Just been thinking, what could have happened

As we all know I came close to losing my life last December as well my wife, and it's got me thinking, what would have happened to 52+ years of bike life memories in my shed/workshop, my beloved Norton and everything to do with my biker life, I seen death door open wide, but I slammed it shut, lucky we weren't on the Norton, but its got me thinking, what will become of all my biking stuff, all my life time of collecting tools for every bike I owned, all the special tools I made or brought.
I will never give up on my bike stuff while I am still here or think about never riding again, but so may has, they get older do they give up or also know when it's time, but fingers cross I be 105 before that happens, but sometime we have no say in it.

I think about old Al (Acotrel) he has given up on his riding as well Norton bista race bike, but we hear all his old stories when he did race sometime, he is now an armchair worrier here on our Norton Forum, but what I trying to say what will become of our life time of memories and stuff when we can no long remember and thrown in a home or past away, my kids already know what to do but when I am gone what will become of it all.

When down at the Mens Shed I seen it quite a few times family bring stuff down from a life time of shed tools when their father was too old or past away and what they can't give away or sell the big clear out a lifetime of gear is just treated as junk and most of the time just gets thrown into a big skiff to be thrown out so they can sell up.

Kids and family don't have the love we have had all our life of biking, Al keeps dreaming he will get back on his bike but I think he has gone way past that now and his Norton just sits in the shed 1/2 pulled apart going nowhere, it could be given to someone who could be interested in it, but I dough it, it be just junk to the rest of the family when he is beyond it or kicked the bucket and that could happen to all of us old bikers as we get older.

But when its time for me, my oldest daughter gets the house, she will live here as she could never afford her own place it be hers for ever I hope, my youngest daughter the police officer she gets all my biker stuff, bikes and all, what she does with it who knows be out of my hands, but the family house was handed to me when my dad past on and it be left to my daughter to keep a roof over her head, my 2 girl know what to do and who gets what.

So what will happen when its time, I am just curious, do we all have a plan, leave everything to the kids, sell it all before we get to bad or just keep going as nothing will ever happen, not, as I say both me and Debra came close, my kids know what happens and what is expected of them to do the right thing, what about everyone else, do you have a plan or not, as things can change in an instant, you never know when the time comes it happen so quickly and you might not be ready for it.

I am planning to be here for a lot more time yet, but what Debra and myself have been through the last 5+ months and our lives has changed in what we can do, but I am not giving up I be back on the bike soon but it has opened my eyes in how things can change in an instant, so I hope we all think about this, but there will be a time as we all get older.

What do you all think, do you have a plan or just let fate take control.

Ashley

No - Ash, I don't have a plan. Maybe I should.
You know though, they say being stupid is like being dead. You don't know anything, it's just the people around you that suffer! Boom boom!!

I've been "tailoring" my/our plan for at least 2 years.

I have a "shortcut" icon on my laptop screen captioned "ICE - Insert Thumb Drive" (ICE= In Case Emergency)

Clicking on it give specific details on how to handle our entire estate (including copies of Wills and Family Trust info). It will be (more or less) divided equally between the 5 kids

I have a specific way to divide the bikes- First of all, my wyfe gets the Dreer Monoshock Prototype Norton (she knows the value, and has all the details, she "lived" it with me). Since my 2 older sons each got to pick 3 bikes from my collection back in 2012, my other son and 2 daughters will get to pick 3 each. They must draw for who goes first, then rotate turns. After that, all 5 draw for rotation, then pick the collection down.

As some of you may have learned from some of my previous posts, I have a Motorcycle Master Spreadsheet (linked in the ICE spreadsheet) that gives every finite detail about each and every bike, right down to the last penny and the latest 1/4 hour that I worked on them. Also, each bike has it's own punchlist of any items needing service or repair. There is a tab with contact info listing every shop, outlet, and trade that I've ever used, so they can readily find help or parts. Same spreadsheet also have current/recent valuation. All the titles and papers are in a large accordion folder.

I have (2) backup hard drives - one from 2005 (and earlier) to May 2019 when we moved up to the Austin area, and the other from May 2019 up to the present. They contain all of our data and photos, with folders for each backup to my thumb drive and laptop drive about every other month or three apart. The photos are cross-filed with their respective backup on a specific date, as well as all motorcycle-related stuff in it's own folder, all house stuff in it's own, all ranch stuff in it's own, all financial stuff in it's own, etc...

My youngest son will get all of the tools & equipment, my older sons are all set. Same goes for the boat.

While all 5 kids will own my ranch/barndo/shop equally, I have a strong feeling that my youngest son will probably MOVE there and do heavy equipment operation and electrical work with the barndo as his base of operations. Anyway, the tools, equipment, boat, and bikes are all over there.

Our house will be a 5-way equal split, as will whatever remains of our savings/investment accounts. That will include our knick-knacks, jewelry, scuba gear, fishing equipment, etc, etc, etc. The two youngest can continue to live in it, but must pay the utilities & taxes.

Any one of the kids can sell anything they want, but "first rights of refusal" go to the other 4. They must not sell (to each other) for more than taxable value, but can sell for any amount less if they wish.

I've written my obituary and give instructions for my ashes to be spread - some at my ranch, some out on our favorite twisties, and some at the pond on our family ranch where I grew up.

On the "ICE" list is directions for my oldest son to click on each shortcut on my main internet screen and notify each group (including AccessNorton, of course) that I've passed on, and any details regarding my memorial service. Any of my bikes that end up on the market will be offered to these groups before going on the "open" market. Same for the list of fecebook motorcycle groups.

I'm writing a book of my life's story, also; right from my earliest memories living at our family ranch (from age 3). I really need to get back to it soon, I think I'm up to about 25-30 years ago.

So, I THINK I'm fairly well set...