Chet Warman, our friend
IT IS WITH DEEP AND SINCERE REGRET, THAT WE SHARE WITH YOU THE VERY SAD NEWS THAT OUR LONG-TIME FRIEND AND FELLOW RIDER, CHET WARMAN PASSED AWAY ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2008. CHET HAD JUST COMPLETED THE RIDE OF HIS LIFETIME, CYCLING FROM PITTSFIELD, VT TO LOS ANGELES, CA. ON THE RETURN TRIP, HE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE NEAR MOAB, UTAH, WHEN HE DIED SUDDENLY FROM INJURIES SUSTAINED IN A SOLO ACCIDENT - LITERALLY DOING THE THING HE LOVED THE MOST, CYCLING. OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES GO OUT TO CHET’S FAMILY, WHO LIKE ALL OF US, WILL FOREVER MISS OUR BELOVED FRIEND AND LOCAL CYCLING LEGEND.
From a member of the KPCC:
Chet Warman's passing - this is incredibly sad news. Chet was a great friend to me, us, table tennis as well. He was the President of the Pittsfield Table Tennis Club (most of the players in Vermont probably don't know that another table tennis club did in fact exist), and the deal we sat down and scratched out one long winter evening in Pittsfield, Vermont really was the beginning of our great club. It provided us with all the equipment that the Pittsfield club had at the time of dissolution, which were tables of tournament quality (we still have 2 of them) and a ball machine (that really WORKED at the time). This transfer, in return for letting their remaining 6 active members have a free pass for dues and tourney fees, brought our club up to another level altogether, allowing us to have successful tournaments, be at a level with the CVTTC, the grand daddy of clubs. Then there was Chet the player, the friend, the funnyman, the guy who would get frustrated on one point, then blank out the past on the next. But always a guy who brought a smile to your face. He always had FUN, knew what it was, looked for it everywhere, with each point. And everyone was always amazed that he was as old as he was, always looking 15 years younger. We all thought nothing of it, that he would live forever. Unfortunately, forever finally comes. At least it did for Chet. Definitely a man to remember.
I say that we name our next tournament in his memory - the Chet Warman Memorial Table Tennis Tournament. It seems so obvious that we should do this.
Ron
From the President of the GMTTC:
For all those that knew Chet, everyone knows he ALWAYS TYPED IN ALL CAPS :)
Prior to the Furnace Creek 508 race, a local radio station did a story on the ride across the country. To read the article, and listen to the full interview with Joe, Chet and Bo, click HERE
We will miss you Chet the Jet Warman
Chet was also a talented photographer. He had a keen eye for the abstract. Here is some of his work:
Chet was always full of expression and that made for great photos of him:
I first met Chet at a club practice session way back when the club met at the Dana Recreation Center more than 10 years ago. Wow. Ten years. How the time has flown by. It was the first time I participated in the club. So I knew no one and the great players I saw intimidated me. As with most players that join a club for the first time, I was shocked how good everyone was. I was always one of the best players when I played, but looking at the competition in front of me, I felt like a beginner of the game. So now in addition to being nervous, I now felt a complete lack of confidence. But everyone seemed to be having a good time and I knew I would be welcomed by these people. So if you are expecting me to tell you a story about a guy named Chet that would welcome me to the club, take me under his wing and be easy on me, well, I am sorry to disappoint you. In no way Chet was rude to me or un-sportsman like, but true to his form, he delivered his all and reassured me that I had a ways to go to compete on his level. I must say I had never played anyone like him. He was so intense and when he screamed and stomped his feat, I didn’t know if I should run and hide or get something bigger than a ping pong paddle to defend myself with. But as I looked around, no one seemed to be alarmed or concerned about his behavior. So I figured it must be normal. I found out quickly that Chet was only hard on himself, never others. He would push you to give your all, but would never put you down except in jest. He was a student of the game and always tried to learn all he could to excel in the game. As I got to know him more I looked forward to our battles. And when he wasn’t playing I would just listen to what he had to say. He was wise, intelligent, and such a fascinating person. He had many stories to tell and had experienced so many great things. As our friendship grew, we did more together outside of ping pong. We rode together occasionally, but spent most of our time outdoors hiking and toying around with photography. One of my best experiences with him was a trip out to the southwest. We swapped stories, debated politics, discussed ethics, and enjoyed the open road with many hours of Dylan. The trip was one of those near religious experiences that you never forget. We also were competitors in online racing, which he quickly out-skilled me with. He focused strong and became one of the best in many of the leagues he participated in. Many people knew of one or two things he did with his time and usually that always included cycling. That was always his true passion and he would never tire of it. But he did so much else with his life. He truly lived life as if there was no tomorrow. There isn’t a person in this world that wouldn’t have learned something standing besides that man. There isn’t anyone that wouldn’t have been happier having Chet in their lives. He was a god amongst men, a gentle giant amongst children, a fearless animal amongst his competitors, and a friend to all those lucky enough to have met him.
