Sad News. I didn’t have the chance to get to know him deeply, but during the few times we spoke, he struck me as a kind person with a unique sense of humor. My condolences to his friends and family. Rest in peace.
Sad News
- Thread starter JohnVee
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I can't even remember the first time I met Eric, but I felt for the guy, ever since going to advise on renovations of his parents house and learning the horrible truth about his dads passing . That perspective granted an understanding of any peculiarities he shared. Always a good guy, with some unique rigs.
Rest well my friend...
Rest well my friend...
Fort Knox
SILVER Star
Eric may not have been around for the beginning of ONSC, but it sure felt like he was, because he was just always there. I can’t really think of a specific story at the moment, just a series of memories of conversations about this and that, fun times around the campfire, followed by Eric passed out in, under, or just somewhere near his truck. He and I never really hung out apart from ONSC events, but I’ll miss seeing him at every event.
Rest well my friend. You’ll be missed!
Rest well my friend. You’ll be missed!
Sad news. A while back I opted to try and host a monthly meeting a bit north of Charlotte and he was one of two people that showed up and I think he drove pretty far to be there and I always really appreciated it. As John V said he definitely cared about the club as much as anyone and I think we could all take after him a bit there. I'll definitely miss always seeing him at events, he was always a hoot. Rest well Eric
While i have been absent from the cruiser scene for a while i was able to see Eric a couple times a year when in the Charlotte area. Was an awesome dude and always had a great time with him. I can honestly say i will miss him greatly.
I miss him a lot. He was the kindest angriest man I've ever known. I believe the first time I met him was in 2014 but I might have had his HJ45 by then so it could have been sooner but my first story is in 2014 UC's Parkway Ride in October. I don't know if this is when his 80 got the name grilled cheese but it certainly got grilled on that trip. I remember getting a call from him when I was on my way up to the parkway with him saying something about the exhaust was leaking and I thought he should just go home. He didn't explain exactly where the exhaust leak was and I said for him to come on and we would fix it when he got to camp. A few hours later this smoking white 80 showed up along with Sarah in her 80. Opening up the hood it was evident the egr pipe off the manifold had broken clean off and was blowing hot exhaust on anything on the left side of the engine bay. Even his fuse box was melted. With some vey crude tools and some parts of my camping stove we bailing wired it back together.
He ended up having a great time considering it was his first time up on Black Balsam and the weather wasn't bad, which was rare. That was the beginning of me consistently prodding him mid way through a trip when he would just get pissed and say he was going home.
He had this special aurora about him that if something was going to go wrong to someone on a trip it would be to him. Bringing one of those tube type self opening tents that just crumpled in a big wind storm at Black Balsam. I still remember seeing the outline of his body in that tent as the gusts came through breaking more and more of those tiny poles. Another time he set his tent up in what he thought was an awesome spot only to find later after a big storm that it was in a large depression. He broke his rear door on his BJ and couldn't get into the back once. Another time he was driving his pickup on the trail to black balsam the tailgate came open without him knowing it. He yard sale'd all his camping gear down that trail for a good couple hundred yards before some hiker said his tailgate was open. That was an epic radio conversation with him trying to convince him to wait for help.
My kids called him their brother from another mother because he was always staying at our house for a monthly meeting or when he was on a trip with us. He was just another member of the family. The whole family loved him and always will.
When he first told me about his cancer I was in disbelief. Eric could sometimes over exaggerate what was really going on and in my mind I was hoping this was one of those times. As the weeks turned into months I saw this was not the case and what was happening to him. I had seen this before with another really good friend but when he would tell me he was giving up I would push him to get a second opinion and to stay positive. He did come down and went with us to go see the Smashing Pumpkins play. The last time I saw him was in November and I knew things weren't going well. I will miss him but will never forget the great times we had together. There is a picture I took of him at Black Balsam sitting in a chair I'll have to find.
He ended up having a great time considering it was his first time up on Black Balsam and the weather wasn't bad, which was rare. That was the beginning of me consistently prodding him mid way through a trip when he would just get pissed and say he was going home.
He had this special aurora about him that if something was going to go wrong to someone on a trip it would be to him. Bringing one of those tube type self opening tents that just crumpled in a big wind storm at Black Balsam. I still remember seeing the outline of his body in that tent as the gusts came through breaking more and more of those tiny poles. Another time he set his tent up in what he thought was an awesome spot only to find later after a big storm that it was in a large depression. He broke his rear door on his BJ and couldn't get into the back once. Another time he was driving his pickup on the trail to black balsam the tailgate came open without him knowing it. He yard sale'd all his camping gear down that trail for a good couple hundred yards before some hiker said his tailgate was open. That was an epic radio conversation with him trying to convince him to wait for help.
My kids called him their brother from another mother because he was always staying at our house for a monthly meeting or when he was on a trip with us. He was just another member of the family. The whole family loved him and always will.
