[Ducati] I lost a friend today

[Ken Mannina]

John, 

Sorry to hear about the loss of Bear.  Sounds like a man that any of us
would have welcomed the opportunity to spend time with.  

As I sit here reading the book I got for Christmas, McQueen's Machines
(2007), I was particularly curious about the crash that Bear assisted
McQueen out of.  Any idea the type of car? 

My condolences to you and to Bear's family.

Ken Mannina

-----Original Message-----
From: ducati-bounces at ducati.net [mailto:ducati-bounces at ducati.net] On Behalf
Of John Whiting
Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 12:02 PM
To: Ducati Owners Group
Subject: [Ducati] I lost a friend today

My good friend, and roomate for my 'home away from home' Houston
business digs, died last night in the midst of celebrating the New Year.
Bear, a bear of a man, finally succumbed to an ongoing battle with
cardiopulmonary shortcomings from a life lived to the fullest.  A true
renaissance man, he had lived many lifetimes in his short 65 years, from
K model harley rider out of Oakland in the 60's to running with Ken
Kesey, Sonny Barger and Tim Leary during the Summer of Love, working
animation for Disney to designing and building exhibits for the
Exploratorium in SF, running cranes on offshore platforms in the middle
east to piloting choppers in Africa, burning up Hwy 1 in his 289 Cobra
or D-Type Jag to pulling Steve McQueen out of a wrecked sports car near
his house, recovering from a broken back that landed him on the streets
of Houston penniless to teaching me the art of living life Bear style
and keeping me grounded in the landscape of my succesful business
undertakings.  He was wordly in a life lived among many tribes of Africa
as well as the Inuit in Canada.  

He was a sculptor, world class taxidermist, inventor, designer, problem
solver, technician of all things plastics, welder extraudinaire,
marathon joke teller, practitioner of Kharmic balance, giver to those in
need, teacher, and: he made damn near the best cup of coffee on the
planet.

Godspeed Bear.  There was never a mold there to break.  You were always
a piece of work in progress.

*****

Our newest sponsor, MC Stands, has just opened its doors!  It's a motorcycle
stand superstore.  Every brand, every model, 95% in stock for immediate
shipment. Whether front stands, rear stands, paddock stands, dirt bike
stands, or any kind of stand or lift, MC Stands tests, rates, and discounts
everything they sell.  Check them out!

Visit: http://mcstands.com/
_______________________________________________
Ducati mailing list
Ducati at ducati.net
http://list.ducati.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ducati
Mailto: kmannina at sbcglobal.net


-- 
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.13/1206 - Release Date: 1/1/2008
12:09 PM