Ride on, Chet, RIDE ON...
Dale
I am enjoying the stories...mine are (I used to go to races with Chet in
the early eighties)
Chet:
-laughing after putting his head against the steering wheel of his car while driving.....we had just done a race, and without thinking he put his head down to cut wind resistance....
-insisting that I had the advantage climbing hills due to my longer femur, even though I weighed 30+ lbs more than he.
-making the top of EVERY hill a sprint
-holding my screaming infant son Nick up by the arms and walking him across
the floor....we had told Chet that in order to keep Nicky from crying, he should walk him around. Uh, not what we meant, Chet.
-Flipping laterally on his back in a race due to his strength, his teeny bike and a small bump in the road
-insisting that his Shimano Gruppo saved him a pound over my Campy Gruppo
-buying a cheap no-name powder-blue frame with oval tubes. I believe one of the seat stays collapsed on him.
-buying a salvaged wrecked Toyota that was an awesome deal, even though it
kept chewing up wheel bearings due to frame misalignment
-swearing off women...every six months.
-telling me, as a young rider, in response to my telling him I was glad he was around in case some rednecks harassed us, that he would be saying "bite him in the ankle, Bill, bite him in the ankle ! "
-fuming about a speeding ticket received while going down the Killington access road, which was moronic because coasting downhill didn't use more gas.
-and much more.
Bill Porter
Everyone that has met Chet have stories to tell of him. Here are some of their tales:
If I could add my story, I met Chet and Joe and couple years ago while going on a ride with Chris Curven. We rode Middlebury and App gaps that day. I'm generally not one who reaches out to make friends at a first meeting but in this case I didn't have to because they both did. I've since been on countless rides ranging from short mountain bike rides to 228 mile road rides, exchanged a million emails, phone calls and dinners poking fun at one another (we liked to talk about Joe's crazy training routines too). The majority of our rides were over 100 miles so I was usually spending numerous hours with him at a clip. Funny that your stories talk about various personality traits that I too have witnessed. Makes me feel like I've know him forever. A recent fond memory being of course on a ride and he had whacked his shin with his pedal while remounting his bike (the one with the computer that he always complained about for not working and the company just out there to rip him off). After whacking his shin, he went nuts, ranted and raved while I laughed with equal intensity. I always felt safe with him since he knew what he was doing and where we were going. My wife and 8 year old daughter will miss him terribly and I hope he's somehow reading our minds. The last time my daughter saw Chet, she was splashing water on his head at the 666 MTB race. Chet said he get her back, this morning Arianna said that when it rains, it's Mr Chet getting her back. So much more to say, I look forward to meeting more of you folks in the future. A BUDDY OF CHET'S- BRUCE
met Chet Friday 10/10 on the slick-rock trail in Moab Utah. We had never met before. We started talking in the parking lot after the ride and found out we had mutual acquaintances in Joe Desena and Joe Gaziano. We both couldn’t believe how small the world is that we’d meet on that trail in Utah at that very moment! I’m shocked to hear about Chet, but I do want to say that he was a very happy guy that Friday in Moab after riding the slick rock. He had a smile from ear to ear on him and I’m glad I did have a chance to meet him and share some good laughs.
