Allow me to add my $.02 to the Dick Criswell tributes.
I corresponded with Dick for some time before I actually met him face to
face and knew him to be a true "enthusiast" (see Barney's message for the
poem). When we did finally meet, at GoF West `96 in the Columbia Gorge I
found him to be just as warm and friendly in person as he was on the lists.
GoF's are rather overwhelming (it was my first) and we didn't spend too much
time together. The Brit Run to the Sun provided an opportunity to rectify
that. My poor old TC was not quite up to the task of keeping up with "the
MGA with an attitude" and Dicks V8 GT for any more than a few miles so I
decided not to bog them down by tagging along for very far but I did drive
300 miles up the Fraser Canyon to meet up with the trekkers and camp out
with them at their rendezvous. Dick and I arrived within minutes of one
another and spent the afternoon and the next day swapping MG stories and
taking in the Vintage drags and hot rod show at the local strip. (that's me
with Dick in the first picture Barney mentioned) Eventually the rest of the
group showed up and, next morning, we were off for an hour or two drive
north for breakfast. ( I imagine the rest of the trekkers were itching to
get the show on the road but, in the interest of "togetherness" it was
decided the TC would lead the pack) I left the trekkers that morning and
headed south for home happy in the knowledge that I'd finally put faces to
some familiar list names and that I'd made a good friend.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Dick's accident and untimely death
just days later but, after some reflection, I realized that though his death
was a loss to us all, not many of us can hope to die doing something we
truely love.
Fast forward.....
Yesterday was an absolutey horrid Wet Coast day, cool, grey and rainy all
day. My SO and I had a club commitment to attend an anniversary party for a
restored steam locomotive and, in typical stubborn fasion I refused to mount
the hood. We drove the 30 or so miles in the rain topless. The event we
were to attend had invited clubs of 40`s and 50`s cars to display as part of
the celebrations. Strangely we had a %100 turnout of those members ofour
club who said they'd be there. In the display area were a couple Fords, a
single Chevy, a Studebaker Hawk, two vintage Harley's, an A. H. 100 and 13
MG T's! On the way home I spotted 5 MGB's. In the rain mind you!
I wonder, did Dick's spirit have anything to do with this flush of MG's on
such a day or did I just notice them more because I was thinking of him as
we drove? Our hobby is less than it was with the loss of such an Enthusiast.
We miss you Dick....
Ross MacPherson
TC-3528 , `66 BGT, NEMGT - #11849
Surrey, BC, Canada
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