I first met Rick Phelps over the phone sometime in 1995. Back then I was answering phones at Kelty in St Louis and Rick called begging for some gear he could auction off to benefit his ski patrol squad. The guy had an uncanny ability to make you laugh and we became fast friends, even though he lived in Portland and I was busy killing my liver in the Midwest. We stayed in touch over the years, talking a couple of times a month on the phone and when I escaped St Louis and moved to Colorado in 97 Rick told me I had to take up fly fishing. At the time I was much more interested in riding my bike and climbing in the Rockies but Rick wouldn't take no for an answer, he was like that, and sent me a 4 weight Orvis rod and reel. I finally brought that rod and reel on a camp out in the Tetons and I somehow managed to hook a small cutty in some pocket water on a Leigh Lake feeder creek. It was my first fish on the fly and the one that hooked me on fly fishing, something that defines me today.
Rick and I continued to stay in touch and when I moved to Seattle to work for Patagonia in 2005 I finally had the chance to meet the man and his family at his home in Portland. He was truly larger than life and despite never actually meeting face to face , it was like getting together with an old childhood friend. Rick was the kindest soul I had ever met along with a heart to match. Since then we chased salmon a couple of times together and Marie and I had a chance to hang with his clan at his log cabin near the Sandy. Whenever my travels took me to Portland I'd try to grab dinner with Rick, his wife Tanya and their kids Hannah and Alex...... which was usually followed by a tour of Rick's whiskey collection.
About eight months ago I got a call from Rick after he had been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. As always his spirits were strong and doctors were optimistic, but the setbacks came early and with mind numbing consequences. My last conversation with him was a call he made to me from his hospital bed a few days after 18 hours of surgery. I told him everything was going to be OK but you could hear in his voice that it was battle he was probably not going to win. I promised I would get down to see him but never made it and the news came yesterday that Rick passed away last week.
I guess in some way it makes sense that our unique friendship that started with a phone call was to end with a phone call but I'll never forgive myself for not making the trip to say goodbye to my old friend.
Rest in peace buddy.