Noelani Rupp takes to the sidewalks

Noelani takes to the ... sidewalks
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont - I received this photo a couple of days ago of John & Paula Rupp's daughter Noelani, taking off on one of her first excursions on her bicycle. If she is anything like her father, those training wheels will come off very soon and before her mother knows it, she will be pedaling down the street and around the corner - without permission, of course.

John had one of the first motorcycles in the group I hung around with in high school, a Honda 65 that he lent to just about anyone who asked if they could borrow it.

He usually failed to ask an important operant question: Can you ride a motorcycle? So more than once, his bike got smashed and had to be repaired. And, of course, he did a few crashes himself.

Iborrowed it once, promptly crashing into Linda Davidson's front yard where I dug a small trench with the kickstand ( Was it Marvin Avenue in Lakewood?). I quickly removed myself and the motorcycle before anyone came outside. Tom Todaro (Jerry Todaro's younger brother) then borrowed it from me, promptly crashing into a fence across the street from Cindy Hall's house. It's a wonder that motorcycle ran at all.

Paula reports that she and Noelani are settling back in at home now, with pre-school looming and lots of activities for Paula, too, including taking a water safety instuctor's course so she can teach swimming to the little ones.

As sad as I am about John Rupp's early passing, it's a gift to be able to stay in touch with his young family.

Go Noelani! Go!