Harold Dean

Tues.,  I was informed that Harold Dean had died.  I mentioned in my last post that I had stopped by to see him at the rehab facility that he was in, but he was asleep and I didn't wake him.  I left him a note and just before I got back to Doug and Amy's house he called and told Amy that I should have awoken him.  Now I feel a little guilty and sorry that I didn't as I won't get a chance to talk to him again.
I mentioned that I was riding the 175 C-Z that he had given Doug.  Years before, when Doug was visiting Harold (who lived 5 or so miles away) and checking out his extensive bike collection, Doug commented that his first bike was a 175 C-Z.  A few days later, Harold dropped off the bike and told Doug that it was his.  Doug and Harold had know each other maybe 20 years before when they both worked at New Haven Tweed airport, but had lost touch until Doug and Amy moved to Haddam.  Harold was a pilot and had once flow to Alaska in his Cessna with a Triumph Tiger Cub in the plane, to get around on the land.
Harold had been a top Enduro rider in the 60s and had been sponsored by Jawa/C-Z.  He used to drive down to there warehouse, first in Long Island City and later in Plainview, N.Y., pick up bikes and deliver them to dealers in the Northeast.
He had an extensive collection of bike that included many BMWs, mostly airhead twins, but at least one single, a couple of Sprints, a couple to Tiger Cubs, a late '40s 125 C-Z, a Horex Regina, and a Hercules 175? 250? 7 speed enduro, among others.  He had recently given his very close friend Al Anderson his '31 Henderson 4 cylinder.
Harold rode into his last (85th) year and often accompanied us on the Tiddler Tours with his cheater BMW Twin.  But, when you're in your  80s, you can ride what ever you damn well please.
It's the end of an era and Harold will be missed.