March 29

The Fat Boys Walking Club lost a founding member last week. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Paul “Rock” Fieldhammer. Rock, for some unknown reason, was a follower of this blog. So I hope to do him well, we will miss him. Walking and hiking quotes will be featured throughout, just because. Before the Y was built, the Fat Boys did our winter walking in the mall. Paul arrived one day, and for several thereafter, wearing a backpack. In his backpack, he carried a rock. He said it was in preparation for his winter hiking in Arizona. At that moment he obtained the appellation of “Rock,” bestowed upon him by the club’s giver of nicknames, Bob “Weakie” Annen.. . .

Cannot read your blog any more without getting hungry.  So much for Annen’s request for food pix.  ~  The Fieldhammers (lived in Slovakia for three months a few years ago)

Hiking—much like drinking—is something that sounds more fun to the uninitiated than it actually is. ~ Mindy McGinnis

Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee. ~ Demetri Martin

Paul Fieldhammer

Published March 28, 2022 03:01 PM (Echo Press)

Feb. 15, 1943 – March 24, 2022

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Paul Fieldhammer, 79, Alexandria, Minn., died Thursday, March 24, in Phoenix. A private family memorial service will be at a later date. Arrangements by Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory in Alexandria. (The photo above is from the Anderson Funeral Home site.)

Rock was a proud native of Sacred Heart who matriculated to Augsburg College (became University in 2017), where his subsequent contributions and service to the university led the Fat Boys to tease that several campus buildings must be named in his honor. He was tech support to we other members of the club, and also in that capacity he donated much time and energy to Someplace Safe in Alexandria and to a similar organization while wintering in Arizona. In recent years, he and Pris spent much of their time trying to keep up with grandson Henry . . .

Some people only get called by their nicknames. Usually, it sounds weird to even say their real name. ~ Kishore

[Legends in song and story, this photo was taken April 22, 2013 at the Y. “Weakie” (in the middle) named the others, l-r, “Coach”,” Bumpster”, “Rock”, “Cub (Reporter)”, “Tenor” . . . ]

There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate. ~ Linda Grayson

[Photo taken June 19, 2021 in the garage of Pris and Rock’s new house on Lake Geneva. The Super is holding a new computer that Rock built for her (since deeded to me . . . ]

Remember: Always walk in the light. And if you feel like you’re not walking in it, go find it. Love the light. ~ Roberta Flack

[With Pris and Paul at the Alexandria Golf Club (AGC) on August 11, 2010 for the Senior Men’s League Annual Steak Fry and Quilting Bee . . . ]

I was walking down the street wearing glasses when the prescription ran out. ~ Steven Wright

[The Fieldhammers arriving for yet another exciting event at the AGC on June 29, 2011 . . . ]

Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time. ~ Steven Wright

[I captured Rock and his granddaughter while participating in the Homecoming Parade on September 24, 2011 . . . ]

Walking is magic. Can’t recommend it highly enough. I read that Plato and Aristotle did much of their brilliant thinking together while ambulating. The movement, the meditation, the health of the blood pumping, and the rhythm of footsteps… this is a primal way to connect with one’s deeper self. ~ Paul Cole

[Pris, Beryl, and the Super on a Moby Obie pontoon ride on September 30, 2012 . . . ]

Friendship is like peeing in your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warm feeling inside. ~ Unknown

[Rather than on Rock, the camera opted to focus on the background trees . . . ]

Friends are people who know you really well and like you anyway. ~ Greg Tamblyn

[Photo dated May 22, 2013 in the Alexandria Golf Club clubhouse . . . ]

Until you walk a mile in another man’s moccasin, you can’t imagine the smell. ~ Robert Byrne

[Photo dated July 4, 2013 in the Fieldhammer’s yard on beautiful Lake Darling where invited guests could sit, imbibe, and snack with an unobstructed view of the Arrowwood fireworks display . . . ]

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked. ~ Bernard Meltzer

[The numerous beyond the pale mutterings of his fellow walkers often led Rock to exclaim, “I can’t believe you guys!” 🙂 ]

Walking is great, I guess. ~ Brianna Wu

Jean Shrimpton was the most beautiful of all the models I have known. To walk down the King’s Road, Chelsea, with Shrimpton was like walking through the rye. Strong men just keeled over right and left as she strode up the street. ~ Mary Quant (Well, this is about walking . . . )

[Past and current members of the Senior Men’s league (with spouses) engage in fine dining every Wednesday night at the golf club. On this date, June 17, 2020, we were in Mulligan’s on the lower level of the clubhouse. The Super does not recall the green wraps on her wrists . . . ]

I’m a walker. I enjoy walking, which I think psychologically expresses my feelings of wanting liberation without exerting myself too much. ~ Janeane Garofalo

All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

[The Wednesday night fine dining group in the clubhouse on May 5, 2021 . . . ]

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you’re a human being walking the earth, you’re weird, you’re strange, you’re psychologically challenged. ~ Philip Seymour Hoffman

Hiking’s not for everyone. Notice the wilderness is mostly empty. ~ Sonja Yoerg

[My last photo of Rock on September 29, 2021 with the Wednesday night fine dining group at the golf club. He and Pris would soon be off to their winter home in Arizona.]

Regret: That a much-discussed walker race between “Rock” and “Weakie” never came to fruition.

We’ll end with a couple of walking quotes from Hippocrates (like Rock, past owner of Gibbco Scientific, Inc., in the medical supply business):

Walking is man’s best medicine. ~ Hippocrates

If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk. ~ Hippocrates

Addendum:

Recently discovered in the archives, Rock had to “raise” his yard back in August 2011 when beautiful Lake Darling got a little frisky and was rising over its banks . . .