This was tough news to hear... I talked with Todd earlier this summer and believed him to be on the mend. The reversal was quick and unwelcome. Since I was in AZ on Saturday, I drove up to SLC to see him on Sunday, and I'm glad I did, since he passed Monday morning... as I drove from Sedona to Page and up to Salt Lake, I watched the Colorado Plateau unfold and thought of the years between now and when I met Todd.
Kammy said that he was "our favorite curmudgeonly uncle" and I think Todd would have liked that description. He helped guide Moab 'Zu Zoo from the beginning and role-modeled responsible recreation for many of us. I followed his example in land access activism, and have stayed part of the Adams' extended family since the late '90s with pride and occasional visits, and Todd's wisdom has indirectly helped Rubicon Trail, Cal4Wheel, and the California State Parks OHV program, to name just a few. He leaves huge shoes to fill in the hobby, and my heart goes out to Linda, his wife; their kids, Megan, JR, and Tracey; and the assorted other busload of family they have, some relations by blood, and other by red rock.
The world is a sadder place without Todd, whether we 'wheel an Isuzu or Jeep or... I hope Todd is somewhere looking back on us with a smile, and looking forward at a nice, technical rock crawling trail across an eternity of red rock. I hope to join him some day there, and hope he'll show me the local trails, just as he showed us Moab's trails.
Happy Trails, Todd -- we'll miss ya.
Randii
