The Riding Community Mourns the Loss of Iconic Trail Steward Lyon Payne
As the news of Lyon Payne’s tragic passing spreads throughout the off-road motorcycle community, the OMRA would like to take this time to honor him and his commitment to the sport he loved.
You don’t have to look too far to find someone who has had a friendly encounter with Lyon. Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him would tell you that his infectious smile and enthusiasm for working on trails in the Tillamook State Forest were always on full display, and he was quick to humbly deflect any praise that came his way. He was a reluctant legend.
He made it his mission in “retirement” to ensure he did everything he could to make the sport of single track dirt bike riding accessible and great for the generations of riders who came after him. He was a man who felt it was his duty to give back to the sport that had given so much to him. Truly, he was the best of us, and we should all aspire to carry that sense of stewardship and responsibility with us when we think about how we can give back to the sport we love.
In the wake of the news of his passing, the OMRA has received many questions asking how best we can honor his memory and continue with the good work he was doing in the woods we all love. Plans are being made for memorial trail work party days and memorial rides. Lyon constantly expressed that he wished more folks would get involved with trail maintenance projects. We’ll make sure to pass along details of those events when we get them.
