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"Fran is a personal hero of mine; this has less to do with the fact that she was a woman too, than with how she went about her riding and her life. She rode superbly; she did it with style, and she was so quiet about her accomplishments. I aspire not only to ride as well as she did, but to live as humbly as it always seemed she did. I only heard her name a year and a half ago, but she impressed me so much.
We exchanged only a few e-mails before I met her for the first time at tech inspections in Ojai this year. I was simultaneously very excited and intimidated. Waiting for her to arrive, I wasn't sure what to say, and I didn't want to sound like a pup still wet behind the ears. What if she blew me off? You of all people know I needn't have worried about her being unkind. When I saw her, I summoned up my courage and walked over to introduce myself. "Hi, Fran? I'm Airyn Darling, I�" "Airyn! It's so good to meet you!" and she exchanged my handshake for a really nice hug. I was so surprised and amazed and relieved. All the stories I'd heard about her kindness were immediately validated. We talked briefly, and she mentioned she liked to see more women getting involved with the sport. After a bit of small talk we went our separate ways.
I did her tech inspection the next day, and I don't remember all that was said. I really wish I did, but I was on a kind of high- I can't convey with words how special it was for me to be talking with her. The newness was still there, the adulation� I was seeing the Legendary Fran Crane, more than the real, day-to-day person that she was. By the end of the tech inspection, though, which was relatively short, I felt more at ease and comfortable with her- she was so easy to be with. As she started the rally Monday morning, I handed her the last sheets of paper we were passing out to riders, wished her luck, and those were my last words to her. After all the riders had left, and throughout the rally, I was so excited to think that Fran and I might become friends. I don't mean this in a "Hey, I'm friends with Fran Crane" kind of way�I was just so taken with her. This tiny woman with a spirit so strong, so dynamic. I knew I could learn a lot from her about riding, about life, other things. I thought about her so often. - Airyn Darling, member of the Long Distance Riders mailing list, from a letter to Walter Andrews
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