becker69
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- January 28, 2001
- Messages
- 993
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Centennial, CO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 01 Sport Trac
Ok, I've been away from the forums for quite some time, and I couldn't find the right thread to mention my comments... so I apologize, but I wanted to write a few words about John.
After I had wheeled my ST in '01 for the first time, John was the first Explorer/ST member that I actually met when I was in AZ in '01. Sparing all the cool (or meaningless) details, I was happy to wheel with him in CA, AZ, NM, and UT. While in the military, (and poor) he offered and let me stay at his Dad's house in Las Cruces to wheel with he and his wife in NM with a bunch of jeepers. Subsequently, he demonstrated that he wasn't bothered by threat of breakage or severe body damage. (He bent a Tie-rod on a particularly nasty rock climb.. and in ST fashion, I personally repeated the mechanical weakness in Moab 2009). Needless to say, the Jeepers were impressed and so was (mind you I drove 40% of the trail and then rode with him
His picture from atop(standing) his hood at 'Top of the World' made me want to do the trail too! He really was the first ST to wheel, wheel hardcore, and go big and wheel hardcore... with every bell and whistle. (I can remember his Red rope lights when we were at truckhaven, his busting his fuel filler line with new 35's... and teaching a ton of tech tips since then). The trips we wheeled together on, I felt like he was the big brother in his huge BAD black ST, all setup and I was the little brother with my small white ST on 32's wanting to have the fun that he always did. I believe that he, and later I were the first ST's to go wheelin' on EF trips. He was one-of-a-kind, and a helluva good dude. And I feel disappointed and sick that I didn't know of his loss until now. But I pray for his family; his dearest loved ones, and I hope they know just how revered he was in our community, (and most importantly that, besides wheelin' and Fords, that he was, and is appreciated for the man he was). May God rest your soul John. I only wish I got to know you better.
After I had wheeled my ST in '01 for the first time, John was the first Explorer/ST member that I actually met when I was in AZ in '01. Sparing all the cool (or meaningless) details, I was happy to wheel with him in CA, AZ, NM, and UT. While in the military, (and poor) he offered and let me stay at his Dad's house in Las Cruces to wheel with he and his wife in NM with a bunch of jeepers. Subsequently, he demonstrated that he wasn't bothered by threat of breakage or severe body damage. (He bent a Tie-rod on a particularly nasty rock climb.. and in ST fashion, I personally repeated the mechanical weakness in Moab 2009). Needless to say, the Jeepers were impressed and so was (mind you I drove 40% of the trail and then rode with him
His picture from atop(standing) his hood at 'Top of the World' made me want to do the trail too! He really was the first ST to wheel, wheel hardcore, and go big and wheel hardcore... with every bell and whistle. (I can remember his Red rope lights when we were at truckhaven, his busting his fuel filler line with new 35's... and teaching a ton of tech tips since then). The trips we wheeled together on, I felt like he was the big brother in his huge BAD black ST, all setup and I was the little brother with my small white ST on 32's wanting to have the fun that he always did. I believe that he, and later I were the first ST's to go wheelin' on EF trips. He was one-of-a-kind, and a helluva good dude. And I feel disappointed and sick that I didn't know of his loss until now. But I pray for his family; his dearest loved ones, and I hope they know just how revered he was in our community, (and most importantly that, besides wheelin' and Fords, that he was, and is appreciated for the man he was). May God rest your soul John. I only wish I got to know you better.
