Our Friend Jordie
There’s only a few times in a persons lifetime that they meet someone like Jordie Thomas Lunn. I think I sort of knew that while he was with us, but I definitely recognize it more than ever now that he is gone.
I first met Jordie in the late 90’s, I had moved to the Parksville/Qualicum area and at that time there wasn’t a huge crew of people who were really, like REALLY, into riding bikes. Jords and I both fell into that category and when you did you were immediately buddies with anyone else who did.
As the years wore on we became great friends, he was wild, he was outside the box, he was as weird as he was funny and different and he didn’t care at all. I remember talking to him by txt one night before one of Claw’s events at Mt Washington, it was during a little lull in his bike career and we had planned to meet the next day to shoot some photos during practice. I can’t remember who they were for but Jords was fired up. Anyways, in our txt thread at some point he asked me ‘What colours should I wear?’ It’s not an odd question in our world because a riders outfit can cause them to either blend in to the surroundings, or, stick out like a sore thumb and ‘pop’. I replied with something generic that I figured would work and he hit me back with a “Haha. K Baxy I have just the right outfit’. The next day we met at the top of the course and in typical Jords fashion, he stuck out like a sore thumb alright! In red and black tiger striped pants with a t-shirt cut into a tank top. As you can imagine, not exactly every sponsors dream, but totally, perfectly, 100% Jordie.
The pic bounced around for a bit between some mountain bike magazines, all of which circling around publishing it. It never made it to print but it found some traction as Photo of The Day on Pinkbike. Something that Jords txt’d me about bright and early thinking it was hilarious. If you look into the comments of that photo online that day there was plenty of hate, I’m not going to regurgitate it but some of it was pretty rough. Most of it was aimed at Jords, his outfit, his trick, his position in the industry at that time. I ran into him not that long afterwards and commented how bummed I was that people were talking shit about him, but how proud I was of the picture. He shrugged it off and said that’s just how the comments sections are, and that people don’t get it. I know he was aware people didn’t get him, or maybe didn’t believe in him at times, or even didn’t like him because of how he was but he never for a minute let them dull his shine. Something that I’m so proud to have know of him.
Last month we gathered in Victoria, people from all over the world came in, to say goodbye to our friend Jordie. It was an incredible time catching up, sharing stories, and starting to heal as a group. It was the type of hangout that Jords would have loved, because that’s what he did, he loved life, and he loved his friends and he especially loved his family. It was therapeutic to have everyone in one place, minus one of course but I’d like to think he saw it all unfold; the tears, the jump jam, the laughs.
The world needs more Jordies, more caution thrown to the wind, more doing things because you like them and even if any and everyone else doesn’t, but you do. It’s been a few months now since he passed away. It wasn’t odd for us to go a few months without seeing each other, or even for us to go a few months without catching up. I guess life is just like that sometimes. But this is around the time when I would see him. I’d run into him somewhere, or we’d txt about something stupid. I miss him this time and I still feel really burned by this all. I was prepared for injured friends, I was prepared to hold my breath and watch them do scary shit. I wasn’t prepared for this and I can’t seem to shake this gutted feeling. I know as time wears on it will get easier, but I also know how much pain his family is in going into this holiday season and I wish for them that I could make it all better.
Jordies sponsors have all kicked down some parts to build up a Jordie dream bike and they’re raffling off tickets with the proceeds going to a foundation in Jordies name. The foundation will help kids get on bikes and learn new techniques on bikes, some Jordie held very near to his heart. If you can spare a few dollars follow the link below and pick up a ticket.
Thanks for everything Jords, I and so so so many other miss you like crazy. Rest easy buddy, I love you.
