I'm still in shock. It's a sad day for those of us that new Walt as a friend. But also for this crazy hobby of ours that he truly loved.
I first met Walt Rybinski in November of 2001. I don't exactly recall how we first made contact but I remember he was traveling to the Seattle area on business and we met up at David Morgan's shop in Bothell. Paul Stenhouse was there as well and we all had this photo taken. (L-R: Walt, Paul, Me & David.)
Walt had just purchased a brand new DM whip which he is holding in that pic. After our visit with David we went down the street to a park and did some whip cracking.
A few months later Walt returned to the Seattle area and brought with him copies of the above photo which all four of us signed and exchanged. I framed it and hung it in my studio and it hangs on my wall to this day, even as I type this.
On that same visit we did more whip cracking, of course. Walt had just purchased two matching five foot bullwhips from Paul Stenhouse. Afterward, we went to dinner at the Olive Garden Kirkland. I'll always cherish the memory of Walt excitedly passing his new purchases around to Paul and I in the restaurant while confused patrons gawked.
Walt wasn't into whips just because of Indiana Jones. He genuinely loved everything about the hobby and sport. From their history to construction to the art of cracking. He had a huge collection of bullwhips and stock whips by Morgan, Stenhouse, Murphy, Frasier, Jacka, Wojicicki, et al. He was a true whip junky. And I loved him for it.
In fact, it was Walt that purchased the very first Pocket Bull I ever sold. I made a mini-bullwhip as a fun experiment in my early whip making days and sent pix of it to Walt. I was unsure of my skill but he insisted on buying one and convinced me to make it. I've sold a lot of those silly things and I have Walt to thank for it.
(L-R: Walt, Paul, Adam, Baphy.)
For those who don't remember, it was Walt Rybinski who first documented an actual
Raiders of the Lost Ark David Morgan bullwhip. He learned that Mark Allen owned one at the time and arranged to inspect it and take detailed measurements of this historical bullwhip. This answered many questions that had caused so much debate and speculation. I definitely recommend reading his story about it.
In August of 2002 I drove down to San Diego to visit my sister and while there met up with Walt for, you guessed it, some whip cracking. We talked forever about Indygear, work, family, mutual friends, etc. All while popping targets off my stand. Then he, Dan (Riser) and I drove up to Longbeach for an impromptu dinner onboard the Queen Mary with several COW members. I look back on that day very fondly.
I never saw Walt again in person after that day over six years ago. We corresponded often via email though and I spoke to him over the phone several times. He was a good man and true gentleman. My life is that much richer for knowing him. I would have liked to enjoy a cigar with him though.
I'm definitely not a writer and so even after all these words I still haven't come close to expressing how deep his passing has affected me. It hurts. I will miss him.
Goodbye, Sergei.
—Kyle
Wow! He will be missed.
Then that weekend at the QM was amazing. Pyroxene had videotapped a LOT of that Summit that weekend and I'll be watching it tonight at the house.
