Louise and I were extremely saddened to learn this evening of the passing of one of our dear friends, Clarke Stanley. We met Clarke and his wife, Leslie, through motorcyling, and shared a special kinship with them, as we were often the only two couples at a rally who arrived on four separate motorcycles. We enjoyed many spirited rides with them, and almost as many meals.

Clarke and Leslie have, for many years, served as the consumate hosts of our very favorite annual rally in their home town of San Luis Obispo, California. Universally loved by everyone in the group, Clarke will be sorely missed. A brief memorial is on the California HSTA web page here.

We had hoped to see Clarke last week at the WeStar rally in Diamond Lake, but we got tied up at the paint shop. We were only 120 miles away, though, and, in hindsight, we could have made more of an effort to be there. Clarke died on his way home from that rally. We are reminded that our friends and family are the most valuable things in our lives, and every opportunity to spend time together is precious.

Clarke was almost exactly my father's age. Interestingly, they both served in Occupation Forces Japan at about the same time. Watching Clarke and Leslie ride together and interact with each other and their friends has always inspired me, and I saw in them a model for what our lives could be like in another thirty years -- still riding, still enjoying life to the fullest, and still very much in love.

Goodbye, Clarke. We miss you.