Larry Luce's email came like a bolt out of the blue...
"I am frankly shocked and very sad to have to announce that Mick Felder has succumbed to pneumonia. He had been making good progress in recuperating from his recent injuries but had struggled with bouts of pneumonia over the past few years and in his weakened state he experienced a sudden recurrence and quick demise."
I was so saddened when I read of Mick's passing and wept openly...such a wonderful ever giving friend... a stalwart to the Australian and New Zealand Velo people who he assisted in so many ways with their plans to participate in the US/Canadian Velocette events.... Such a wonderful friend to me....
He was at an All British ride from Hanson Dam I think it's called in the Los Angeles area the other Sunday and somehow crashed the Triumph he was riding and taken to a nearby hospital to Intensive Care ward with a broken hip, broken arm, broken wrist and either broken ribs or collarbone... Crikey... He was recovering but succumbed to pneumonia and passed quickly.
So let's have a wander through my photos with Mick......
Mick ran his panel beating business at 210 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, California from 1958....
Mick as we knew him in his Felders Body Shop Office...
He was always involved in the local community..a member of the Hermosa Chamber of Commerce, Hermosa Rotary, Hermosa Salvation Army "Meals on Wheels"....
The Chamber put out a short video on Mick ..click on this link...A video of Mick
Mick driving his 1917 Studebaker during the 2012 Hermosa Rotary Club's St.Patrick Day parade....
Lunch with friend's at "Scotties on The Strand" at Hermosa Beach......
Inside and around his body shop....
Mick of course was a great stalwart in the US Velocette Owners Club and attended many of their week long "rally and rides" and organised one early on...
1990 US Velocette Rally, Hopland, Don Wilson to the left, from Sydney Australia, Mick with his Venom and Tom Ross on his white Venom "Chuck's Bike"...
2003 US Velocette Rally,based in Kamloops, B.C.,Canada...Aussie Jim Day with luminous "sam brown belt"... Paul Adams with Mick.
2003... a visit to Lakebay, WA state and Ed Gilkison's Velocette "Toy Shop"...likely Paul Adams with back to us, Geoff Blanthorn facing...
Mick's first big trip to Australia was in early 2003 for the "Cape to Cape" Rally and was accompanied by US Velo riders Gil Loe, Larry Luce, Mike Jongblood and Paul D'Orleans.....
He was back in October 2005 for the Australian Velocette OC Centenary of Velocette week long rally held in Richmond on the western outskirts of Sydney...below...
The plan was to try to get 100 Velocettes for the Centenary.... in fact there were over 140 lined up..
Larry Luce with wife Ella again shipped his MSS Velocette over for the Rally from California...
Mick with other rally attendees at the Clarence Zig Zag Railway station during the rally.
Mick with and engine and other Velo parts display organised by Warwick Nicholson (left) with Paul Barfoot from Western Australia.
Again good friend of Mick's from Anaheim, Cal., Mike Jongblood was at the rally.
Mick with his MAC Velo at the 2004 So.Cal Mello Velo Rally..
Pix from the preparation for the 2006 US Velo rally & ride....
Dave Jorganson, Paul Adams and Mick...
Again but with Jim Day....
Pix above from the 2011 US Velo rally & ride....
Over the last few years the Australian contingent have presented an award from the Australian Velocette Owners club..."The Swagman Award"
Pictured above are the two 2010 recipients, Gil Loe from Chatsworth Cal. & Mick Felder. The VOCA Club President Keith Canning to the left and former VOCA President John Jennings to the right...
An early pic from a US Velo rally & ride....
Every year John & Sue Ray hold a "Spring Opener" weekend ride from their home, latterly in Napa, Cal..... pictured with Mick is myself & Paul Adams...
Mick readies for another Velo rally.....
His nephew Dave Smith plans to hold a memorial for Mick at Mick's shop. Details will be announced as they become available.
Mick,
we all miss you mate....
Dennis.
