Sam's Smile

Today I learned that Motordrome Queen Samantha Morgan passed away at the age of 53 in her Palm Beach home. Another tragic lose for the motorcycle world.

Sam was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum's Hall of Fame on the very same day that Deacon (Founder of ABATE of California) was inducted into the Sturgis Freedom Fighters Hall of Fame (two different categories, same breakfast ceremony)...MANY of you ABATE folks from California were there, (I recall about 20) along with me and the Wild Child, Casto and Donna from Local 36....I was surrounded by pretty womens, Wild Child on one side of me, and Moxxsie on the other, I had it made. Poor ol' Lil David was stuck with a broken bike, over in Gillette, less than 100 miles away!! After riding ALL the way out to SD to see his good buddy, Deacon accept the award!!! Lil David got my "Hard Luck" award for that year...Bless His Heart...he was the 3rd or 4th person I'd heard of that year, that took a broken Harley into a stealership on their way to Sturgis, and rode out with a NEW bike to finish the trip. (I'm thoroughly convinced it was a HD conspiracy to sell more bikes, but have no "hard" proof - other than crappy bike design - which speaks for itself)

Our entire breakfast table was purchased by a wonderful "Anonymous Donor" (which was the only way I could afford to be there)....Deacon was the final speaker on that day, and they couldn't have made a better choice - he brought the house down, everybody clapped and whooped it up, wiped tears from their eyes...and then went home. The way it should be when somebody rips your heart out....me and the WC went off to elude Wyoming's feeble attempt at generating revenue with radar-wielding troopers on the 585 south to Newcastle - we had a date with the "Welcome to Colorado" sign that night. Too bad for the cops - I grew up in Illinois...cops attempting to hide their cars in tall stands of grass - are my specialty.

It was at this Sturgis Motorcycle Museum's Hall of Fame induction ceremony that we met Sam. Look at that smile! (pic above)

Sam was this pretty little girl with long long hair that sat there up front at the table of honorees - smiling - the ENTIRE time. This infectious smile that just ate you alive....I really felt she was humbled and honored to be there. Smile, smile, smile, smile - smile. Ya couldn't help but wonder WHAT she was so happy about. Then, when ya learned why she was being inducted, it all started to make sense. It was hard to imagine that this tiny little thing defied death the way folks were describing; going round and round in the WALL OF DEATH. It was hard to believe it was her in the photos, but it was...you could tell by the SMILE. She smiled at EVERYTHING...this girl was just plain ol' happy to be alive...and why not....she only challenged death at every turn...I think that's what gave her a deeper appreciation for life...this is the life-lesson she taught me.

In the years after we met her in Sturgis...she and I exchanged a couple emails...mostly inspirational niceties....and she was ALWAYS upbeat and full of spunk - with only positive things to say...I don't think there was a negative bone in her body....just a truly truly nice person.

It's sad to hear of her passing. Again...another person of great merit in this world that I didn't take enough time to get to know...and I lament her loss. But that infectious smile of hers will stay locked inside my heart for the rest of my days....the next time I'm ridin' an Iron Butt (1000 miles in 24 hours) in a Colorado microburst rainstorm with the lightning striking both sides of the mountain around me...at NIGHT...with a broken tail-light...I'll blink a couple times to clear the pain of the rain from my eyes - and I'll think about how Sam would be smiling at my own death-defying stunt and just laugh and say, "Punk, you got NUTHIN' on me...live life to the fullest...ya only got this one shot...make the memories, that's why yer here."

We are from two completely different worlds...but our shared love for two wheels is the common thread that makes motorcycling the MOST diverse sport on the planet.

In infinite sadness...I'll be going outside in a few minutes to watch the sun rise in her honor...
~splatt

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is not safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." ~ Helen Keller


Visit Sam's website before it disappears and learn stuff you never knew about...Motor Drome riding is yet another vanishing art form derived from our sport ...THERE, you can see pictures of that incredible smile.
http://www.thrillarena.com/