MY OLDEST FRIEND, MY NEWEST FRIEND

• These are my newest and oldest friends. I will start with John. He is not the oldest person I know, I have just been riding mountain bikes with him longer than anyone else. We started together. Basically when mountain bikes came out of the closet and into the forest. I think this was around 1983 or so. I think I started racing one year before John, but we have been on the same team the for over 20 years. First Sunnyside, then Bridgestone and of course Sunnyside  again. We don't keep track of who is better. He finishes ahead of me, I finish ahead of him. No egos here, just friendship. More talk than most men I would say. He built my first Sunnyside Building, he built my first deck. He put in most of my double pane windows. He comes to the store to hang out. When he noticed that some other nordic skiers were wearing a competitors logo on their jackets he came and got a Sunnyside one . Like I said he is my friend. That is him with his new Trek.
  
• I can't possibly count the number of bikes he has got from me. Treks, Bridgestones, GTs, more Treks. We ride together a lot. Long rides, short rides, mainly mountain bikes. We both like to road ride but our hearts are with our mountain bikes. We don't do bad for a couple of near 60 year olds (me a little younger he a little older). I can't wait for the snow to clear so we can ride in the high country. We have a special lunch place we stop above Tumulo Creek to look over the cliff to see Central Oregon.  I like to stop there and remember all the rides and all the friends I have. 
• Eifa is my newest friend. I haven't met her yet, I have met her older sister Ione. This photo was so cute I had to use it. Eifa is 5 days old, weighs in at 6.15 pounds and is Scottish. I was in Scotland last year to visit Ione and her parents Pete and Ali, and also to deliver Ione her first bike (a Skuut). I think Pete ended up with a bike also. Now we have to return and see our newest friend. 
• Friends are important. Do not neglect them. Nurture your friendships and you will be rewarded.
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