Gilbert Cartledge went down on Talimena Drive. Memorial Sept 1, 2016 in OKC.

[rocker59]

Just read that Gilbert Cartledge died in a crash in Leflore County Oklahoma.

I didn't know him but the news article said he was riding a 1997 Moto Guzzi.

http://m.4029tv.com/news/Man-dies-after-motorcycle-crash-in-Leflore-County/41309570

The road he crashed on, OK-1,  is Talimena Drive; the famous scenic mountain road from Mena AR to Talihina OK.

[oldbike54]

 Hmm , the name seems familiar , from the central part of the state . Maybe Shorty can tell us .

 Dusty

[Lannis]

He's currently listing a Triumph for sale in the MGNOC Classifieds .....

Sorry to hear about the wreck ...

Lannis

[oldbike54]

 Just a clarification , the Talimena DR is only a part of Oklahoma Highway 1 , I think this happened on another portion .
 
 Lannis , thanks for the info .

 Dusty

[rocker59]

Just a clarification , the Talimena DR is only a part of Oklahoma Highway 1 , I think this happened on another portion .
 
 Lannis , thanks for the info .

 Dusty

Yeah, but in LeFlore County, the rest of OK-1 is the few miles from the west end of Talimena Drive, through Talihina, to the county line.  OK-1 west of Talihina is in Latimer County.

Either way, plenty of curves in that part of the state to run wide on...

Unfortunate accident.

[oldbike54]

Yeah, but in LeFlore County, the rest of OK-1 is the few miles from the west end of Talimena Drive, through Talihina, to the county line.  OK-1 west of Talihina is in Latimer County.

Either way, plenty of curves in that part of the state to run wide on...

Unfortunate accident.

 True . The report is kind of confusing , no mention of the Talimena DR , it does say he was Westbound , which probably does mean he was on Skyline (Talimena) DR . Unfortunate yes , but at 77 and still living life , maybe we should celebrate the man's life . Will try to make contact with his family , still waiting on Shorty or maybe John L to respond .

 Oh Great Spirit , let me die on my motorbike . OK , not a traditional Native saying , but it works for me .

 Dusty

[LowRyter]

I don't know him but I recognize that he had a Guzzi (a Sport, IIRC) as well as the Triumph Daytona on the MGNOC page listed in Okla City and 77 years old according to the article. 

RIP.  Sorry that I didn't meet you.  I'll check with the RAT Pack.

[Tom]

Yeah but what was the cause of death.  The accident or heart failure/seizure before the accident?  Could have been like Bucky when he went through a stop sign intersection and crashed in FL.  Not like him to run a stop. 

Condolences to his family.  His passing happened while he was doing something that he enjoyed.  No long term hospital stay with suffering.

[rocker59]

Yeah but what was the cause of death.  The accident or heart failure/seizure before the accident? 

Tom, there are some dangerous curves with elevation changes near the US259/OK1 intersection. I've had some "oh shit!" moments there.

[Shorty]

Sorry guys, doesn't ring a bell. I think I gave my old Okie Guzzi contact list to MichaelD. At that age , he might have been one of the  MGNOC originals from  Bigfoot's era as state rep.  RIP in any event, sir.

[MGrego]

77 years old riding a Guzzi through a beautiful stretch of road ?  There are many, many worse ways to go...

[Lannis]

77 years old riding a Guzzi through a beautiful stretch of road ?  There are many, many worse ways to go...

Still seems awfully young to go, at least from my perspective.   That's only 15 years from now, for me.

15 years ago seems like just yesterday.   15 years from now is just day after tomorrow .... He may have been 77, but I'm betting he felt like 27 and had some big plans.

Lannis

[Tom]

I'm hoping he didn't make a mistake on that road and rode past his abilities.

[Lannis]

I'm hoping he didn't make a mistake on that road and rode past his abilities.

SO easy to glance to one side at some scenery or looking for a road, and look back and you're just going off the shoulder (your bike followed your eyes), and you can't get it back and it takes the ditch and then you go where it goes, which might be a tree.   Even experienced guys can do it.

Lannis

[Tom]

I'm  hoping he had a nice day riding then passed.  Accident was after the fact.  If he lost control then that's a different category.

[Jim Rich]

The guy may have been hauling on that road.  I know the road has some tight corners and quick elevation changes, not a good one to push on if you are not familiar with it.  When I hear this stuff it makes me think about another vehicle in his lane though none was mentioned.  Talimena has a lot of tight corners and forest right up to the road so if he overcooked a corner he could have slid off and into the forest very easily.  Hate to hear about it.

[Tom]

Sounds like Italian Alpine type riding.  Definitely have to be alert.

[oldbike54]

Sounds like Italian Alpine type riding.  Definitely have to be alert.

 Picture the Smoky mountains Tom .

 Dusty

[Tom]

Is this road a narrow 2 laner or one lane?

[Curtis Harper]

He was one of the nicest folks I've ever met. Retired Teamsters. Great Guzzi guy. Had several bikes. His favorite was his 76 Sport that he had de-injected. Also had a Lemans 3, a 2002 Lemans, T-3 and I think a couple others. Sad news

[oldbike54]

Is this road a narrow 2 laner or one lane?

 Narrow 2 lane . It is very technical in places , some decreasing radius curves , slow sections , fairly fast sections , and with truly dramatic elevation changes . I have ridden it so many times that I forget how tricky it can be . Oh , forgot how foggy and windy it can be , the Ouchita mountains run East and West , trapping weather moving up from the Gulf , and South from the continent . There is a small area not far from where this happened that receives 120 inches of precip a year .

 Dusty

[Tom]

Sounds like a number of roads out here.  Don't pay attention and you end up in the weeds/trees/lava.

[rocker59]

Is this road a narrow 2 laner or one lane?

[oldbike54]

 This is where we have the Okie , better than the Dragon , 54 miles long and almost zero traffic .

 Thanks Mike .

 Dusty

[Hank B]

I have been a close friend of Gilbert for near 50 years and have ridden thousands of miles with him. He was a very accomplished rider that would ride at a fast pace sometimes but never over his head.

He and another close friend named Edward where returning home from a trip to Arkansas. Edward was a more of a rider that pushed the envelope so had left Gilbert behind and waited at the end of the Talimena drive for a while and then returned to find some other motorcyclist beside the road where Gilbert had crashed.

Edward said it was a easy right hander and it appeared that he had just crossed the centerline and run straight into two trees with no sign of an attempt to brake or lay it down.

He told me that Gilbert had some fainting spells and must have passed out.

Gilbert had several Moto Guzzi's and other bikes.

BTW I am a former Guzzi dealer and tuner of Guzzi race bike in AMA Battle of the Twins.

[oldbike54]

 Thanks Hank and Curtis . Any information re a memorial , some of us Okies might attend .

 Dusty

[Hank B]

Memorial Sept 1 at 2PM at Buchanan Funeral home 89th and North Council Oklahoma City.

[Tom]

Love the super highway.     My previous comments on Gilbert's health or cause of the accident was based on his riding of the area and the possibly of him losing control vs. a health reason.  Which seems more likely.  At least his spirit left his body on a happy note.  This instead of a panic or unhappy moment.

[oldbike54]

Memorial Sept 1 at 2PM at Buchanan Funeral home 89th and North Council Oklahoma City.

 Thank you . We are all sorry for the loss of your friend of 50 years . Still , most of us are long time riders and see this as a good way to go .

 Dusty

[Tom]

His passing while riding on one his favorite roads.  :1:  Instead of an accident with another vehicle or losing control.