Tombstone's Travels: Friends of Ted

I need to be in Victor, Idaho July 12 (details below) so...bike packed and fueled, I'm northward bound on a rainy day.

Somewhere in Utah on US 89

Eden, Utah.

Just after I cross into Idaho I am stopped at a traffic jamb due to this accident. What a shame to wreck a vintage car. There were injuries, but I don't know how severe. While traffic was stopped I was able to doff my rain gear and didn't have to put it on again.

And now for the reason I'm on this ride:

This is Ted.

Ted died a few years ago suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack.
Ted was one of the most Christian, charitable, Christ like people I've ever known.

For several years, Ted was our ecclesiastical leader, a "Bishop" in Mormon parlance.
I was sitting in Ted's office one Sunday when my oldest son walked in to report back on an assignment he had been given. At the time my son was about 15 years old. Saturday Night Live was a favorite show of his and he started re-enacting a skit he had seen on that show. Something about a UPS guy who couldn't hold still.

So, here we were, in a church, in the office of a church leader and my son was bouncing around like a Red Bull hyped up Mexican jumping bean. I was embarrassed; not of my son, but because I was trying so hard not to laugh that my stomach was hurting. Somehow Ted kept a straight face, he kept his focus and tried to keep Jacob on task. He succeeded....barely, and the report was taken care of.
A lot of the time when someone dies, it is said "they were called home" or "they have a job to do elsewhere". Most of the time I just roll my eyes....they were "called home" because they made a left turn in front of a semi-truck, or whatever stupid thing they did to cause their death. But when Ted died, I am confident he was "called home", and has a job to do elsewhere. And I can say with certainty that whatever task he was assigned, he has stayed focused, on task, and he has, or will successfully complete his job.

Ted stuck up for me once. Someone made a rude comment. I was trying to figure out a way to make a pithy reply without (since it was a church activity) using the non-productive expletives that were banging around in my brain. Then, Ted made a quiet, not aggressive statement that completely turned the situation around. He didn't have to do that for me, but he did.

When we heard about Ted's heart attack, my wife and I went straight to the hospital, arriving shortly after his family. Ted was on life support, his family by his side, urging him to fight and hold on. I remember hearing them, then turning my head and looking the other way..... and not really seeing with my eyes, but I knew Ted was walking down the hallway and out of the building. I turned to my wife and quietly told her that Ted had just left. I don't know why I was given that knowledge, but it happened. It haunts me to this day that maybe I was supposed to say something and I didn't. I hope I didn't let Ted down.

Ted grew up in Victor, Idaho. I've been to the house(s) he grew up in and he told me some stories of his youth. Then at his funeral, we heard more stories, and specifically some stories that included; this road (SR 33) in the winter time, sleds, and narrow misses. After hearing those stories every time I would ride on this road I would think of Ted. Finally one day I decided to do something that would honor Ted. I applied to IDOT for this section of road to clean up. And here it is, the "Friends of Ted Sessions"

July 12 was the first time the "Friends of Ted" gathered to clean up our section of road.

Ted's daughter, Stacy and some other family members on the clean up.

I won't close by saying "Rest in Peace" Ted, because I know Ted isn't resting. He is not only working, but he is working hard and making a difference. So, Work in Peace Ted. Thank you for your example.

We (Beverly our son Theron and his family) camped at the Teton Valley RV park. The park was just 'ok'. I'm not sure if I'll stay there again or not.

Beverly drove her car up a day earlier (Thursday) to get the supplies from IDOT. I could have saved some miles and money by riding with Theron instead of riding the bike (or not).....