett, was killed in a head on collision on Thanksgiving morning in 2009 riding his KTM and I too put a memorial for him out at the Husky Memorial and included a picture of it. Here is a link for the Memorial.

http://thebannerisup.district37ama.org/places/husky-memorial.shtmlView attachment 1375

Thanks for the assist on the history of the place. I am sorry about your friend.

As I said...very touching. Awww...what a great friend you are KTM! I think it is a very special place.

Here is a group pic of a Memorial ride I went on to the "Memorial" for a very young man who died. MXDirtDiva and I are in the middle. Weathergeek and Agent2 were on this ride as well.

Leaving camp for the ride

Am I thread jacking with these pics? Im sorry if I am. Is it thread jacking if it pertains to the topic?

That's not thread jacking, Sun . I think it would be cool if everyone posted their pics so we could see the changes that take place through the years.

I am pretty much a cold hearted bastard, but I have to admit I sometimes get tears in my eyes when I visit The Memorial. Not only reading the plaques remembering those who have gone ahead, but also thinking about the friendship of the off road community for taking the time to make and install the signs.
Although vandalism is minor (some of the holes on the bike are intentional to discourage parts being removed), popularity of The Memorial is its greatest enemy. It's not legal, even rumors of the BLM wanting to remove it. Luckily, the negative press that would happen if that occured is probably why they leave it alone - for now.
Also, I believe the road from Cuddeback to the Memorial is the most dangerous ride in the SoCal desert, especially on weekends, high speeds and lots of blind curves.
All that said, if you haven't been there, it is a must see. If anyone wants to do a ride out there, (perhaps a mini DBA meet), let me know, its been a while for me, time to pay my respects.

The saddest part to me is all the young people with memorials out there. Taylor LaKamp was only 15, and there are some who were only in their 20's.

 

[Rack]

The last time we were here was 10/2009

May have to visit again soon................

 

[cleonard]

I can confirm that the original Husky was intentionally vandalized. I first stumbled across it in 88 or 89. I didn't even own a bike at the time. It had weld lines and holes drilled in every possible component that someone might want to use on a bike. It was just the Husky well in to the 90's.

It has always been a special place for me.

So Rack you going to accompany CDA on a ride there next week. It's a short 90 or so mile round trip from Spangler. You might actually have to get out of second gear on that ride.

 

[Rack]

I can confirm that the original Husky was intentionally vandalized. I first stumbled across it in 88 or 89. I didn't even own a bike at the time. It had weld lines and holes drilled in every possible component that someone might want to use on a bike. It was just the Husky well in to the 90's.

It has always been a special place for me.

So Rack you going to accompany CDA on a ride there next week. It's a short 90 or so mile round trip from Spangler. You might actually have to get out of second gear on that ride.

 

[PALMER84ONE]

Rack is going to Spangler next week? Fist gear all the way!

 

[Rack]

Rack is going to Spangler next week? Fist gear all the way!

Hey, I will step up and use second gear

 

[Weathergeek]

This is the story of the Husky Memorial. A fellow by the name of Jim Erickson loved to ride his 390 Husqvarna (Husky) dirt bike in the desert around Cuddeback Dry Lake and East of California City. Unfortunately, in 1987, he died and his buddies took his motorcycle out to this spot in the middle of the desert and planted it in concrete and put up a metal flag. Over the years it has been vandalized and even shot up but his friends still go out and put on new gas tanks and fenders, etc. to keep it looking good. In the more recent years it has become a rather sacred spot and become quite popular as other memorials have been placed out there for riders who are no longer with us. This is very close to the spot where my good buddy, Bill Perrett, was killed in a head on collision on Thanksgiving morning in 2009 riding his KTM and I too put a memorial for him out at the Husky Memorial and included a picture of it. Here is a link for the Memorial.

http://thebannerisup.district37ama.org/places/husky-memorial.shtmlView attachment 1375

This place does make one feel very humble and thankful for what we all have. Godspeed to them all.

