Mae Lyne Swofford (MaeLyne)
'MaeLyne'
23 October 1955 to 23 August 2011

From the bottom of my aching heart, I thank you all for your support, your caring, your prayers and your thoughts. Unless you have walked in these moccasins...and I hope you never do, you cannot know how much comfort your posts, emails, telephone calls, and cards mean to me. To know that you all are out there caring, gives me the strength to rise above the depression that is inevitably part of the grieving process.

I sincerely want to thank Pete Felice (Sightglass) for coming to her celebration of life. I was so surprised to see him walk across the parking lot where the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) were staging. It brought joy to my heart on a very difficult day. I proudly introduced him as a friend, representing the Brit Iron Rebels (BIR) and the New Thruxton Bonneville Forum (NTBF). Pete, I do hope the PGR made you feel welcome.

Mae Lyne danced into my life, literally, with red braids a-flying, ten years ago at a Native American pow-wow. We became good friends and after about six months started dating. She and I were on a date when I received that fateful call that my son Justin's helicopter went down. She never left my side after that. She walked me through what was then the very worst time of my life.

Mae Lyne was my best friend, my soul mate, my full partner, my companion and my lover, as well as a fellow motorcycle enthusiast. I got it all in one small, joy-filled package. We both had two bad marriages and this time, I did it right. I am grateful for the ten years we had together. I could well do without this pain; but to do so, I would have had to miss the dance. The pain is well worth the dance. I loved her deeply and unconditionally and she returned that love. She was a caring, loving individual who never met a stranger she didn't like. A fact to which the Florida BIR folks can well attest.

I left for North Carolina on my new Tiger 800XC on Friday August the 12th. My mission was to get Dad's farm house open and check for freeze damage and make any necessary repairs. Mae Lyne and Dad were to come up on Thursday. Fortunately we had no damage. So, on Saturday, I did some of adventure riding in the Nantahala National Forest. I returned about 3:00 PM and stopped in Hayesville to call Mae Lyne. We have no cell phone service on the farm. I spoke with her and she was fine, but tired. She had not been able to sleep.

Mae Lyne willingly and lovingly took on the job as care-giver to my 91 year old father. About 5:30 PM he asked her to help him with his shower as she always did. She told him to come and get him when he was ready. Between 5:30 and 6:00 PM, he found her dead. Because of the lack of phone service and having no internet, my sister contacted the Clay County Sherriff's Office who sent a Deputy to the house. I was in shock and devastated.

It was already dark and I was not stupid enough to ride out of the mountains in the dark in a rather fragile emotional state. I left at first light on Sunday morning. I rode 93 miles to Newnan, GA where I hooked up with the first of the relay team that took me and the bike to my front door. I only had to ride 93 miles instead of 568 miles. And I can tell you, I could not have physically nor emotionally made the ride straight through. I got almost no sleep on Saturday night.

We do not yet know the cause of death. It will probably be about eight more weeks before we get the medical examiner's (coroner's) official report.

I am doing OK. My skies are partly cloudy with occasional pop-up thunderstorms. The grieving process is long and unfortunately there are no shortcuts. I am upbeat and optimistic. I am glad I am a biker; riding soothes my soul. Thank you all again for caring and for your support. I will get through this. I do believe that Mae Lyne is healed and in a better place. She had pain 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If she could get her pain level down to a 5 or 6, that was a good day...a day we could ride together. Sometimes her pain level was at an 8, 9, or 10, and she was literally bed-ridden at those levels. I miss her terribly, but I am glad she is no longer suffering.

Rest in Peace Mae Lyne...

Carl Swofford (CarlT100)
BIR #124