Patrik Dyberg
Hi All ... My name is David Carlish,
I first met Chet back in 1991, the local-hero bicycle racer with pedals made from Australian cattle gate parts.
He didn't take to me at first. I think we were going on our first ride together, and I had the audacity to roll too fast down the hill, on what was supposed to be a slow training day. He was also a bit unsure about my liberal use of olive oil for
chain lubrication.
We got real close a couple of years later, after bumping into each other at the Rutland radio shack. He was exactly double my age, 24, back then... He said he wanted to buy a computer. I said let's get outta here, we'll build a "box" together, and we'd have some fun ... He said he wanted it for the educational programs and learning stuff; this in the time before the internet was widely available, and info. was slow ...
I told him : you're gonna play video games...He says NAH that's a waste of time ... KID STUFF ....
WELL !!! We all know what a BIG KID Chet was, before you knew it we were kicking each others asses every night racing motorcycles on the computer. A few years, and 1000 complaints about his various Murhpy's Law computers later, ( which we renamed Chet's law ), came Nascar and Indy cars on the internet.
... OF COURSE he got SUPER COMPETITIVE and joined an international league ...
HE would call me wherever i was, screaming and hollering that he just crashed out of a race 45 minutes into it ....Either the CHEAP!, PIECE OF CRAP ! steering wheel broke again ....and the toothpick and scotch tape patch needed to be redone... or he just couldn't hold his focus, it was such a grueling race.
I think it took a couple of years before he finally won a big one ...he was PSYCHED and happy. He retired from that line of work soon after.. He was after all, a winner now.
I always ribbed him about how he got sucked into video games, and that I took the "high" road of research on the net.
He said IT's NO GAME MAN !!! IT's REAL !!! - AND HE TRULY MEANT IT !!!
He wore his heart on his sleeve.
I love that guy so much ....and he never forgot to tell me the same.
*** attached are a few pix from a trip we did in 1997 to Tucson, AZ .
THAT is SOOOO Chet on the swing ...
I will write more, and I have to dig up & scan some photos ....
PEACE - dave
Since David opened the can of worms that was Chet the online racer, I'll fill you in on some of the auto racing details.
My name is Robert Gialdini, I first met Chet online at a race at Long Beach, I was running in first place being hotly pursued when I came up on a backmarker named Jetosaurus, as I went to pass him, he moved over and ran into me, I lost my lead but was able to keep going. About 20 laps later I came up on this punk "kid" again, and would you belive it, he ran into me again. I just had to ask him what his problem was, Chet said that he was trying to get out of my way. Well how can you argue with that? As the years went on we became teamates practicing together early in the mornings and racing late at night. Chet would find a series that would fit our busy schedules and our three hour time difference. Immediately after each race the phone would ring and Chets voice would come over the answering machine, Hey Robert it's Chet pick up the phone. We'd then spend the next 15 minutes analyzing the race and laughing at ourselves.
Chet would often complain that his brakes would not fully release and that his throttle would not go 100%, but he continued on, often talking with the "Fast" Drivers about the best way to set up the car, and the best driving style to use. Eventually, he became one of the "Fast" drivers, (funny how his brakes and throttle problems cleared up!!!) and yes he even won a race and I think finished second in the series against an International field of top drivers. I have attached a jpeg showing that race result. I also attached a photo Chet sent me of himself behind the wheel, I'm pretty sure he sent it as a joke to make the kids laugh, but with Chet you just never knew.
