first met RJ in Johnson City years ago.
On my way out to Rapid City in 2012 he asked if I would stop off in his town. He had some kind of deal with the manager of MicroTel and I booked a room at a good rate. Did not know he had a system with the manager that your credit card ended up not being rung up even tho you thought it was. Pissed me off as I didn't want him paying for my room His response was when his kids left he made the 4br house into a 1br house and would not let any visitor pay for a room. We argued but he won, I paid for dinner tho lol at his BBQ place. He had 02 but didnt use it that nite.
When I had that rear tire disaster entering DesMoines on the ride with Mad6 and Gman, RJ offered me MGM for the week. But it wouldnt start. It made him nuts that the trike wouldn't start. Finally we found it was because he forgot he turned off the fuel when parking him in the garage (He called MGM him) lol After riding MGM around the block I decided discretion was the better part of valor and rented a car from the enterprise at the airport down the road. So I finished the trip west in a car (actually a real smart decision as I'd never ridden a trike let alone one with fully independent suspension and your 1st ride should not be a full day at 85+mph with big cross winds on route 90)
RJ was hooked up to o2 on that last visit and had deep sixed the 02 arrangements some of us had made as he just was worried about being dependent on others if he would go to IZ in Spearfish
RJ truly had a huge heart and would give you anything if you were his friend. And he had a lot of friends. I believe rainmaker also stopped off a few times on his way west besides Mad6gun.
I know he really missed the old chat room and loved the Temp board so he could talk to Lady Draco and a few others daily. He had so many of us on prayer list at church and also sent his version of audition emails to some of us on a regular basis
We are all better off for knowing that giant of a man
