Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Association

[Raymond]

Seems like everybody wants to do something to help Murrays surviving family as well as raising awareness to MTB safety.
Lets all meet at the Circle Bar Preserve in Lakeland for a memorial ride and fund raiser.
I think this is a good neutral location with some nice flat beautiful trails that would serve as an ideal location to reflect on his situation as well as our own thoughts on the matter.
I will make sure the local press is there to also bring awareness to the situation.
Any ideas to add to the event are more than welcome....

Sun Feb 28th 9:00am
4399 Winter Lake Road Lakeland, Fl 33803
Location: Entrance south side of SR 540 (Winter Lake Road) between US 98 and Thornhill Road

If you cant make it and want to donate just mail a check to RRMBA with "Murray Fund" in the memo portion to: 5551 Russo Road, Bartow FL 33830

RIDE SAFE!!!!
_________________
"By helping out, you are saying thanks to all those who make your trails great!"

[Rich]

sounds good

[Mark SS]

Sounds great I'll be there.

[Raymond]

Here is a letter from Michael (Murrays older brother......
(Thanks to Birdsong Adams for keeping in touch and pouring her heart into this matter and relaying the information)

"Please share this with others. I visited the ridgerider website, but did not register, so I could not post.

Thanks for keeping up with this, some of us may be around for a ride with your group. We are planning a gathering at his home in Hyde Park Tues eve. If I remember, I will give you details to post.

I sent this out to my community earlier today:

My younger brother Murray suffered an accident while mountain biking Sunday.
He has been on life support since he arrived at Lakeland Regional with fatal injuries.
Caroline, the boys and I jumped in the car as soon as we got the news Sunday, and have spent the last 5 days or so in a fog at the hospital with my two sisters, mother, and his friends. We all have come to terms with the situation, and have accepted his death, even though his heart is still beating as I write this.
Our family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from his community, and we have learned that he was an even more impressive man than we knew.
So, bear with me as I share some things.

Murray attended college at Lawrence University in Wisconsin on a football scholarship, was awarded Kodak All-American (Div II colleges), and earned a degree in Physics.
He then earned a degree in Civil Engineering at University of Florida, and settled into a bungalow in the Hyde Park historic district of Tampa that he has slowly renovated himself over the last 15 years.

He always showed up for company community work days, was on the board of his neighborhood association, and delivered meals on wheels (by bike!!!!!)

He worked his way up as a bridge and tunnel designer at URS, a large national Engineering firm. He became lead Engineer/project manager for numerous large bridges and tunnels at airports and highways throughout the country, and worked with large multi-disciplinary design teams and governmental agencies. We have been told by many of his colleagues that his technical skills were impeccable, but that it is his leadership and team-building skills that were his greatest and most valued attribute. He was just awarded several new bridge projects, so his company is scrambling to adjust.

Murray maintained a regimented (almost religious) fitness routine since high school, with running and biking as his main outlets. His bachelor life allowed him to pursue adventure travel, summitting Mt Ranier and several other 18k + peaks, kayak trips, and numerous races and triathlons. Among my trips with him, my favorites were 5 days of mountain-biking various Colorado hot-spots, and snowboarding in California We ride in Bent Creek and on Riverside drive to Marshall every time he visits. He recently took my son snowboarding in Vail.
His priorities led to a few broken hearts.
He had a healthy diet of mostly un-processed or organic foods, tea, and Sierra Nevada or micro brew after a good ride. He probably had the healthiest body of any 47 year old in America.

On Sunday, he was alone enjoying his usual Sunday mtn biking ride about 40 miles from his home. He passed some hikers, who then found him about 5 minutes later in a steep downhill section. One of the hikers was a nurse, who immediately began mouth to mouth and CPR. He had broken his C2 vertebrae, and mostly severed his spinal chord. As any responsible rider, he was wearing his helmet. He was airlifted to a local hospital, and arrived with weak erratic pulse.
At best, he would survive with very limited mobility, which we all began to struggle with. However, the lack of oxygen to his brain between the accident and his arrival at ICU created the most damage, and left him with only minimal brain function. He is now borderline brain-dead.

The ICU has seen a steady stream of visitors, as many had a hard time believing that superman was in this condition.
He left no end of life documents, so we all struggled to chose his final wishes.
Since he had taken care of his body so well, we all decided to donate his organs, even though he had left no preference. If he reaches a condition where physicians can declare him brain dead, they will seek a variety of organs (8 will be life-saving), so we are now hoping for that. If so, lucky recipients of his organs will be readied at in OR's throughout the region, a fleet of helicopters will be staged at the hospital, and if all goes well, the skies around Lakeland will be buzzing like a beehive.

Please take time in the next few days to appreciate your community and family, as I am, and please take care of those end of life documents.

Michael

michael@mcdonougharchitect.com
828-252-2153

He also sent some great pics of Murray...


[/img]
_________________
"By helping out, you are saying thanks to all those who make your trails great!"

[dvaughn]

I'm a friend of Murray's and fellow rider living in South Florida. I met Darren Monk and Marsha Adams at the hospital the day after Murray's accident. I know Murray's family and friends are very grateful for the help and support he has received from those that attended to him.

I think the Memorial Ride is a great way to honor Murray. I have friends and riders I know here that are members of Club Mud. I will get the word out..... We will be there.

Best Regards,

Dwayne Vaughn
Coral Springs, Fl.
954-234-4335

[Raymond]

Alright its getting close. Chime in if your going.
I got an email from Murrays Brother to make sure everyone knew he passed doing what he loved most and that to honor Murray he told me to put it back into the park rather it be a sign, bench, or some kind of memorial/tribute. I have a few ideas but it certainly depends on the funds raised.
In a perfect world we can raise enough to get some sort of memorial for more than one park/trail since he also rode Swamps trails as well.

PLEASE post up if you have an idea on how to honor one of our fallin brothers...
_________________
"By helping out, you are saying thanks to all those who make your trails great!"

[mike2u]

I'll be there. I've got a couple of family members that might make it too.

[cujo]

I definitely will be there.
_________________
If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.

[3G's]

We'll be there!
Ray - let us know if there is anything you need help with!!
_________________
DIRT is GOOD - SPEED is GOOD - SCABS are GOOD ----- LIFE IS GREAT!!!

[Clay]

I'll be there Ray, Please let me know if there is anything I can bring or help with.

[Clay]

Hey Ray, how about the next trail to be built will be named in honor of Murray.

[Steveo]

I will be there. If i can help in any way please let me know.

[supersix]

Ray,

I would not wait for a new trail to be built.
i suggest name the climb in sneaky snake. ( or the trail itself)
so people would remember and also creates awareness
to be safe.

i would be compelled to use any part of his bike in the sign.
put it high in the tree. chainring ect


there is an old memorial for another rider at croom.
a cross with a bike chain in the middle and his picture
on his bike

[supersix]

now that i look at it my avatar is kind of disturbing

[Cory]

I like the idea of a memorial bench near the picnic table.