The news of his passing was devastating to me and my family, I feel fortunate that I finally got to meet my racing teamate, and online Racing Idol, Chester Leroy Warman (aka Jetosaurus) about 3 weeks ago when he stopped by with Joe on their cross country trip.
Rest In Peace my friend!
Robert
i met chet in your field. i was hanging out with the girls and chet came across the field and aksed if i was joe. i told him i wasn't and he asked where he could find joe. i sent him to the yoga studio. an hour later i got in my car to head to the yoga studio myself. i was sitting at tweed and rte. 100 and this chiseled guy goes flying by on his bike. i pulled out followed him and then passed him pulling into the yoga studio. one minute later the chiseled guy pulls in. it was chet. he was decked out in full gear and riding his motobecane. i asked him if he found joe. he said, I sure did and we're going for a ride.
he had left the farm to meet joe. met him and chatted for 5 minutes before the two of you decided to go for a ride. chet bolted to killington, got changed and in less than an hour from meeting, the two of you were going for a ride. little did he know you had things to do. i think it was two full hours before you guys took off for the ride, if at all.
another good one. a few months ago i called you and you answered. you were doing stuff at the amee farm. you said, "i'm busy working on mike's farm, talk to chet." i asked him what was going on and he said, "i was supposed to meet joe two hours ago to go for a ride and i've been wandering around the amee farm, barn, spec houses, etc ever since. "i should have known"
great guy. very sad.
ANDY W….
For those who did not know, Chet considered himself a Buddhist. Here is some information on Buddhism:
From its inception, Buddhism has stressed the importance of death, since awareness of death is what prompted the Buddha to perceive the ultimate futility of worldly concerns and pleasures. Realizing that death is inevitable for a person who is caught up in worldly pleasures and attitudes, he resolved to renounce the world and devote himself to finding a solution to this most basic of existential dilemmas.
A Buddhist at death as a breaking apart of the material of which we are composed. However Buddhism does not look at death as a continuation of the soul but as an awakening. Dying and being reborn has been compared by some Buddhist as a candle flame. When the flame of one candle touched to the wick of an unlighted candle, the light passes from one candle to another. The actual flame of the first candle does not pass over but is responsible for lighting the second candle.
When preparing for death Buddhist generally agree a person’s state of mind while dying is of great importance. While dying the person can be surrounded by friends, family and monks who recite Buddhists scriptures and mantras to help the person achieve a peaceful state of mind. Buddhism asserts that all being live beyond the various fluctuations of this life. Death is merely a passage to rebirth in another realm such as the human world, a pure land or the flowering of the ultimate nature of the mind.
I am Doug Martin's brother and I just want to let you know that I am so sad to hear the news about Chet. He was a real inspiration to Doug and I back in Killington.
He was always so easy to talk with and he made everybody feel good when they had a conversation with him. Chet’s smile always made me feel like he really cared about me.
I have always been into the writings of the Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche whom Chet had personally studied with. I have fond memories of sitting with him in his cabin while he rocked intensely in his glider chair discussing Buddhism. Chet over flowed with energy whether he was riding his bike, working out in the gym or just discussing Buddhism.
I only road with him a couple of times, but each each ride was not just a ride it was an Event. The pack was organized and timed and each ride ended with an exciting break for the finish. Of course it was all organized and inspired by Chet. He motivated me to ride my best on those days.
It is ironic that he died in Castle Valley where our sister lives. She also knew him well and is so sad about his passing. I have driven that stretch of road many times. It is absolutely one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Our sister Rebecca went to the site today to say some blessings for Chet. She confirmed that the spot where he died is a section of road that is truly spectacular. I am sure that Chet’s last ride was one of the most beautiful rides of his life.
Your pictures on peak.com show that you guys had a great time riding across the country. I am sure that you are sad to loose such a close friend. We are all lucky to have had Chet in our lives. He taught us all what really living is about!
