Imagine all the imagination in the nation! That’s what it took to build this wonderful tribute to Tony … who’s legacy of N.O.P.E. ~ Not One Puff Ever ~ lives on.

The suggestion for the tribute was posted at a Bonfire in January ~~ and misty101/jan has been making things from the Qsters’ 8-month anniversary ashtray tossing ~~ and running about trying to catch all the shards. She’s been using shards to make mosaic projects on Q-Island ~ where the Bonfires are held in honor of continuing the legacy ~~ and good-natured fun ~~ instilled in each of us by tillietoiler/Mary Merrey. The mosaic projects help encourage anyone struggling’ to reach for that goal … of being 8 months quit … so they can fling their ash trays and bring some shards to the Mosaic Team!

Everything on the motorcycle came from Q-Island, the BBBs, the Qsters ~ any one at any stage of their quit~~ from all clubs, or no clubs ~ essentially the bonfire attendees. The construction took place as a sort of “relay” of isolated tasks and you can read of the progress in the Bonfire postings from 1/22/07 until 2/20/07. And tonight, 2/21/07 is the unveiling ~~ when the pieces (or should we say shards) come together!

First, the Mosaic Team [assembled for this special project] had to enlist the help of the Cabana Team to build a Garage. Three solid walls and the 4th wall is made of sliding glass doors. This allowed us to have the heavier equipment brought in: for welding, soldering, the oven for the Olde World Glass Blower, the Hobart Mixer for the adhesive and the grout, and other such necessities.

Qsters were bringing shards in by the wheelbarrow loads! We needed LOTS! And then we got the news from the EPA that the eastern side of the ocean had to be dredged to improve the ocean currents.

Our lucky day! We found the purest white sparkly sand! So, baemi/Cinny with her Talking Wheelbarrow [known as TW], dptnana/Diane with her Dad’s Barrow, Stenholm/Sten with the yellow LIVESTRONG and many many qsters ran their Barrows back & forth, filling’ their barrows with the sand, and bringing it to the garage.

The sand was mixed in the Hobart Mixer with silicone. This recipe, [tis a secret] at one ratio, formed the adhesive for the shards. A slightly modified ratio was used to make the grout.

TW found some fishnet on his way to the Bonfire. Voila – we could adhere the shards to the netting and drape it over the frame that our welder would make. But … the shards kept falling through. So, after a failed attempt at weaving, AniCat/Anni, futuregramma/Lois, quitgrandma/Gail and dptnana/Diane crocheted, knitted and stitched the netting into a smaller gauge. Oftentimes, extra jute [leftover from the time we had to restring the hammocks] was put to use as a fill in for larger areas.

The shards ~ those donated by the Qsters as they celebrated their 8 months anniversaries … we had been accumulating from earlier mosaic projects. So what a beautiful assortment! And more coming in each day as Qsters reached their 8-month anniversaries!

The Motorcycle will be on perpetual display halfway between the Gazebo and the Tiki Bar. This way, it will be near the Qsters, the fun, the conversation, the music, the dancing and all the festivities that Tony would love to be amongst…. where Life's energy is strong & happy.

Paula/bucko53 ~ donated the tires from her dump truck ~ these represent the longevity of the Quit Journey; the foundation of the Journey.

AniCat/Anni ~ donated a hubcap. Sten used tin snips to make spokes, and left a candy cane outline, with etchings to ensure the candy cane stripes are distinct.

Toyrango/Tony ~ donated a hubcap. jan used tin snips to make spokes. The Detailing Dept. made a decal of a Toyota Camry and a Dodge Durango … and the result is spokes that leave a “Toyrango” solid shape on the hubcap, with etchings to highlight the design.

The hubcaps tell us to keep on keeping’ on … quit and stay quit…. Part of the continuing foundation and the cycle of the Journey.

Stenholm/Sten, the mosaic maker, coordinated and helped orchestrate the project. (((Thank you, Sten!!!)))

Sten’s contribution is a placard at the base of the left side of the motorcycle that reads: N.O.P.E. She fashioned it by adhering her yellow sea glass, that she found on the shoreline of Q-Island, to a metal background. The sign is outlined in cobalt sea glass. [It almost glows in the dark!] The grouting is made from the pure white sands that the EPA said we had to dredge from the Eastern side of the ocean, to ensure proper currents. But her biggest contribution is the dedication, commitment, and the love she put into the making of the Mosaic Motorcycle Tribute for Tony1951/Tony.

[i didn’t get tied up with silly string even once!]

Poirier/Bob is the welder and solderer. He managed to garner an old grill from the Grill Master and fashioned certain shapes to form the motorcycle frame. A cookie sheet, some rebar, and some extra pipe found near the Ship Yard and the Detailing Dept. were put to good use in helping to form the frame of the Motorcycle. Taceon/Teresa assisted as required [especially holding’ the fender in place whilst Bob was soldering!]

Ahpahnayquitter/Kat donated her black leather upholstery.

