“The Keith Buckley Memorial Tunnel Motorbike Run – Supporting MotoMedics” 20.1.18
Well this post has taken way too long to be written……….. but unfortunately life had gotten in the way of my motorbike this month.
This event is an annual motorbike run, celebrating the lives of all friends and family lost and all friends and family present.
A few years ago, good friends Denis and Sandra lost their son Keith and so to remember Keith and to support a worthy cause, “The Keith Buckley Memorial Tunnel Run” was born and will be run annually. This is an extremely special ride for me and my friends and is the brain child of Ashley Gill and Michael Richardson. MotorMedics is the worthy cause that had been decided on as “they are a volunteer motorcycle emergency first responder group providing frontline emergency care to fallen riders on SEQLD roads which are known motorcycle riding hotspots. The service is free of charge and is funded through ongoing community support through donations and purchase of their merchandise.”
Michael, Felicity and Jade
What a wonderful, selfless act it is to help us riders with no Government funding AT ALL. I interviewed Felicity Dunstan and Jade McGuinness from MotoMedics and you can hear all about why they do what they do and how we, as bikers, can support them as they voluntarily support the riders of SEQueensland. Let me tell you the motorbikes are awesome.
I must warn you, my editing software packed up and so I have put up the video on you tube as it was taken. Sorry Felicity and Jade. But I really wanted this blog post up so we can help promote you guys.
MOTOMEDICS INFO
Duty phone 0499544146
“Always call triple zero first”
www.motomedics.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/motomedics/
Now about the ride….
About 75 people, I didn’t do an accurate account so it could be more, met up at DFO Brisbane. There were all sorts of bikes, both sport bikes and cruisers. We also had a backup vehicle just in case and Tubby from Motorcycle Towing was there. We then headed off and rumbled through the tunnels (which was quite loud, and was definitely the plan) to Esk via Ipswich and we all stopped at the Esk Fire Station where Denis works. There were some fantastic stalls in town which we all visited.
Today was Ashley Gill’s grandson Jack’s first motorcycle ride today and he was proud as punch, though I am not sure who was more excited Ash or Jack.
Ash and Jack. Credit Ashley Gill
WHERE IS TUBBY AND THE BACK UP VEHICLE?..
That’s ok, he was there….
It was a great ride, though my bike nearly needed the back up vehicle.. Ho hum! About a third of the way to Esk my bike started misfiring and losing power intermittently. We thought I had picked up some dirty fuel. How awesome was this bunch of bikers though! So many of them slowed down to stay with me so I wouldn’t be on my own. Of course the Harley jokes came out….
Luckily there was a bottle of octane boost that appeared magically by a strange masked man. (Who was that man?) And then all was right with the world. I didn’t want to risk my bike breaking down totally, just in case it wasn’t dodgy fuel. So a couple of us rode back home via Toogoola, Kilcoy and Woodford while the rest of the group went up the Hampton-Esk Road to Persevereance Dam. They apparently had stopped at a café on Hampton-Esk Road and then split for home. I was so disappointed as I really wanted to carry on with the ride but seriously did not want to get stuck out there. My bike was playing up that badly. Grrrr. No more Harley jokes please. lol
CONCLUSION
All in all it was an excellent day. The weather was brilliant and my bike didn’t actually break down. We paid our respects to Denis and Sandra and I met some more awesome bikers. There was a total of $584.60 donated to MotoMedics but next year I would like to see it doubled though.
This is going to be an ongoing annual event to remember Keith and to support MotoMedics. Keep an eye out next year and let’s see this double, even triple the amount of people attending. Oh and check out MotoMedics website to find out more about them.
Cheers.
LJ