Cheers,
Chuck Martin
Chet and I go back a long long time ago, probably around late 1960's when we were in our late teens. We were both really just kids at the time. Chet was introduced to me by a friend of mine. Not too long after, we began dating. He was so handsome, well dressed (nothing fancy), well groomed (that was the style then) and oh so sweet. I remember his quick smile, his wit, his shyness and his unending ability to see the good in everything. He had such a great outlook on life. He made me laugh for hours (no weed,
either). He treated me well and we always enjoyed our time together. Unlike the "animals" of that era, Chet was always a perfect gentleman. I remember his sister Nancy, whom he adored. She was just as wonderful as Chet. I remember his Mom, a kind and great lady. The last time I saw Chet (and Nancy) was at their Mom's wake at a funeral home in Manchester Ct., I think around 2003. He hadn't changed. He was still in awe of the world with only good things to say. I don't know why we drifted apart, but it just sort of happened. We didn't maintain contact, but he did keep up his friendship with my brother Paul LaRocca. From time to time, Paul would tell me he spoke with Chet and that he was doing well.
It's funny how when we're young, we just don't posess the wisdom to recognize the difference in people. The good from the bad, the losers from the winners, the bad boys from the gems, the quality from the trash. I think that's why the world calls it "young and foolish". Now, so many years later I remember how unique Chet was. His integrity and character was such a cut above the rest and I understand how lucky I am for the beautiful memories I have. The great times we shared and the unending laughs we've had. I regret that I have no photos of Chet, but I think I have something better, the beautiful pictures of him forever in my mind and a sweet spot for him, forever in my heart.
As for me, I cannot complain, I was blessed with a wonderful husband for 27 years and I have enjoyed an exceptionally charmed life.
I hope you've enjoyed my story. It may have been so very long ago, but he was an important person in my life and I know I was important to him. Some things we just know.
I am sorry for what happened to Chet, but I think he left this world doing what he loved best, and that counts for something. I am sorry for your profound loss of such a great friend,
he was one in a million. I am also sorry for Nancy. She idolized him and he idolized her. I hope she will find comfort and peace in remembering the beautiful memories they shared. I'm sure she has many.
Cordially,
Bridget L. Generis.
Manchester, Ct.
Chet Warman dies Monday October 13, 2008 in a bicycle riding accident in Southeast Utah. Joe calls me with the news and I hang up with disbelief. I flew back to Boston. Bo flew back to New York. Joe flew back to Vermont. Chet was to drive the support truck back to Vermont as planned making several stops along the way to visit friends and take advantage of what is touted as the best mountain biking on the planet - Moab.
A final entry as I ride through the land of Chet today.
The ride today was organized in memory of Chet. One of Chet's favorite rides was Pittsfield to Silver Lake and back. Chet's sister Nancy is in Pittsfield and Joe is very generous with words, housing and food for all. I drive to Pittsfield. I have my mountain bike, my laptop, some pictures and a CD. I arrive at the Amee Farm in Pittsfield and the parking lot it is full of cyclists. I sit in my car for a couple of minutes and take in the scenery of mountains, trees and barns. I begin to open the door several times but stop myself not wanting to face Chet's death. Till this moment, I have kept the news wrapped in tissue paper away from my heart.
I open the car door and begin to prepare for the 35 mile ride. I start a conversation with the man next to me about air pressure, the age of our bikes and the good weather. Joe and Nancy pull up in the lower parking lot. I walk over to the edge of the ledge separating the two parking lots and wait. I am waiting to say hello to Joe but it is Nancy who looks over and says Chris, I recognize you from the photos. I climb down. We hug each other deeply and the sadness spills onto the gravel. It has been nearly a week since I heard the news. I hold Nancy until the two weeks spent traveling across the country with Chet returns and unwraps the tissue paper.
