SHERBURNE – Saturday afternoon, bikers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and California gathered to pay tribute to Richard Christie, a motorcycle enthusiast who was killed on July 1. Two motorcycle runs took place simultaneously to honor Christie; one in Sherburne at the site of the fatal crash, and one in Los Angeles.
Christie left his home for a morning ride on July 1 and never returned. He was hit by another cyclist who broke across the center line on Route 80. Christie, who lived with his mother on Rexford Street in Norwich, had been riding for two years. According to his fiancee, Kimberly Cox, he was always interested in anything with a motor, but Christie did not rush into things. He did a lot of research before buying his motorcycle.
During that time he became involved with the online biking community through the GS Twin website. Christie set up a frequently asked questions page, and quickly became friends with a number of people from the website – many of whom attended the memorial ride for Christie.
Some of the people Christie had met, but several only knew him from the message boards.
“He was the type of person who would treat you like his best friend, even if you only met him once,” one rider said.
Christie’s brother Robert Buck helped set up the ride in his brother’s honor. He described his brother as funny and adventurous. He had enjoyed a lot of things, like skydiving and hot air balloon rides.
“He had such a great personality, that people would just gravitate to him, but to me he was just my little brother,” Buck said. “It was the little things that made him the way he was.”
Buck read a poem that he wrote, after a large wooden cross and plaque were placed at the site of the accident. Sunday would have marked Christie’s 26th birthday.
The death of Christie affected many people, including his fiancee. Cox had known Christie for eight years. She thought he was intelligent, kind, and always willing to help people. She explained how much they meant to each other.
“He was my best friend, and my fiancee. He meant everything to me,” Cox said.
According to her, it was Christie’s sense of humor that drew people to him.
“He was always ragging on people, but it was just a big joke, and everybody thought he was funny,” she said.
Although this has been a difficult for everyone who knew Christie, the presence of so many people who cared about him has made it easier. The members of the GS Twin site have sent flowers to Christie’s mother, and made generous donations to Toys for Tots in his name.
“The people from the GS Twin website have gone above and beyond,” Buck said.
If there is one thing that Buck hopes people will take from this tragedy, he hopes it is caution.
“I wish more people would take their time and pay attention,” he said.
Christie is survived by his mother, Virginia Saladin, his father Howard Christie, brothers Robert and Randy Buck, sister Roxanne Ludlow, and his fiancee Kimberly Cox.