Yes Brooke, 'Pascal the Rascal' as we used to call him way back around the campfire at Lake George. We all used to be camped in little pup tents...and John would pull in with this enormous RV...with a big smile on his face!
I visited John's house in Farmington one year when I took Amtrak with my bike out to Gallup and tried to ride north across the Navajo res to the beginning of
Ride the Rockies in Durango, Colorado. But about 5pm I got caught in a massive sandstorm out in the barren wastes, and sought refuge in an abandoned '47 Chevvy, which I shared with a couple of families of desert rats while the wind howled outside.
Then all of a sudden, around 3am, it was deathly quiet. The full moon was out, the desert was quiet, and I emerged from the Chevvy to one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever enjoyed. Spectacular!
The next morning I rode into Farmington, checked into the Holiday Inn, and was having a big breakfast by 8am. I called John and he came over to the motel to pick me up and we spent a very pleasant day together, including a delicious Southwest dinner at his house. The contrast between the two nights was extreme; I've always had good memories of John since then. And too, of the unifying power of orienteering!