We all gather into the Amee Farm and Joe tells stories about Chet as we pass around pictures. There are about 60 people. I am in disbelief. I was expecting some people but this turnout is amazing. I didn't know Chet very long but I was under the impression that he lived more of a solitary, hermit life. This was not the case and I am looking at a crowd of cyclists ranging in age from 30 to 70. I glance over to Joe and say for a hermit he had more friends than me. Joe nods in agreement. Nancy finishes up by thanking everyone for coming and more importantly for being part of Chet's life.
We start to ride. I am in the back of the pack and pedal hard to stay up with the group. It is not long before the pack disappears ahead of me and I am pedaling alone. It is a fantastic cool and crisp fall day in Vermont. I like meeting people but riding alone for parts of today allowed me to reflect and feel connected to Chet and my surroundings. I imagine Chet pedaling on this road and enjoying the mountains and streams. I read the street names Fort Defiance Hill and Mount Hunger Road and understand why he loved to race up hills.
I pedal along and Chet's words come back to me. Change gears. Always try to pedal with the least amount of effort. Change your position in the saddle to find better aerodynamics. Change the position of your feet to work different parts of your legs. Keep your mind active while riding.
I catch a couple riders who are slower on the hills. I talk with Doug who is riding a Motobecane road bike. You don't see Motobecane bikes much anymore. Chet had a Motobecane and I ask Doug how he knew Chet. Doug tells me that Chet got him into biking several years ago. When he started riding he bought a bike from Chet and then graduated to this after becoming an enthusiast. I have a distinct feeling there are others in this crowd that Chet brought to the sport.
I meet Diane who is a member of the same bike club as Chet, the Killington Pico Cycling club. I tell her I never heard of the club before the ride but now it is etched into my mind for eternity. I tell her that the etching is so deep that every time I blink I see the back of a Killington Pico Cycling club Jersey. I spent many days riding behind Chet and that Jersey. If someone asks me what the country looks like from a bicycle I tell them that I don't remember much other than the back of this Jersey and Joe's shaved head. One night late in the first week of our riding I asked Chet if he would consider wearing a different Jersey the following day so I could convince myself that I was actually making some progress. He laughed, and then I said it was easier than asking Joe to wear a brunette wig.
Chet wasn't your ordinary person. He was special. If you spent any length of time with him you would not quickly forget him. He had what would be considered unpopular views on some topics and wasn't afraid to let you know if he disagreed with your thoughts. He didn't however insist that you adopt his view but did require that you at least heard what he had to say. He was passionate about what he believed and authentic in ways you don't often find today. Chet's views and opinions were not out of a book or dogmatic. He lived 64 years and was more pine tree than deciduous.
Most of all my feelings center around Chet's love for people. He wanted equality among people on every level in a way that if any of today's political candidates professed, I would vote for them in a minute. He reminded me on several occasions that he was still a hippie at heart. I believe he was a very sensitive man with deep feelings. Sensitivity of course is vulnerable to being hurt and Chet definitely built some good old fashion New England stone walls to protect himself from the pain people are capable of inflicting on each other. However, if you looked into his eyes when he was smiling, you could still see the wonder, innocence and glimmer of a five year old child.
On the ride back from Silver Lake I start chatting with another rider. His name is Bill. Bill never met Chet and doesn't know anyone else here today. Bill read about Chet in the paper and came out just to be supportive. Can you believe it? I ask him a second time to make sure I have the facts straight. Bill lives in Rutland and moved to Vermont from Massachusetts years ago. He is a dentist and thinks this area is as good as any in the United State. Today, I have to agree with him. Bill and I talk for a couple more miles and then he cycles ahead of me. I think to myself, even in death Chet is still bringing us together with biking now that is giving.
There is always some time for payback. For all the nights I kept Chet awake blogging by clicking away on the keyboard, tonight he has kept me awake writing this till after 2AM I miss him.
Chet
Bi
Hometown: Killington, VT
Rating: 908
Distinctions: Avid Cyclist, intense
student of the game, original
member of Pittsfield Club
