- Joined
- Jun 21, 2011
- Messages
- 1,116
- Age
- 71
- Location
- Ada ( Grand Rapids ) Michigan
- Bike
- '07 ST 1300 & '91 GW
- STOC #
- 8421
At approximately 8pm Sunday evening,
May 27, Jeff Altena, age 55 of
Hudsonville , Michigan and a close friend of
Chapter G, was traveling south on
Yankee Springs Road, just south of M
179 on a straight level section of road.
As Jeff was riding along, a large piece of
a tree, approximately, 15 to 20 inches in
diameter, 20 to 30 feet long and
weighing a several hundred pounds was
falling across the road, Just as the tree
was falling, Jeff collided with the falling
tree with his upper body and was
knocked off his motorcycle. He was
killed instantly and fell beside the tree in
the road, while his motorcycle flipped
and flopped a couple of hundred yards
further along. On this ride Jeff was on
his ST1300 motorcycle instead of his
Goldwing. Jeff was ATGATT, wearing his
full gear and full face helmet.
This freak tragic accident happened on
a nice summer night, while still light and
with no apparent reason for this tree to
falling at this time. What a horrible thing
to happen. Jeff had just sold his
business and retired and he and I were
looking forward to many motorcycle
adventures.
Jeff, you will be sincerely missed.
Written by C.J. Shroll , GWRRA Chapter G member
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
& another guy , Cris Nederveld , on his MC , following Jeff , also hit the just-fallen tree - he died shortly after , on way to the hospital
May 27, Jeff Altena, age 55 of
Hudsonville , Michigan and a close friend of
Chapter G, was traveling south on
Yankee Springs Road, just south of M
179 on a straight level section of road.
As Jeff was riding along, a large piece of
a tree, approximately, 15 to 20 inches in
diameter, 20 to 30 feet long and
weighing a several hundred pounds was
falling across the road, Just as the tree
was falling, Jeff collided with the falling
tree with his upper body and was
knocked off his motorcycle. He was
killed instantly and fell beside the tree in
the road, while his motorcycle flipped
and flopped a couple of hundred yards
further along. On this ride Jeff was on
his ST1300 motorcycle instead of his
Goldwing. Jeff was ATGATT, wearing his
full gear and full face helmet.
This freak tragic accident happened on
a nice summer night, while still light and
with no apparent reason for this tree to
falling at this time. What a horrible thing
to happen. Jeff had just sold his
business and retired and he and I were
looking forward to many motorcycle
adventures.
Jeff, you will be sincerely missed.
Written by C.J. Shroll , GWRRA Chapter G member
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
& another guy , Cris Nederveld , on his MC , following Jeff , also hit the just-fallen tree - he died shortly after , on way to the hospital
Last edited:
