ALWAYS LOOKING UP - ART CLIMBING OUTSIDE STEAMBOAT 1972-ish
ON THE ROAD - FAREWELL OLD BUDDY
Neither wind nor rain…. Nor broken down transportation would stop us from going where we wanted to. Often he would talk me into giving him a ride on my old Kawasaki 250. Once,while it was running on only one cylinder the two of us, overloaded, drove down I-25 highway traffic in the dark for an hour to his mom’s house in Aurora… for fondue,- to help her celebrate her new polka doted kitchen.
Art later, wound up driving her car, that ragged old brown/ tan ?/ what was it.. a dodge dart?... the one Art would years later drive down the back roads to avoid the cops… and to avoid getting pulled over for them for the missing headlight, or for the way it was wired and duct-taped together to keep it running. The car that art would have to get out of first, so he could walk around to the passenger side and open the door from the outside… the only way to get that done. Of course having license and registration wasn’t really important, was it?
I think it was this same car, in its earlier years, that we once drove down Independence Pass into Aspen one fall night under a full moon in the early 70’s: Art… “Hey Mike, pull the car over”… me…”Why?”, Art..” I want to ride on the hood (of the car) and check out my new Parka and gloves in the wind-chill…"Well … OK"….. and….shortly after …. “Hey Mike… turn off the engine…its downhill for miles, let’s just coast down the pass”…. And finally… “Hey Mike…. Turn off the headlights…. It’s sooooo beautiful out!” THAT was Art.
Here I found myself, 18 years old, no lights, no engine, coasting down the Rocky Mountains in the dark, head out the window to see better…..this strange, enchanting inspiring person sitting on the hood of the car I was driving…., this truly unique individual the lights off, AND everybody HOME….. Home with the joy of just being in the moment and the wildness of being truly alive...
Perhaps it is these memories of how richly, fully, and joyously those years with Art were, that brought tears to my eyes today. The world is a little less bright with your passing. Thanks for all. We will miss you Higbee-San.
L.O.L. - M.L.S.
Neither wind nor rain…. Nor broken down transportation would stop us from going where we wanted to. Often he would talk me into giving him a ride on my old Kawasaki 250. Once,while it was running on only one cylinder the two of us, overloaded, drove down I-25 highway traffic in the dark for an hour to his mom’s house in Aurora… for fondue,- to help her celebrate her new polka doted kitchen.
Art later, wound up driving her car, that ragged old brown/ tan ?/ what was it.. a dodge dart?... the one Art would years later drive down the back roads to avoid the cops… and to avoid getting pulled over for them for the missing headlight, or for the way it was wired and duct-taped together to keep it running. The car that art would have to get out of first, so he could walk around to the passenger side and open the door from the outside… the only way to get that done. Of course having license and registration wasn’t really important, was it?
I think it was this same car, in its earlier years, that we once drove down Independence Pass into Aspen one fall night under a full moon in the early 70’s: Art… “Hey Mike, pull the car over”… me…”Why?”, Art..” I want to ride on the hood (of the car) and check out my new Parka and gloves in the wind-chill…"Well … OK"….. and….shortly after …. “Hey Mike… turn off the engine…its downhill for miles, let’s just coast down the pass”…. And finally… “Hey Mike…. Turn off the headlights…. It’s sooooo beautiful out!” THAT was Art.
Here I found myself, 18 years old, no lights, no engine, coasting down the Rocky Mountains in the dark, head out the window to see better…..this strange, enchanting inspiring person sitting on the hood of the car I was driving…., this truly unique individual the lights off, AND everybody HOME….. Home with the joy of just being in the moment and the wildness of being truly alive...
Perhaps it is these memories of how richly, fully, and joyously those years with Art were, that brought tears to my eyes today. The world is a little less bright with your passing. Thanks for all. We will miss you Higbee-San.
L.O.L. - M.L.S.
