my first face to face with FJ
was at SWTF in 2011 as well.
as is often the case, when i attended
one of our rallies, my presence - prior to
arrival - was only known by a couple of folks.
FJ did not know ahead of time.
i was standing near the top of the stairs in Dwight's kitchen
when John came in the house.
He looked up, did a double take, looked up again and realized who
he was looking at.
Let me tell you, that was some hug.
It was during that rally when John said,
"i had no idea Shari (mert) was such a
hugger." We had already been close in mind
but meeting in person, spending a few days
around our friends definitely cemented
the friendship.
The following year I was to turn 50.
I rented a house on Blood Mountain
for GA12. I knew there was no other
place I could spend my birthday that year.
Something about Georgia in The Pines...
anyway, I encouraged John to come
to GA celebrate friendship, ride
those amazing roads, and give me a birthday hug.
moe was a major architect of that trip and helped
pull everything together.
I wish Fj had felt better on that journey.
He was definitely struggling with his health.
One evening it was just he and I at the mountain house.
we were piecing together a loose plan for
me to attend Kootenay later that year.
For me that is where the ride ended. i never did get to see FJ in his territory.
The call came while I was in The Adirondack Mountains for Americade. bittersweet to say the least.
