An August 2005 letter from Huong Norton Payson to Bill Eaton about her visit from Greg Frazier
Hi everyone. How are you all??? You might not believe this, but after 40 years Dr.Greg Frazier showed up in the desert with full zest of life...
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Oh, this is the photo of Greg Frazier ...a Crow Indian who has a lot to crow ...It is true to God that he made the world into his play ground. |
I was at the gate for 20 minutes, waiting for a man wearing a Hawaiian Shirt, shorts and flip flops with two cameras, and a big fat belly...long hair hanging as a tourist supposed to be... Patiently I waited. Many men came in Hawaian Shirt, but none was FAT enough to be our Greg from the ranch from the Big Horn Mountain of the Big Sky State.
A man in RED Shirt walked by looked at me. I looked at him. He went away. I waited for another ten minutes. It was way past the arrival time, so I went to our rendez vous place: the baggage claim. I kept searching for that Big Fat Ugly Man wearing the Hawaiin shirt. The man in Red Shirt looked at me:" Huong?"
"Yes, Greg? What happened to your FAT BELLY AND YOUR HAWAIIAN SHIRT?"
"What happened to that white hat of yours????"
"Oh my Gosh! I totally forgot about wearing the hat!! I am sorry and tell me about your shirt???" "
"Well, I put it on and it just was not me, after all we have not seen each other for 40 years..".
" And where is your Fat Belly???
"I left it home."
We hugged and laughed at our appearance as we realized that we were nothing like the way we were to dress in the emails, how to recognise each other to avoid greeting the wrong person! Greg believed in travel light! You should have seen his bags.
The bags looked heavy and were heavy...One was slung around his neck, two cameras were in that one. Another was on his back. I think they were books. Another one he pulled along, his helmet and God knows what else were in there. You name them. They must be special shoes or outfits to wear as a Professional Motor Cyclist. World record holder as a Solo Rider around the world five times. Soon he will be around the world again, this time with a dear friend who happens to have Parkinsons problems!!!
My hat is off to one of our Westtonians who enjoys life to the utmost, and is full of lust for adventure as the Indian heritage and full of love for life as an intrepid traveler.
Yes in deed, I just learned that Greg is a Crow Indian who made his way, his fame in our world Alone. Greg gathers many acquaintances and friends on his travel but still prefers to be Free of All Ordinary Burdens that some of us facing or might still have to face.
We got to my castle. At dinner we laughed at silly jokes and we drank to all the lost years that we all went on separate ways to make a Life after Westtown School. All the old tales were told, not a thing was held back.
I wish to relate to you that Greg is not a typical unkept Fat Bellied Motor Cyclists you normally see on the highway, and hope that they pomised to donate the kidneys or the heart before riding their bike like hell chasers. On the contrary, Greg is well built and well fitted for a very rugged life: Life of an International photographer and a true to God Writer specialized in Motor Cycles...
You name the places and Greg was there on his motor cycle, the desert or the jungle, rain or snow, heat or cold he had dealt with them all.
You name a motor cycle, he will tell you every thing about of it, the whole history, the good and the bad, inside and out side of those monster machines. He knows them like he knows the lines of his palms, he takes them apart and puts them back together like a chef who chops ingredients into pieces and then puts them together to create a feast...
So far he has kept a collection of at least fourty or fifty motor cycles in his ranch in Montana, in Denver, in Thai land, in Europe, in Africa, and in Latin America...
We had such an enchanted time filled in all those gaps in the last 40 years since we left school. Thanks to ages and the frankness of our characters, I have learned much of what did happen to Greg at Westtown School, of why he was kicked out of our classes.
My heart was saddened over the dark past that Greg had carried alone all these years.
Anyway, Greg gave me one of his books: RIDING THE WORLD and showed me another book that just published. Your heart would leep out of your chest when looking at the breath taking photos in his books.
If you ever want to know about MOTOR CYLCES, just ask him. Greg is The GURU and he is the DOCTOR to cure all ailments of any bikes.
We practically stayed up all night had it not been for the next day Greg must leave for Tucson then Sierra Vista to visit his parents. He also desperately needed sleep as he was continuosly on the road before getting to Mesa.
Greeting Greg at the airport comical. Greg's leaving was another comical deal!!! As early as 5:30 AM I had to dragged him out of bed...got him some lousy coffee: I never know how to make the correct tasty coffee. I had to get him out of bed Twice: as soon as he finished his coffee, he went right back to bed while I searched for my keys and things to get ready for a long long day...
On the way to the condominium in Scottsdale for Greg to pick up a Mercedes that his friend left for him to use, he kept falling to sleep as I tried to carry a conversation...alone!!!
Believe it or not, he key did not fit the lock to enter the condominium. He tried and I tried for at least five to ten minutes... What could we do??? I must leave for the aiport to pick up a dear friend who came from Northern California to look for property in the desert in the hot summer time!
Well, Greg must either go to the airport to rent a car, or to tag along to see property then I would drive to Siera Vista to deliver him to his parents...
Either one of us had the cell phone for Greg to call his friend or to call my friend to ask him to wait at the airport etc...
"Greg, check the window to see if it was not locked"....I shouted at the stairway on the first floor.
Lord! It moved and the sight scared the hell out of me. Had you been there, you would have to. Greg swingged his long legs over the edge of the balcony of the second floor, dangling like a lizard, eased his head and body into whatever it was behind the window. It was the kitchen sink later I found out.
Leaving him behind after knowing that the key of the car was on the table as his friend promised, I felt he would be just fine, knowing that when he returned on the week end to get some more training in riding, he would have to enter the condominum via the kitchen window!!!
I prayed that the neighbors would not call police or 911... on account that they would think that he were a thief or busted his bones from falling.......
I went on my busy life. Greg went on to his training after seeing his parents. Last Monday, I got a note from Denver, that he was home safely, that someday it would be my turn to show up at his Denver palace, that he was to fly to Seattle on Tuesday morning, and that he will be on the road to tour around the world on August the 16th. He won't be back until September to be ready for Thai Land and to be in Viet Nam in December. I will be in VN at that month for a Reunion and I did invite our intrepid Greg and his friend to come to visit my village in Mekong Delta...
Someday, our paths will cross no doubt about it. Each one of us would have much life experiences to tell.
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DR. Greg Frazier and Huong Norton Payson, DHL July, 28/2005 |
Meeting Greg after fourty years was inspiring me to write a book that I have been too busy to live.
Bill, as a President of our Class, would you please pass this news to our classmates who might be interested in those who love an unordinary life styles.
May Good Health, Much Happiness and Compassion be ours.
With much appreciation for the happy learning year at Westtown School, the craddle for all of us...
Huong.
I will be in Boston next week for a Reunion, then head down to Poconos to walk a little distance of the Apalachian Trail and will think of Steve Elkinton. Steve is so very keen on trails and paths nationally...Right Steve? I hope to see you next early May 2006..in DC. or July 4th week end. Ready for company???