When he first told me about his cancer I was in disbelief. Eric could sometimes over exaggerate what was really going on and in my mind I was hoping this was one of those times. As the weeks turned into months I saw this was not the case and what was happening to him. I had seen this before with another really good friend but when he would tell me he was giving up I would push him to get a second opinion and to stay positive. He did come down and went with us to go see the Smashing Pumpkins play. The last time I saw him was in November and I knew things weren't going well. I will miss him but will never forget the great times we had together. There is a picture I took of him at Black Balsam sitting in a chair I'll have to find.
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We had so many great times with Eric I feel like we could write a book with them. He is deeply missed.
Stopped at a random QT for a pit stop coming back from a work trip several months ago and saw a wirey dude with a Toyota hat filling up a drink. "Nice hat" to get him to look up and got flashed the Eric smile. He will be missed.
@Roxx I hope that Colby valve is still in one of the wheels. We joked about that ever since it went in at GSMTR and he refused to replace it.
@Roxx I hope that Colby valve is still in one of the wheels. We joked about that ever since it went in at GSMTR and he refused to replace it.
Green Hell Mustang
Designer, Hack Photographer
About ten years ago, I hopped out of my truck at the ONSC Meet & Greet for the first time. One of the first people to ever shake hands with me was Eric. That weekend I camped beside him, got to know him, shared stories with him, and stood in disbelief when told how many trucks he had. We became pretty fast friends. His grumpy demeanor always felt like a ruse for his kind and good-natured true self.
At one point in our conversations many years ago, I distinctly remember hearing him say “I read Toyota Trails cover to cover.” When I became the magazine’s lead designer, I felt I owed it to him personally to make it good. He really loved Toyota trucks. I am overjoyed to hear that he made it to the museum in Utah. I can only imagine he had a blast.
Eric was great behind the wheel. In 2018, at GSMTR, I rode with @fourtrax , and @4LowandSlow out near Panther Rock…I think. The weather started to turn to garbage, as it often does in Oliver Springs, so we all tried to hightail it off the mountain before getting hit by a torrential downpour. We had to bounce off several nasty obstacles in Dipity. The whole time I was thinking that Eric wasn’t going to be able to get through. He did. He made it look easy too. He was great behind the wheel.
He was the only person to ever ask me “So why do you like Land Cruisers?” My smartass answer, “because they’re not Jeeps.” He laughed. I’m going to miss chatting with him. I’m going to miss seeing him around the campfire. I’m going to miss wheeling with him. I know we all will.
I’ve posted a photo of Eric I’ve been sitting on for a while. I shot it during the 2019 Carolina Relic Run. I could never think of a place to post it or a reason to use it, now I can.
Godspeed Forrest.
At one point in our conversations many years ago, I distinctly remember hearing him say “I read Toyota Trails cover to cover.” When I became the magazine’s lead designer, I felt I owed it to him personally to make it good. He really loved Toyota trucks. I am overjoyed to hear that he made it to the museum in Utah. I can only imagine he had a blast.
Eric was great behind the wheel. In 2018, at GSMTR, I rode with @fourtrax , and @4LowandSlow out near Panther Rock…I think. The weather started to turn to garbage, as it often does in Oliver Springs, so we all tried to hightail it off the mountain before getting hit by a torrential downpour. We had to bounce off several nasty obstacles in Dipity. The whole time I was thinking that Eric wasn’t going to be able to get through. He did. He made it look easy too. He was great behind the wheel.
He was the only person to ever ask me “So why do you like Land Cruisers?” My smartass answer, “because they’re not Jeeps.” He laughed. I’m going to miss chatting with him. I’m going to miss seeing him around the campfire. I’m going to miss wheeling with him. I know we all will.
I’ve posted a photo of Eric I’ve been sitting on for a while. I shot it during the 2019 Carolina Relic Run. I could never think of a place to post it or a reason to use it, now I can.
Godspeed Forrest.
That is a fantastic picture.
Sad news indeed... The roller coaster that was his illness (being told he had it, he didn't, etc.) made this particularly challenging and he handled it well all things considered.
I first met Eric when he messaged me saying he was close to my house already and wanted to pick up some parts I had for another member. 10 min later he was in my driveway and we were talking cruisers. Found out he was way out of his way and was no where in my neck of the woods... That's the way I will remember Eric - always willing to help a cruiser buddy.
If there's anything we can / need to do to help out his family - I'm in.
I first met Eric when he messaged me saying he was close to my house already and wanted to pick up some parts I had for another member. 10 min later he was in my driveway and we were talking cruisers. Found out he was way out of his way and was no where in my neck of the woods... That's the way I will remember Eric - always willing to help a cruiser buddy.
If there's anything we can / need to do to help out his family - I'm in.
- Thread starter
- #34
These should all be 2014-2016.
He had a reason why he was barefoot while we chopped my frame and installed the swing out bumper but I can't remember it.
Xmas party at the barn.
You are 100% correct if you guessed Eric had just said "I used to have one of these". Honorable mention for "I was supposed to have one of these"! My old 1974 Spitfire. I think this was the day Eric came over to teach me how to rebuild my 40 carb...of course, by the time we had it all apart he announced he'd never even cleaned one before. We failed terribly.
