VOLUME ISSUE SEPTEMBER , P133
the enthusiasm of a new father,
not one who'd been in the game
for the best part of two decades
already.
Evans and I connected on a
deeper level because father-
hood has not been the easiest
of journeys for me. Although our
lives were intrinsically different,
Evans would offer little tidbits
of advice, especially in the early
years of my journey as a father
that have helped shape how I
approach the most important
job in the world of raising a
functional member of society.
Love and patience were gener-
ally the answers to most of my
questions.
Evans and I shared many a
deep conversation, me usually
with a beer in hand and him with
something much healthier like
a glass of water after he kicked
the drinking habit 15 or so years
ago.
One thing that always struck
me about Evans was his genu-
ine interest in what was going
on in my life. He'd ask about
my son and wife, about how I
might be missing Australia and
the family contained there, and
of course about the health and
prosperity of Cycle News, which
was naturally a competitor for
advertising dollars but all part of
this ecosystem of adult children
who didn't want to grow up and
get real jobs—what's that? An
-
other trip to Spain? I'll take it!
He wanted to know all the
details of my time at Pikes Peak
and the Isle of Man TT, and I'd
try and dress the stories up to
give them a bit of pizzaz to keep
his company.
That was the thing with
Evans—if you had his attention,
you had it completely. He'd
listen to what you were say
-
ing, really listen, not dilute the
moment by checking his phone
or looking over your shoulder
for the next, more interesting
person to talk to.
And you could always count
on that chuckling, chortling
laugh that usually drowned out
everyone else's. He would have
made the best grandfather. He
was, in effect, the American
motorcycle media's benevolent
old uncle.
Evans' death leaves a massive
hole in our little industry, and all
of us here at Cycle News would
like to extend our deepest condo
-
lences to Evans' family, friends,
the Motorcycle.com team and
colleagues from around the
world.
Initially shared by Eric Putter,
this article, titled Motorcycles
and Risk: What Do We Tell Our
Mothers? was penned by Evans
after the death of his colleague
and friend, Greg McQuide.
In it, Evans is at his linguistic
best, telling his story of how
he came to hear his calling to
motorcycles and this industry
as his profession while grap
-
pling with Greg's passing and
talking about it with his naturally
concerned mother.
"For me, the attraction of
riding motorcycles comes from
achieving total presence on the
bike," Evans writes. "At these
moments, the past only con
-
tains the last few corners, the
future exists just as far ahead
as I can see, and the present
consists of me, the motorcycle
and the road. All are one in a
dance; the air streaming past,
my senses consumed by the
exquisite instant at the thresh
-
old of being. Time stretches to
encompass the sensation of the
surface of the road, the subtle
changes within the machine, the
taste of the wind and my inner
focus and calm."
I hope Evans is now at peace.
He left an impression on his
family, friends and colleagues
few could dream of, and I for
one am going to miss our chats,
his laugh and the good times we
shared across the world terribly.
Farewell, mate. See you on
the other side.
CN
THE LOVE THIS MAN
HAD FOR HIS FAMILY
WAS ABSOLUTE.
HE'D DELIGHT IN
TELLING ANYONE
WHO WOULD LISTEN
JUST HOW PROUD
HE WAS OF HIS
DAUGHTERS AS THEY
NAVIGATED THEIR
WAY THROUGH
ADOLESCENCE AND
INTO WOMANHOOD.
