Jim Uprichard, who tells me his last name is Welsh not Irish, has been a friend for 50 years. He now lives in Reno, hence the moniker "Reno Jim." That's him in the US Navy. The two stripes means he was Admiral of the Second Fleet or something. He was also a boiler man on the USS Agerholm (commissioned in 1946, but sunk as a target off California in 1982). A boiler man does what Steve McQueen does in the movie "Sand Pebbles." That's a good movie.
Reno Jim and I stay in touch as friends do, mostly out of curiosity to see how life turns for us. The guy in the Captain's hat is Jack Kerouac, the "beat" writer. I didn't know Kerouac, but I think he may have tried to model his life after Reno Jim. Uprichard makes Kerouac look like a Sunday School teacher. The guy with the curly hair is Kurt Vonnegut, whose books I saw Reno Jim reading from time to time. That's pretty much Jim's background, so far as I know.
When Jim went into the Navy he had a metallic blue '56 Chev hardtop. When he got out, he bought a purple VW bug. Over the years, he's pretty much settled on a couple of Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Reno Jim is an excellent rider. When he sees a sign that suggests using caution, he'll grab a fist full of throttle and go even faster, lest some danger catch up to him from behind. The "dangerous curve" ahead sign is biographical for Reno Jim.
There are way too many stories and anecdotes to include here, obviously.
That's Reno Jim with Ron Paul. That makes perfect sense.
UPDATE September 19, 2011--
Here's a picture of Reno Jim giving Senator Rand Paul a short seminar on the value of money and the dangers of the Federal Reserve this last weekend in Reno, Nevada (of course).
UPDATE: So Reno Jim was riding his bike around Florida in late summer 2012 to be a Ron Paul delegate at the GOP national convention, which he did. But, he got banged up pretty good in a bike accident and ended in the hospital. His bike got out earlier than him. The "New World Order" trying to take him out? His friends are trying to help him out. For more info about this patriot, check out
Ouch-- that had to hurt, Reno Jim.
I think the young Reno Jim is cuter than Jack Kerouac, which is really saying something! I also LOVE the photo of Jim and Royce in the 1970s, with the follow-up in 2011. Any photos of Jim and Royce in the early 1960s floating around out there?
ReplyDeleteJim will be missed.
ReplyDeleteRIP
4/19/2016
We loved Jim in Reno and anywhere he would go. He was OUR roommate in Tampa at the nationals. He also "roomed" with us at many other events. He was our JOY and is terribly missed.
ReplyDeleteJuanita
Mila says-- "Jim Uprichard, patriot, friend, and family. I was not related by DNA or blood in anyway, but he was my family. I am crying tears of both sadness and joy. The last couple days he was very happy. One person saw his veteran patch on his jacket and bought him a coffee and another paid for his breakfast at a truck stop. He told me, "It gives me hope in humanity!" He also said I could not buy him a Harley shirt in Mexico, "It is important it is authentic, see my tag!" Jim, you know I love you, we never hung up the phone or said good-bye without telling each other. I will tell you forever my good friend, my daughters 'uncle' Jim, miss you terribly!"
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