The Steve Smith Jr Memorial race at the Cross Creek, TX

[Gatlin5]

You may remember this thread "A Life's Journey" (attached) just before Christmas.

The Cross Creek Riders Assoc. of TX is holding a memorial race for Steve Smith Jr on Sunday Jan 15, 2006.

This race will be a 2 hour GP style race. Cost will be $30 per rider, proceeds to be donated to the "RiderDown Foundation" as requested by Steve Smith. All are welcomed to join us for this very special event.


Cross Creek Cycle Park (http://www.crosscreekcp.com/index.html)

RiderDown Foundation- Steve Smith Jr Memorial Race (http://www.texasoffroad.net/forum_php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=CrossCreek&Number=320012&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1)
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A Life' Journey Thread (http://www.texasoffroad.net/forum_php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=family_dual_sport&Number=319252&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1)

This could very easily be my family or anyone one of us. Give them an extra hug tonight and say a little prayer for the Smith Family.


http://x10.putfile.com/3/6610515733.jpg
the photo was taken the night before the accident.....That's Jr at the left then his eldest brother Joel then me and Linda.
His favorite place to eat and hang out in Big Bend was at La Kiva.....Here he working on a big plate of chicken and just soaking up the ambiance....

http://x10.putfile.com/3/6610525125.jpg
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XR650Rocketman
Hall of Fame


Reged: 12/21/00
Posts: 1143
Loc: Austin / Round Rock, Texas

"Life's Journey" ends for MiniRocketman
12/18/05 04:11 PM



On Saturday December 17th 2005, around 12:00 noon, MiniRocketman died at my side in an ambulance on route to Big Bend Regional Hospital.....Life flight had been dispatched but could not get to him in time...Every effort was made to save him by the other riders and Big Bend National Park EMS team but his injuries, although still unknown, were too great...

Steve Jr was my riding partner for the last 6 years.....At 20 years of age he was the youngest child of myself and Linda and the light of our lives...

We were on our third day of riding in the Big Bend area and he was enjoying every moment of it...He was riding closely with his elder brother, who had flown in from Canada for the ride, when he caught a partially buried rock and "High sided"....

He never regained consciousness and passed peacefully....

Steve was a third year student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and an avid Dual Sport Rider....A veteran of many desert trips....His love for riding was matched by his love and appreciation for the desert....

I'm sure that at some point in the future we will take comfort in the fact that he died doing what he loved most....That time cannot come soon enough for all who were priviledged to know him....

Although not original the following would seem to be a fitting epitaph.....

LIFE'S JOURNEY IS NOT TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAVE IN A WELL PRESERVED BODY, BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT, SHOUTING ' HOLY [email me].....WHAT A RIDE'

I'll post the cause of death after the autopsy....

We'll hold a memorial service later this week, in Round Rock, to which all are welcome to attend.....I'll post the time and place a soon as possible.....

Please feel free to attach or post any photos of Steve Jr that you may have....

Thank you....

Steve Smith

[Tatonka]

Folks if you are in the vicinity of Cross Creek Cycle Park you should plan on stopping by. This is a great opportunity to pay tribute to Steve Jr. & to meet some wonderful people. Plus you get to ride/race on from what I hear is a really fun track.

Get out there & have some fun.

BV

[Wysong]

I was blown away in two different ways this weekend at the Steven Smith Jr. Memorial Race at the Cross Creek Motocross Park.

First, I was blown away by the support of the track owner, operators and many riders and spectators that showed up to support Steve Jr. and his parents Steve and Linda and his brother, Joel. This will surely help the family through the healing process knowing how many lives Steve Jr. has touch in his life. The parade lap to honor Steve Jr., which I rode in, was a touching way to honor Steve Jr. and I couldn?t help but feel his presence as we all rode with thoughts of Steve Jr. as we followed his Dad and his friends who were riding his personal bikes. My hats off to the motorcycle riding community that supports its fellow riders and their families during times of need. I was able to spend some time with Steve and Linda Smith talking about everything from Steve Jr. to places they have ridden over the years. They are truly wonderful people and we plan to keep in touch.

Second, I was blown away when a gust of wind blew the RiderDown Foundation tent, banner, shirts and flyers about a 100 ft towards the starting gate area. Once again the support of the riders and spectators came forward to help and we managed to meet more people and spread out more flyers and wristbands in a more accelerated way then we had planned.

http://x10.putfile.com/3/6618012969.jpg
Steve, Linda and Joel Smith- Dave Wysong and John Herne from the RiderDown Foundation.

All the best to the Smith family,

David
Wysong@RiderDown.org

[Gatlin5]

David

Thanks for the update, I wish I could have been there. I thought about all you guys often on Sunday.

I look forward to meeting them too, sometime in the near future.

Joe

[Wysong]

Hey Guys,

If you were at the Steve Smith Jr. Memorial Race and would like to buy any of the photo?s that were taken by Bill Jurasz with Mercury Photography, you can view them at http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/148107.

I want to thank Bill for offering to donate 15% of all sales to the RiderDown Foundation for the purpose of helping injured riders and their families.

Bill Jurasz?s contact information is:

Mercury Photography
512-797-8368
www.mercphoto@mac.com

Thanks for the support,

David
wysong@riderdown.org
RiderDown Foundation

[Gatlin5]

Nice Group picture.