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j FRIENDSFROM 1Acould be established by students and faculty members.One of them was Dale Spence, who teaches engineering there. He had a connection to the World Trade Center, having visited the top floor in 1981 when he graduated from college. But mostly. Robertson said, “he was a nice guy.”“He introduced himself to me the first day to inquire if we needed anything.” recalled Robertson. “Later maybe the next day — we visited again, and he asked me if we’d like to go to his home to sleep in a real bed. take a shower, eat a salmon dinner. “I’ll never forget it.”The memories of the evening are permanently etched in Robertson’s mind in fine detail. He remembers Spence's poodle, Black Jack, who entertained them with tricks, and Spence’s son. Mitchell, then 8, swinging on a rope into a nearby lake.And he recalls the hospitality shown by Spence and his wife, Dorothy.“We were grateful. Robertson said. When they parted ways, Robertson stayed in touch.“We exchange Christmas cards,” he said, and every year on 9/11 we talk on the phone. It just seemed natural — it is our routine.”Robertson also had extended an open invitation to Spence to visit Joplin one day, and this week, Spence, now 53, took Robertson up on that invitation. He arrived not by plane but on a bicycle.About a year and a half ago, I read about Route 66,” Spence said Monday from Robertson’s home of more than 50 years. “I’m a lover of meeting new people, seeing new places. It seemed like it would make a great ride.An avid cyclist, Spence has ridden across Canada, and two years ago rode with his daughter, Laima Spence, then 21, from British Columbia to Mexico and back up to San Diego, California.Spence picked back up in San Diego this year and headed east on the Mother Road. He was accompanied on part of the stretch by cycling buddy Wayne Arrow head, of New Brunswick, and Spence’s son, Mitchell, now 21.He’s grown up,” noted Robertson, w ho last saw Mitchell when he was in third grade.The trio left Flagstaff on April 20 and arrived in Joplin on May 4.“We’ve hammered out quite a few 100-mile-plus days,” said Spence, who Thursday will continue on two wheels to the end of Route 66 in Chicago. He then will ride to Detroit. Michigan, and end in Toronto, Canada, on May 29. before flying home to Halifax.Mitchell and Arrowsmith. who has kept family and friends apprised of the adventure via the Facebook page “San Diego to Toronto Cycling Trip 2014, will fly out of the Joplin Airport on Thursday to return to their homes.While Robertson had planned to show Spence the tornado zone in Joplin as wrell as other points of interest of w'hich Robertson is proud, Spence hadn't anticipated coming through Quapaw, Oklahoma, and Baxter Springs. Kansas, as cleanup was under way following the April 27 tornado.“We’ve not seen anything like that, except on TV.” he said of the damage.“It certainly show's you the worst that can happen but also shows you good in humanity,” he said. “It’s usually true that disaster brings people together.”
Newspaper Details
Joplin Globe
Joplin, Missouri, US
Wed, May 07, 2014
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Joplin P.
MO, USA 28 Jun 2024
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