Eric didn't like it when someone was wearing the same cloths or colors as him. So I did it a lot. I'm pretty sure this was at @Trollhole 's cabin after a Parkway Ride, probably the one Marshall already mentioned above where the wind absolutely destroyed Eric's pop-up tent with him in it. He later went running down the mountain after a tent the wind was blowing away...except for some reason he was more prancing than running and was waving his arms like Maria singing a song in Sound of Music. Also pictured is good old Blue, RIP.
He had a reason why he was barefoot while we chopped my frame and installed the swing out bumper but I can't remember it.
Xmas party at the barn.
You are 100% correct if you guessed Eric had just said "I used to have one of these". Honorable mention for "I was supposed to have one of these"! My old 1974 Spitfire. I think this was the day Eric came over to teach me how to rebuild my 40 carb...of course, by the time we had it all apart he announced he'd never even cleaned one before. We failed terribly.
Eric didn't like it when someone was wearing the same cloths or colors as him. So I did it a lot. I'm pretty sure this was at @Trollhole 's cabin after a Parkway Ride, probably the one Marshall already mentioned above where the wind absolutely destroyed Eric's pop-up tent with him in it. He later went running down the mountain after a tent the wind was blowing away...except for some reason he was more prancing than running and was waving his arms like Maria singing a song in Sound of Music. Also pictured is good old Blue, RIP.
- Thread starter
- #35
A more typical level of help being offered here by Eric at a HAMOM for @lowtops, but in his defense we got there late and Johnny, Rice, Jason, David Miller and a lot of others were too deep in their stride to bother interrupting.
@lt1fire and @NCNole watching Eric destroy a perfectly good fender drilling a snorkel hole...using the drill set on low speed low clutch driver setting!
Action shot at the back of the Gilled Cheese. I am still trying to figure out how he got his face and glasses sprayed with brake fluid while filling his diff but damned if he somehow didn't. Only Eric could do that!
@lt1fire and @NCNole watching Eric destroy a perfectly good fender drilling a snorkel hole...using the drill set on low speed low clutch driver setting!
Action shot at the back of the Gilled Cheese. I am still trying to figure out how he got his face and glasses sprayed with brake fluid while filling his diff but damned if he somehow didn't. Only Eric could do that!
I'll back Eric up in the first pic. I arrived after you guys and there was absolutely nothing to work on..... I think I begged @FJinTegaCay to give me some time.in the parts cleaner lol.
The second pic Eric wanted me to do the hole drilling on his 80 but I was adamant only the owners of a rig should drill a hole that size in their rig.
I need to find some pics from 2016 when I flew back to Charlotte to do some maintenance on the diesel suburban. I wanted to upgrade the problem prone OEM oil cooler and lines that had a bad habit of losing the clip keeping them in. Eric got showered in oil because he took the lines off before trying to drain the cooler first or listening to me about all the oil still being in the motor period (i was putting in the newer thicker gauge battery wires at the time). The curmudgeon came out then lol..... but went away just as fast. I got showered in oil later as one of my less mechanically inclined friends had forgot to install the the oring that went along with replacing the old oil filter leaking mount.
There is a picture Andrea took of Eric and I smilling looking like we just came out of the oil fields. I'll have to search for it.
There is also pics from later that night of him passed out in my recliner.
I think he hated us calling it the Pickle Jar almost as much as grilled cheese. I swear that's what finally led to him selling it. lol.
This one stings. I wanna say I met Eric at the first Logan's run but it was close to that time. So many great memories and stories that it would be impossible to mention them all. I'm sure the next trip to the barn we'll share them all around the fire because there would not be a more fitting place.
Courthouse falls during one of our Pisgah trips. He would always convince me to take a swim in the coldest water I've ever been in. Jumping in all I could think was "FU Forrest!!!!!" Wouldn't trade it for anything.
This one was his favorites though. Nothing brought him more joy than the big potluck and singing our favorite song. "Long and lonely Saturday nights". Dear Lord the pain that song inflicted on our ears.
But my favorite pic of all was during one of the STR rides to OBX. While waiting for a restaurant to open up we had an impromptu fashion show.
My friend you will be missed but you left a lasting mark on us all.
When I find the video of him and David Smith during the Inspection/train horn incident I'll post it up as well.
- Thread starter
- #38
Go to 00:14.
Carolina Relic Run 2018 - April 26-29, 2018
First post updated to include the details for the catered dinner as shown below: 7 pm – Dinner catered by Texalina BBQ - Adults will enjoy a buffet meal of slow smoked chopped pork BBQ, parmesan potatoes, coleslaw, rolls and baked beans. Our caterer prides themselves in their homemade BBQ...
forum.ih8mud.com
Lonely Saturday nights.... that's your favorite song.
Church House falls was my favorite thing we found on the Pisgah trips. First time we went I was just swimming around like a Polar Bear for an hour till I could convince anyone else to go past their shins in the water. Eric was the second one in followed by Heather.
Nothing better than just hanging out under freezing water.
That's Eric on the right of me.
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I don’t have a lot to say that hasn’t already been said. We will all miss him.
Seems like this was a popular Forrest incident, here’s another view.
Definitely one of his favorite places
Seems like this was a popular Forrest incident, here’s another view.
Definitely one of his favorite places