When I was in high school in the 1980s, Tom was a larger than life figure for me.  He was an avid rider, routinely taking epic rides up from Sequoia Lake (below Grant’s Grove in Kings Canyon) where we worked to Kings and Sequoia National Park.  He raced in triathlons a couple of times a summer it seemed.  He made intense physical challenges seem easy.

 He was about eight years older than me.  He took me under his wing.  We routinely it seemed swam across Sequoia Lake.  We took several outings, perhaps 10 or so over two or three summers up to the national parks, in his tiny Honda Civic hatchback. His road bike barely fit I suppose.  I feel like we did a lot together over those summers.

I’ve gone back to Sequoia Lake annually for years as an adult.  I’ve wondered about Tom.  I very much wish I could have seen him again to let him know how much I appreciate the small and positive impact I feel like he’s made in my life.

As a UC Davis student back then, he could have done a lot of different things with his summers.  I suppose Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks drew him up to Sequoia Lake for months on end because those mountains provide endless challenges on foot, on road bike, or swimming.  At least Tom passed in place he clearly loved undertaking the type of challenge that has drawn him to those parts for decades.  I'm sorry for his family's loss.  It's not alone in grief and in celebration of his life.