There are no words to describe how awful the last week has been. What started as a dream has ended in a horrific nightmare. When my dad arrived in LA, he was beaming and so excited about the road he had just traveled.
He took his time stopping to take pictures of everything he saw along the way and when I say everything – I mean everything! I have gone through almost 700 pictures of his trip. He was fascinated by the history of Route 66. The abandoned gas stations, the old cars, and all the little towns and motels where he stayed.
While he was in LA, I insisted he get to the Santa Monica Pier because that is where Route 66 ends… He needed to ride it to the very end.
The entire time he was at our house, he was glowing and having the time of his life. He was almost obnoxiously giddy.
The morning he left to head home, we hugged each other real tight and he looked me in the eye and said “I am so glad I did this!” He put on his helmet, got on his bike, reved that engine, and with a honk of his horn, down the street he went.
I am honored to share this slideshow with you today. If there is something we can all take a little comfort in is that he went with love in his heart, the wind in his hair, and a smile on his face.
In honor of my Dad, Bill Nagengast. 1952 – 2011
Comments
What a wonderful tribute to your dad and the joy in his trip! Continuing to pray for you & your family!
I love these pictures. And I love that you were able to be such a big part of it this way.
God bless you and your family. 🙂
Andrea – it takes a lot to stir me and your story and tragedy touches me in ways you wouldn’t believe. My husband is an avid motorcyclist and a trip like this sounds like a dream. I’ve only seen a small part of Route 66 but I love old Americana. Through your dad’s journey, I was able to spend 10 minutes seeing some of the beauty of yesteryear that I may never get to. His passion and joy shine through in every photo.
Thanks for sharing this incredible tribute and offering you comfort as you continue to deal with your loss.
Andrea, I am SO sorry for your loss. It must be so comforting knowing he was having the time of his life when this tragic accident happened. I’m so glad that one of his stops on the road was to be with you so you had the opportunity to see how much happiness this adventure was bringing to his life. The photo slideshow is a beautiful tribute.
Andrea, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. It is wonderful he fulfilled a lifelong dream and he was so clearly giddy. But he was young and it’s traumatic to lose a parent. (I’ve lost my dad). Please know you’re in my thoughts and please let me know if you need anything. Take care, my friend. Kristina
Wow! What an amazing tribute seeing Route 66 through your Dad’s eyes, thank you for sharing xo R
Thank you to everyone for all of your love an support! XOXOX
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