Futuregramma/Lois fashioned it into a seat, and used an extra pillow from the Hammocks to stuff the seat.
futuregramma/Lois and dptnana/Diane and stitched the seat, and formed the side “lock boxes”.

mushgarrett/Michele donated her stained glass sunflower. She melded it into a larger piece of antique glass, with the able assistance of birdmom1/Carol and the Olde World Glass Blower. They managed to fit the seams together flawlessly ~ crystal clear ~ and it has the perfect curve in the glass. Michele ~ yer sunflower is beautiful!

Baemi/Cinny and her TW Esq formed a Chorus about Christmastime. They were so terrific, well… I fell asleep with my imagineerin’ hat on one night, and voila ~~ the TW Chorus can make the “vroooms”. So, Cinny gathered up the singing Barrows and they began practicing.

The Cabana Crew installed a recording studio. Their vroom would be recorded onto a microchip. The microchips are installed inside 2 ergonomic handles … forming the throttles. The slightest pressure on the handles causes them to go “vroooom”. Having worked so closely in the details of transferring the microchips, she proceeded to do the same to get that “Grrrr” Muffler sound. And they went back to practice, in a different pitch this time.

Cinny installed the microchips into the cables [leftover from the installation of the TVs on the Island] and affixed the cable connections to the throttles. So, a wee bit of pressure ~~ and “vrooooooooom” “grrrrr”! Thanks, Cinny! Thanks, TW!

“From baemi on 2/20/2007 8:43:09 PM
G’evening everyone and Terri thanks so much for hosting tonight. I’m here carrying my own 3980 unsmoked horrifires as TW Esq my Talking Wheelbarrow is down in the makeshift recording studio with the Wheelbarrow Chorus. They are putting the final touches on the recordings that will form the sounds of Tony's Mosaic Motorcycle. Tonight’s the night they’ll finish up! According to Jan’s master plan, the chips on which the sounds are recorded are inserted into the cables, so that when the ergonomic handles are gently pressed, the throttles VROOOOOOM and the vibration travels down the cables to make the BMW Muffler sound. The Chorus has been working their derrieres off (do Wheelbarrows have derrieres?), and they’ve done a great job! SO. Could we toss my 3980 unsmokeds into the fire please? Thanks. And, I’ll be off to the studio to see if I can help out with completing the recordings. Of course, I will be tap-dancing along the way! Cheers!

<tappity tappity tappity>
--Cinny D199



Meanwhile, many Qsters, Newbies, Oldbies & BBBs were mixing adhesives, testing durability at each interval of the project, and adhering shards to the netting.

Then we were finally able to place the mosaic netting in sections over the frame.

Terri2005/Terri donated her mirrors. “One of Tony's quotes made it clear a mirror was unnecessary for the trip *g*: "Put your head down and keep moving forward, don't look up, don't look right. don't look left, but most important don't ever look back!"”

lilacmamma/Nina placed her purple & lilac shards around the mounting to secure it to the adhesives.

Some Qsters kept us in good stock by fetchin’ miscellaneous equipment …. Hardhats, eyeshields…. ‘twas a task keepin’ him from usin’ the hardhat as a soupbowl at first.

Sandibou/Sandi donated 3 melamine ashtrays ~ black, red and white ~ to use upside down on the dashboard. On top of these, birdmom1/Carol used her stained glass copper to form the dial readings on the instruments.

Dptnana/Diane ran over to finish the mosaic shards for the dashboard. And Terri’s inscription … the quote from Tony … is indelibly written in permanent darker blue ink on the dashboard.

Poirier/Bob put his Wyoming Jade and turquoise over the back fender ~ and has a beautiful inscription on the license plate as well. “I wish to contribute a piece of the finest Wyoming jade as an ornament, perhaps on the fender. I should also like to grace the headlight trim with some implants of turquoise that I once found on Pike's Peak when I climbed that grand mountain. The jade is a gift from my heart and the turquoise a contribution that required some effort and sweat for me to acquire, much like the efforts Tony showed many of us in keeping our quits shiny and true. [see Bonfire Post of 2/9/07 ~~ tis beautiful!].

Tony’s profile refers to going to Oregon with a “Pocketful of Hope.”

Tis that sentiment we used that we gathered the Q-Angel Dust from those Q-Angels wishing to donate a scoopful. The Q-Angel Dust represents the “Beacon of Light” for the Journey” ~ those who go before us, lead the way.

NeedU/Susan not only donated her hand drawn ASCII art motorcycles [which ye can see in the links listed]; but she also donated 2 red reflectors for the back of the motorcycle. This will help those who are lost or struggling to continue on the course and not lose sight of the goal.

MildredNJ/Kerry donated blue shards, which she and Sten adhered to the netting and grouted in place. This represents the post of Tony’s titled “The Blue Room.” Here’s an excerpt: “ …. The room is called the Providence Cancer Center’s Chemotherapy/Infusion room. Do you get the picture? Don’t Smoke!”…..” written by Tony on his Day 245.

Quitgrandma/Gail donated red shards to be placed upon the front fender …in the form of a heart, signifying Tony’s love for all.

NeedU/Susan applied both her artistic and linguistic talents and beautifully created and posted her art and prose [Bonfire post 2/20/07]: