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Lost a good one

ron203

ron203

Southeast Area Director
Member
Paul (Paulie) Heydemann (COG #4561) has passed in Miami. Paulie was a dedicated long distance rider who traveled great distances on his bike and you’d see him at rallies and gatherings all over. Paulie would often be seen out early in the day, stretching and walking.

He was probably best known for a ride to Alaska a few years back, where somewhere along the way, a moose took offense at his C-10, rushed him from the bush, and proceeded to stomp it (and Paulie) flat. He recovered thanks to his wife’s efforts and a life flight and eventually went back to riding. Wow.

A particularly aggressive cancer did what that old moose couldn’t do and blindsided him all the way, taking him in a short and vicious manner.

A private service will be held soon and a celebration of his life will be planned for later. His stepson Austin Gehm, has promised to let us know when that happens. I’ll post the info here.

I think he’d want you to go out and ride today.
Ron
 
Paulie will be missed. OTP Traveler, forgot what year. Never afraid to engage but often off doing his own thing.

He stayed with us on the way to the 2014 National. Remember him riding all day from Miami to Fall Creek Falls TN in 2018, he was wore out but made it and very appreciative that we held some dinner for him.

RIP and ride far!!
 
Larry Buck introduced me to Paulie just after I bought my 99 C10 in 2000.
We rode a lot together as he liked a fast and long saddle time like me. Known for wearing his bicycle shorts all the time and often off doing his own thing, he often stayed at my house in Inverness. Never was quite the same after the accident, I sadly lost touch with him over the years. He was a bass player in a band for many years and rode his recumbent bicycle often. He could wring a lot out of his C10.
A fellow OtP traveler, and a great ambassador for COG
 
At some point back in the 2000s somewhere I came down to Florida and found Paulie was putting on these rides to the keys. We used to stay in the Everglades hostel and then do our famous high speed ride down to the half shell raw bar in key West. It was always a fun weekend in January. He put this ride on for many years.

I remember sitting around at the Everglades hostel with him. He used to do a yearly ride by bicycle with a group from Miami to key West. I believe it took the group 2 days together. That's a mighty fast and long ride if you ask me. Some years later he met Mary and we did the ride together. It takes a strong woman to appreciate our riding antics. Paul, Al and myself were the three fast riders in the group. Paul's skill matched his speed. Living in the Miami area could have one astute rider quite fed up. Imagine Paul with his skill and a stuntness dealing with Miami traffic, or "Mijaymi" as he liked to call it.

In the summer of 2011 I was sick and my parents came down to visit. Paul and Mary put on a dinner event to welcome us. While at their home I lured Paul out to the garage to look at the motorcycle that was gifted to him after his moose incident and recovery from a broken neck. No longer limited physically He still had inhibitions about getting on a motorcycle again. Mary swear she would never get on one and held herself just short of forbidding him as well. With just a few questions in a little coaxing We went out into the garage together. He sat on the C10 that he knew oh so well. Instinctually knew where the key was in the dash and his hands quickly fell upon the handlebars in the right positions. With just the right amount of choke the bike fired right up despite having sat for some time. There was some hesitation in his face and body positioning but he eased back the choke and some comfort grew over his demeanor. Then in a quick moment he shut the bike off and dismounted with his usual jovial expressions of deliberately mispronounced Paul-isms. From the doorway my father could appreciate what he was seeing even if he didn't know the full history behind it. Paul and I were both recovering from our own medical illnesses.

In the years that followed Paul did a few more rides with us but felt somehow separated. I'm sure he struggled with the fear of another mishap and what it would do to Mary. It must be hard to have to separate yourself from something you love but Mary loved him in one piece and he chose wisely by spending more time with her after retirement.

To where no iPhones back in the days that we rode together so forgive me for not pushing up some old photos just now. I'm in key West as I write this and I'll have a grouper sandwich and your memory at the Half Shell.

Miss you Paulie
 
Paulie was one of the first "old guard" Coggers I met when joining Cog in 2005. He was certainly a one of a kind character, and I say that with great fondness. He will be missed.
Steve
 
UPDATE:
Celebration of Life
June 26, 2022 3PM- 6PM
Elk's Lodge
6304 SW 78th St
South Miami 33143
RSVP To Mary Heydemann
954-729-9808
I am planning to be there, and will represent COG, but hope others might be able to attend.
. Knew them both before they were a couple.
Mary said that she "knew Paulie would want all of us to smile & enjoy every day.
Jo/Fl, conniegirl,
COG secretary 2012-2017
 
Connie girl said:
UPDATE:
Celebration of Life
June 26, 2022 3PM- 6PM
Elk's Lodge
6304 SW 78th St
South Miami 33143
RSVP To Mary Heydemann
954-729-9808
I am planning to be there, and will represent COG, but hope others might be able to attend.
. Knew them both before they were a couple.
Mary said that she "knew Paulie would want all of us to smile & enjoy every day.
Jo/Fl, conniegirl,
COG secretary 2012-2017
Click to expand...

Thanks Jo.
 
Connected with him many times over the years. Always chuckled at the amount of neon green reflective stuff he had plastered all over his bike. Yes, he was one of the good guys, and will be truly missed.

God speed my friend.
 
I have been off forum for several years and I am sorry to hear this news.After he was airlifted to Seattle a few nw coggers assisted his wife and kept him company all in true cog form.What a freak attack to happen and a cautionary tale to all riders.RIP Paul
 
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