MIKE BRADSHAW

MY FRIEND!!!!

 I remember the first time we met.  I thought you were about 20 and you thought you were all that. You said “How do you do; my name is Leo and that bike sure is cherry.”  I said, “My name is Mike and asked if you would like to take it for a spin?” You assured me that you had ridden countless street bikes and for me not to fret. I tossed you the keys and off you went.  I asked Trish as you drove away how old you were and she replied that you were only 14 and when I asked her If you had ever ridden a Motor-cycle before she said “she didn’t know but she had never seen you ride one”.  So that left me with less than zero reassurance.  Sure enough, you rolled back up w/o a hitch.  It was many years after that…that you told me that you had never ridden a street bike before that…but you hadn’t expected me to toss you the keys…so you had to step up and do it despite your fears.  I know you faced many of those same situations throughout your life and I have no doubt you approached them in much the same way…overcoming your fears and taking the chance. You always walked the walk regardless of the price, and in that way you were your own man!

As the years went by, you became more of a good friend than a nephew. However, I hope in some way you looked up to me as a “father figure” and in some small way I made a difference in your life! I know you showed me a few things about familym both good and bad, and about loyalty. I would say that those are the two strongest traits that I will remember about you. You were always there if I needed something and I think you knew that we were always there for you…good times and bad.

As I think back over the time you spent with us and recall moments when we were working on something around the house or when you were there and we did this or that, between you and me…there were far more good times than bad. Remember when we were building a wall for the shop and by the end of the day we had finished that wall to include a bottle of Crown Royal.  The only thing we had left to do was to hang the door. You know it was years later that I realized we had hung that door up-side down. I think I know how that happened!!  We fixed that door just last year and now I wish we hadn’t…every time the pins fell out of the hinges I would think of the time we had trying to hang that door up-side down.

I hope you know how much you will be missed and how much love your family had for you regardless of the ups and downs. I know how much you loved motorcycles and if there is a “big hog” in heaven I have no doubts you are sitting on it right now in front of those pearly gates asking good old St. Peter to toss you the keys!

Until we meet again… Vaya con dios my friend!

Uncle Mike. . . . . .