Meriwether

I am waiting to fly out of Seattle. I have come here to say goodbye to my friend, Jim with my other friends and tribe.
Yes. Tribe. These are people who share the love of Neil Young music, guitar solos, good songs and all that goes with all of that. We are a cooperative group. We value being independent and able to care for yourself at the same time we take care of each other. Each of us 'Needs a crowd of people, but can't face them day to day'. We are all intense, passionate people with varied interests that we pursue with vigor, even as we age. When we look at the guy who inadvertently brought us together, we can see that he is like us. Or we are like him. Or we are all just a group of people who have a common way of looking at life and the world, one that has to do with movement and enjoyment and making a mark in the world. And all the Rusties do it a little differently, but we all do it with passion and interest and love. It seems to be part of our nature.
Jim was so cool. He was laid back but intense. He was kind but honest. He would help you out or tell you how to do it. He knew camping secrets that would make your life outside a little easier (or a LOT easier) if you knew them, too, and if you cared to learn, you could. He was free and easy with the sharing of music. He listened to many more folks than just Neil Young, and taught us about all those people. He was the essence of the Pacific Northwest with a Canadian sensibility. He was my friend.
Most of what I did with Jim was travel down the Pacific Coast, which you may know, is one of my best favorite things to do in life. He made a wonderful pork tenderloin that we would traditionally have early in the trip. Every night, a fire under the stars (or, as is more often the case in the PNW, the clouds). If it rained, he had the way about a tarp, it went up, quickly and accurately.
Jim was sort of the glue for us. He modeled the sort of behavior and love and caring that people should want to be like, and we all did.... it could be called 'the hippie dream' without the injurious substances.... Jim was in recovery and made it look good.
I have to be off now. I will remember this man for the rest of my life and look up to him still.....