I'm taking a break from Friday News and Views this week to do a special post for my old friend and Trans Iowa volunteer/photographer/advisor Wally Kilburg who died last Monday. (You can read my eulogy HERE)
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Taken as I left Wally and his friend George the last time I spent time with Wally.
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Wally was a special person in my life, and while I did not know him very long or all that well, he still managed to touch my life in a way that I did not expect. Of course, his elevation of Trans Iowa via his imagery was stellar. It is probably what he is most well known for by cyclists and since that is the case, I wanted to share my favorite Wally images today to celebrate a man and a life well-lived.
These are going to be mostly Trans Iowa images, so many of these have been shown before, but I still wanted to share them with you today and to remind us all that we should take time to see, call, or get in touch with friends and family. If you get nothing else out of this post, I hope that it is that you act on that thought today.
And with that.... (All Images by Wally Kilburg )
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Current Iowa Wind and Rock RD, Sarah Cooper at a Trans Iowa start line.
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Trans Iowa v9
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Trans Iowa v9
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Trans Iowa v10
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Trans Iowa v10
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Trans Iowa v12
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Trans Iowa v10
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Trans Iowa v12
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Trans Iowa v11
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Current Iowa Wind and Rock RD, Steve Fuller finishing T.I.v9
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Trans Iowa v9
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Trans Iowa v12
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Trans Iowa v9
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Trans Iowa v12
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The last shot here is really special to me. I never have had anyone capture myself and Trans Iowa in a way that made us all look like rock stars, but Wally did it and what a brilliant shot! Wally, being the sweetheart that he was, printed this out in large format and sent it to me for free. What a guy! What a gift! I look at this image on my wall often and I thank Wally every time for that.
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Goodbye Wally! I will miss you!
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The last time I spent any significant time with Wally, and George Keslin, of course, the two were nearly inseparable, was at the end of checking cues for Trans Iowa v13. That was when Wally was just starting to deal with his wife Irene's failing health.
It was a difficult day, at times, but we made it through and at the end of it all I sat out in the back of the motel that Wally and George were spending the night at for a bit of a chat.
Wally was smoking a cigar, as he was wont to do, and we had a few beers at a picnic table sitting near a farm field facing East. I remember the breeze and the grass waving in the wind. It was a great day for mid-April, and it was warm enough to sit outside for quite some time. And that is exactly what we did.
Wally and George were quite a pair, and anyone who knew them could tell you that these two guys were two peas in a pod. They had shared many an adventure, and the stories were almost too wild to be true. I enjoyed being regaled by them with their tales.
On one hand, I felt honored to be in the presence of such fast friends who were willing to share with me their lives. On the other hand I felt as though I was unworthy of being their friend. My life was a boring story compared to these two troopers! But Wally would not have had it any other way than to have me sitting there that evening. And I know that, if it were possible, he would have spent even more time with me. But it wasn't to be.
I saw Wally briefly at the very start of festivities for Trans Iowa v13, but he had to get back to Chicago to take care of Irene, and that journey was just beginning for him. In the end, it turned out to be the last time I spoke to him.
So, I will always treasure that warm Spring evening at that picnic table out back of a motel in Grinnell. At least I had the chance to sit and relax once with Wally and his friend George and just put everything aside that had to do with Trans Iowa and just be with them.
Rest easy, Wally! Thank you for all you did to enrich my, and others lives the way that you did.
6 comments:
Man, I am choked up. A beautiful tribute and post to old friends. I don’t know you, or Wally, or George, but as I experienced the images and soaked in the words you provided it reminded me of all the special people in my life that I know and have known, and how we all touch each other with our art and love. Doing beautiful simple things you love enriches the lives of those around us, and Wally’s legacy is the images and friends that remain. Thanks for sharing, GT. Peace.
That is a great tribute to Wally! Thank you for putting it together. I remember that day well. As always, it was a lot of fun driving all over Iowa checking the cues and road conditions while sharing stories and laughs. The evening we shared out behind the hotel was just a continuation of a great day with more stories and some good belly laughs. Wally and I continued to recall and share stories about those fun times and the great friends we made. Thanks for allowing us to be part of the adventures of Trans Iowa! Those memories always bring a smile and another story. Take care my friend!!
@tntmoriv - Thank you! That means a lot to me that you felt that way about this post.
@George - My sincerest condolences George! Thank you for enriching my life and being a part of my stories.
What a great talent. We’re all enriched that he used it to cover our sport. And, what a beautiful remembrance. Thank you.
@fasteddy - Thank you!
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