On a different note, what happened to your buddy, that cost him his life?

 

[rezrider]

Hey, I will step up and use second gear

Be careful...don't go crazy

 

[CDA]

So Rack you going to accompany CDA on a ride there next week. It's a short 90 or so mile round trip from Spangler. You might actually have to get out of second gear on that ride.

Good thing I pulled off some mods on the TTR this weekend. I think it will make it.

Rack is going to Spangler next week? Fist gear all the way!

1st gear, I hope the TTR can keep up..

Hey, I will step up and use second gear

What? Make up your mind. First gear, second gear! That's it, I'm going back to 15/45 on the TTR.

 

[Rack]

 

[530ktm]

This place does make one feel very humble and thankful for what we all have. Godspeed to them all.

On a different note, what happened to your buddy, that cost him his life?

I posted this up in the Rider Down section as well but my friend was riding south by himself at the moment when approximately 10 other riders approached from the opposite direction. This was on a dirt road named Hoffman Road that goes right by Cuddeback Lake and up to Randsburg. It was a very dusty day around 11:00 in the morning and the group of bikes approaching my friend were on both sides of the road in a staggered formation with anywhere from 20 feet to 75 feet between each rider. One rider on the wrong side of the road came close to hitting my friend but managed to get over to the correct side of the road and I feel my friend turned around for a split second to see if the kid was okay and when he turned back around another 15 year boy was right there and they hit head on. I personally believe they all were traveling too fast for the conditions and with such dusty and low visibility conditions riders need to pay extra attention to what they are doing and stay on the correct side of trails or in this case road. The bikes front tires missed each other by inches so the main impact was with handle bars and bodies and they hit head to head. My friends brain stem was pretty much torn loose so he was gone at that moment of impact and it was not helmet failure either, it was just that his head stopped momentum so quickly that his brain ripped loose from the stem. There happened to be a lady who was a nurse camping near by and she gave him CPR for 45 minutes until the helicopters arrived but it was useless. It was a very ugly and tragic scene for everyone. The 15 year old boy survived with broken arms, ribs as well as brain damage causing him to be blind in one eye and to this day he is going through therapy. It frustrates me all the time when I see riders being reckless, careless and inconsiderate of others because they just don't seem to understand how in the blink of an eye things can go very wrong for many people.

 

[Weathergeek]

I posted this up in the Rider Down section as well but my friend was riding south by himself at the moment when approximately 10 other riders approached from the opposite direction. This was on a dirt road named Hoffman Road that goes right by Cuddeback Lake and up to Randsburg. It was a very dusty day around 11:00 in the morning and the group of bikes approaching my friend were on both sides of the road in a staggered formation with anywhere from 20 feet to 75 feet between each rider. One rider on the wrong side of the road came close to hitting my friend but managed to get over to the correct side of the road and I feel my friend turned around for a split second to see if the kid was okay and when he turned back around another 15 year boy was right there and they hit head on. I personally believe they all were traveling too fast for the conditions and with such dusty and low visibility conditions riders need to pay extra attention to what they are doing and stay on the correct side of trails or in this case road. The bikes front tires missed each other by inches so the main impact was with handle bars and bodies and they hit head to head. My friends brain stem was pretty much torn loose so he was gone at that moment of impact and it was not helmet failure either, it was just that his head stopped momentum so quickly that his brain ripped loose from the stem. There happened to be a lady who was a nurse camping near by and she gave him CPR for 45 minutes until the helicopters arrived but it was useless. It was a very ugly and tragic scene for everyone. The 15 year old boy survived with broken arms, ribs as well as brain damage causing him to be blind in one eye and to this day he is going through therapy. It frustrates me all the time when I see riders being reckless, careless and inconsiderate of others because they just don't seem to understand how in the blink of an eye things can go very wrong for many people.

Wow. They both must have been flying.