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In the summer of 1975 Bob Volke and I hiked from the top of Harts pass near Slate Peak from the head water of the middle fork of the Pasayten River and connected to the trail following Robinson creek. We took pictures and fished and enjoyed the natural beauty of the Pasayten Wilderness. Bob had a tender side that not many people knew even though Bob was known as a bit snarky with a dry sense of humor in High School. A picture showing Bob at the beginning of our walk ever ready for fun and enchantment can be viewed on my profile. And I being witty and always able to make a mockery out of any situation snapped the picture. But, we both loved truth and honesty. We had a special relationship playing football together on the same side of the line and acting in plays like we were the old pros. Our parents had property in the Lost River Association and we spent summers together there. And of the picture, our dad's picked the hike after they talked to the old ones. We took three days to walk down the ravine and caught plenty of rainbow trout stopping anywhere our hearts desired to play in the wilderness. There's nothing like trout frying over a campfire and we talked like two chatter boxes about our football season ahead and of course, our personal philosophies on life among other things. Bob passed away last year and was suffering from dementia. Life is like hiking a trail, you know where the trail leads, but you don't know what you will find along the way. Bob was a genuine and sincere friend. He played on in football after high school while I could not continue due to bad knees. I think he suffered a lot of trauma growing up a military son. He never gave up as he turned himself into a passionate artist in Portland, but he could not escape his troubled thoughts. Art for him became what our hiking was for both of us. Life is what it looks like; somehow he saw humanness and compassion in everyone he met. His portraits he left behind remind us of part of his philosophy, an explainable but oh too real vivid caricature of human spirit. He was a great friend of mine. Bob is among the living spirit gods on Mt. Mazama now. He called up north "God's country" where we spent the long pleasant summers recreating where the Lost River meets the Methow. Walk on my dear friend in to the wilderness, the pure simple and real outdoors. It became part of our soul that we discovered on the beautiful wanderings among the mountains and valleys of this part of Washington State. You may see someone like yourself in his vivid portraits. While he was living his art went for around $500 a piece. I think his art is beautiful they remind me of my memories of Bob. |
