Ken Vetrovec, 59, of Racine County, Wis., died Monday in a motorcycle crash near Ely, Nev., while heading home after completing a Route 66 trip from Chicago to Los Angeles, reported the Journal Times of Racine.
Vetrovec was headed toward home when he was involved in the crash that took his life. He was riding his motorcycle east on Highway 6, about 37 miles east of Ely, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.
Just before 5 p.m., Vetrovec was apparently trying to take a photograph while traveling down a slight left hand curve, said a press release from the highway patrol. He drifted off the right dirt shoulder, where his motorcycle hit a steel road marker and overturned several times.
Troopers said Vetrovec was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries as a result. He was wearing a helmet.
According to those who knew him, Vetrovec made an annual trip on Route 66. He was a county supervisor for six terms and was an executive director for the Gateway Technical College foundation.
Vetrovec kept a blog called Motorcycle Riding Route 66, with his last post on July 6.
UPDATE: Here’s a story in the Journal Times about Vetrovec’s funeral on Saturday.
Rest in peace, Ken Vetrovec. Have fun cruising the Golden Streets in Heaven.
Say, “Hi” to Lucille Hammons, Cyrus Avery, and Will Rogers for me.