Travertine Trinkets
Friday, July 11, 2008
I first met Tom Clausing in the summer of 92. It was the year I went through guide training. He and his girlfriend, Lucca, were in charge of the program. It was not until the following year that I would really have the opportunity to get to know either of them.
The summer of 93 was one of the best of my life. I had sailed in Alaska through the winter and come out debt free. This afforded me the luxury of collecting unemployment and rafting for the better part of the season. I hung with the two of them a lot that year, rafting and camping. I was a rookie so I still had a lot to learn.
Tom was a patient teacher. His ready smile made me eager to please. When he chastised me for mistakes, I worked that much harder to rectify things. There were times when I did not believe that I was capable of taking on certain descents, but I trusted him enough to know that if he thought I could then I probably could.
No matter the situation, Tom had a way of making me feel better. He never held anything over my head and he let very few things stress him out. I remember one day working on my Volkswagen. It had blown a main seal somewhere between Wenatchee and Leavenworth and I had to get it up and running. I had it towed to the depot, our launching spot for river trips, and was in the process of dropping the engine when I broke a bolt. I was pissed! This set the whole project back and now I would be lucky to get out of there in a day. At the peak of my frustration, Tom showed up with that toothy grin and easy manner. Within minutes he had removed the bolt and soothed my nerves. That’s just the way he was. I never knew him to put himself before others. He was easy to talk to and easy to be with.
The summer of 93 ended in great personal tragedy for me. Carrie and I were hurled into a deep, dark, pit of despair. I ran away the following Spring, showing my face briefly from time to time. As Summer turned to Fall, Tom and Lucca invited us to join them on the Grand Canyon. I was flabbergasted and more than a little scared. Neither of us had rowed a boat much and we had never been on an expedition float, yet here we were embarking on a three week odyssey through some of the biggest white water on Earth.
I learned a lot during that three weeks. Not just about rafting, but about myself. I always felt comfortable asking how I could have done better. I trusted that no matter how badly I screwed up, Tom would take it in stride and use the experience to make me a better boater. Although Carrie and I were not getting along well and we pretty much alienated everyone on the trip, Tom and Lucca stuck by us. One day, Tom came to me with a gift; a small trinket he had carved out of Travertine. It was a curious treasure, but one I still have to this day. I think of him when I hold it.
I worked closely with Lucca on the Skykomish after that so I didn’t get to see Tom much. I took Swiftwater river safety classes with them and of course there were the end of year bashes on the Tieton (Tom taught us how to open a beer bottle with a metal spatula). Soon, however, we drifted apart; Lucca became a Canyon guide and Tom became an E.M.T. aboard medevac helicopters in Arizona. On those rare occasions when I would see him again, Tom always had that smile on his face. It was a smile to melt away my concerns.
Tom Clausing was a model human being. He spent his life helping others. He was working to save a life when his helicopter struck another and crashed to the ground. He was my mentor, he was my friend, and I will miss him dearly.
As I write this, I can’t help but think of Lucca. She was his wife, his soulmate, and now she is his widow. Such great pain to face at such a young age. It reminds me that we must take nothing for granted. Life is a precious gift that can be recalled at any moment.
Thank you for helping me to know myself better, Tom. Thank you too for standing by me even when I pushed you away. Thank you for your strength, your courage, and your wisdom. And thank you for Travertine Trinkets to remember you by.
I first met Tom Clausing in the summer of 92. It was the year I went through guide training. He and his girlfriend, Lucca, were in charge of the program. It was not until the following year that I would really have the opportunity to get to know either of them.
The summer of 93 was one of the best of my life. I had sailed in Alaska through the winter and come out debt free. This afforded me the luxury of collecting unemployment and rafting for the better part of the season. I hung with the two of them a lot that year, rafting and camping. I was a rookie so I still had a lot to learn.
Tom was a patient teacher. His ready smile made me eager to please. When he chastised me for mistakes, I worked that much harder to rectify things. There were times when I did not believe that I was capable of taking on certain descents, but I trusted him enough to know that if he thought I could then I probably could.
No matter the situation, Tom had a way of making me feel better. He never held anything over my head and he let very few things stress him out. I remember one day working on my Volkswagen. It had blown a main seal somewhere between Wenatchee and Leavenworth and I had to get it up and running. I had it towed to the depot, our launching spot for river trips, and was in the process of dropping the engine when I broke a bolt. I was pissed! This set the whole project back and now I would be lucky to get out of there in a day. At the peak of my frustration, Tom showed up with that toothy grin and easy manner. Within minutes he had removed the bolt and soothed my nerves. That’s just the way he was. I never knew him to put himself before others. He was easy to talk to and easy to be with.
The summer of 93 ended in great personal tragedy for me. Carrie and I were hurled into a deep, dark, pit of despair. I ran away the following Spring, showing my face briefly from time to time. As Summer turned to Fall, Tom and Lucca invited us to join them on the Grand Canyon. I was flabbergasted and more than a little scared. Neither of us had rowed a boat much and we had never been on an expedition float, yet here we were embarking on a three week odyssey through some of the biggest white water on Earth.
I learned a lot during that three weeks. Not just about rafting, but about myself. I always felt comfortable asking how I could have done better. I trusted that no matter how badly I screwed up, Tom would take it in stride and use the experience to make me a better boater. Although Carrie and I were not getting along well and we pretty much alienated everyone on the trip, Tom and Lucca stuck by us. One day, Tom came to me with a gift; a small trinket he had carved out of Travertine. It was a curious treasure, but one I still have to this day. I think of him when I hold it.
I worked closely with Lucca on the Skykomish after that so I didn’t get to see Tom much. I took Swiftwater river safety classes with them and of course there were the end of year bashes on the Tieton (Tom taught us how to open a beer bottle with a metal spatula). Soon, however, we drifted apart; Lucca became a Canyon guide and Tom became an E.M.T. aboard medevac helicopters in Arizona. On those rare occasions when I would see him again, Tom always had that smile on his face. It was a smile to melt away my concerns.
Tom Clausing was a model human being. He spent his life helping others. He was working to save a life when his helicopter struck another and crashed to the ground. He was my mentor, he was my friend, and I will miss him dearly.
As I write this, I can’t help but think of Lucca. She was his wife, his soulmate, and now she is his widow. Such great pain to face at such a young age. It reminds me that we must take nothing for granted. Life is a precious gift that can be recalled at any moment.
Thank you for helping me to know myself better, Tom. Thank you too for standing by me even when I pushed you away. Thank you for your strength, your courage, and your wisdom. And thank you for Travertine Trinkets to remember you by.
MJR
posted by Bronx to Timbuktu at 4:45 PM
1 Comments:
Dear Mark,
Oh my, my, my. I am so sorry Tom Clausing died -- such a tragedy! I read about this accident but didn't know how close the death would be to you. I am so sorry you lost a friend and mentor.
Seems you have lost quite a number these years, and know it must make you sad.
Love,
Linda
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