Friends and family of Robert ‘Loppy’ Longford will set off for one last ride to remember their mate on Saturday.
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Loppy tragically died in 2017 from injuries sustained in a crash while riding his motorcycle along Wallendoon Street.
Next Monday, Loppy would have turned 60 and to celebrate his birthday and his memory, his friends and family are preparing for a final motorbike ride to Tumut.
“He loved Tumut,” Loppy’s wife Deb Longford said.
“It was his favourite place to go, he lived there for a little while and had many fond memories.”
Loppy’s motorbike has been repaired and one of his school friends, Alan Cassidy, will ride the bike along with Mrs Longford as passenger.
Mrs Longford said she and her husband would often ride to Tumut from Cootamundra.
She said around 80 friends and family are expected to join what will be the final ride with Loppy’s bike.
“He would always go for a ride with his mates on his birthday before returning for a party,” she said.
It won’t just be people from Cootamundra, people are travelling from around the Riverina, the state’s south coast and Sydney, plus Canberra, Queensland and Victoria.
The ride will start at the Family Hotel and once the riders return from Tumut, they will visit the Cootamundra cemetery and lay some flowers for Loppy.
Afterwards a function to pay tribute to Loppy will be held at the Family Hotel.
As well as one last ride to remember Loppy, a bench has been placed in Cootamundra’s cemetery with a plaque dedicating it.
Mrs Longford said she had visited the cemetery a number of times and noticed a lack of seating for people paying their respects and visiting loved ones.
The bench seat will be a permanent fixture for all families visiting the Cootamundra cemetery.
‘One last ride’ for Loppy starts at the Family Hotel from 10.30am on Saturday.