I'm passionate about my family, my career, bicycles and British sports cars. When I joined the list, Chris was the first to reply off list inquiring about my email address. From there we exchanged some very thoughtful and engaging discussion on cars and then a bit back to bicycles. He would write me whenever I posted those hugely long lists of parts for sale which I do every now and again; Chris was always amused by the length and detail and organization of my lists - he'd always tell me so and then be amongst the first to buy all sorts of stuff. When my email service provider changed resulting in a minor change to my email address, I notified the list and wrote something like "should anyone care..." Chris took some time to reply to say "I care, thanks for notifying me."
My wife and I met Dale about 3 years ago, just by chance when we were on vacation antiquing in NC. I always hunt down bike shops and it was a strange coincidence to pop into Dales shop having no idea at first that it was the list masters shop. Dale treated Melinda and I like family, warm, comfortable and as if we had a long standing close relationship. Chris made me feel that way too and I never even met him in person.
I have yet to attend Cirque. Work has always interfered. I've let my career get in the way of some of my list friendships by being to busy or tired to reply back to friends. I've missed my chance to meet Chris, someone who was special - I knew it and this list has expressed those sentiments many times now. There are many of you whom I want to meet, in person, just as I would have liked to meet Chris. I've been thinking a lot about my priorities lately. I'm not about to do anything rash, but I've known I needed to get more fun and friendship back towards the top of the list.
I'll be at Cirque next year - no if's and's or but's. It is so unfortunate that Chris's passing, the resulting posts with your touching comments, are what have startled me into a shift of priorities. Work, my career are still important but not more so than missing out on the chance to spend time with the list, deepening friendships, starting new ones. How could I have missed that till now? Thank you Chris, you have had a greater impact on me and many on the list than you would have thought.
May you rest in peace.
Eric Elman
very sad, in Somers, CT