This is dedicated to traveling, the outdoors, cycling and friends. It is never easy and is a shock to learn that someone you met just a few weeks ago no longer is alive. That's what I felt when I read my email this morning and learned Joeri Gorter was hit by a truck while on his rowing bike last Friday.
The thing about traveling is that it helps develop a knack for sizing people up and in just a few minutes. It doesn't take too long to tell what type of person someone is. Do I like this person? Can I trust them? Do they want something from me? What type of person is this and do I get a good vibe from them? These impressions come quickly.
The impression that Brian and I got from Joeri when we first saw him rowing his bike up Highway 120 was, "wow, that guy is in pretty good shape. that looks hard, but it also looks like fun." The impression we had when we met him in the Yosemite campground was genuine. He enthusiastically accepted our meal invitation and shared his scotch with us. Right away Brian and I could tell we had met a great character. Joeri told us stores of life in the Netherlands, taught us some Dutch slang, made us laugh with tales of Amsterdam, and his plans to ride all over the US. Brian and I envied his plans. We envied his contagious optimism and attitude.
We met as strangers and departed as friends who planned to meet up in Omaha and Amsterdam for a drink.
We were looking forward to that drink.
Brian and I are saddened about this loss and will miss that reunion.
6 comments:
Joeri was a great guy, Honest to the bone.
W're making a memoriam for him on the web.
http://rowingbike.com/site/NL/Home/Joeri-Gorter/
Wow that's tragic. I'm really sorry to hear that.
Hello
Could this be the same fellow ... riding such a beautiful bicycle ... touring in his amazing way?
His death still is part of our lives.
http://radfordr.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/sad-accident-beautiful-day-october-9-2008/
Thank you.
Bob
I think is hard to say good bye to a good friend, but while we're still alive, we must keep moving on the headway and obviously, we gotta try to have fun as much as posible.
Let's enjoy while we are still alive pals!
Good vibes for everyone!
So Joeri was squashed by a truck... What an asshole!!
Thanks for sharing such an interesting post with us. You have made some valuable points which are very useful for all readers
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