Paul Pencikowski

Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I report that Paul passed away on March 18th. His passing took me completely by surprise as my son Paul and I were supposed to visit him in Inyokern for Spring Break. When I did not hear from him the week leading up to the trip, and since he was to meet us at LAX, I called the Sheriff in Kern County on Friday March 23rd and discovered he was gone.

Paul's passing has left a significant hole in my life. We were close friends for nearly 30 years. We regularly discussed stocks, dirt bikes, gliders, systems management, and analysis topics. I maintained this website for him for the last six years. I was very involved with his various exploits and kept in touch nearly weekly. I have the entire contents of this website, so if you would like an article, I will send it.

As we all know, Paul was a controversial figure, but regardless of your current feelings for Paul, he was certainly a colorful figure, and he definitely added a lot of 'entertainment value' to my life. Here is one of my favorite articles where Paul and I tromped around San Francisco in August 2010 when I was there on business and he drove up: Cruzin' Sanny Franny :-)

As Paul told me many times through the years:

Life is not a journey to the grave
With the intention of
Arriving safely in a attractive
And well preserved body.
But rather to skid in broadside,
Thoroughly used up,
Totally worn out,
And loudly proclaiming,
"Woo Hoo what a ride!" *

Based on my observations, Paul succeeded - And if there is a heaven for naval aviators, Paul is in it, and as a true empiricist, he is thoroughly satisfied with how it all turned out.

* Likely sources where Paul heard this, although I had always attributed it to him.
Hunter S. Thompson in Hell's Angels published in 1966
Bill McKenna, professional motorcycle racer, Cycle magazine Feb. 1982