tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post110572822233238856..comments2024-02-23T00:29:40.745-08:00Comments on NATIVE WAYS: TONY ALVIS, R.I.P.Malcolm Gault-Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11227779544145341291noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-17817696599076018022010-02-01T07:06:34.242-08:002010-02-01T07:06:34.242-08:00I met Tony back in May of 2000. Myself along with ...I met Tony back in May of 2000. Myself along with two other friends of mine were about to hike the Sespe trail from Lions camp to Fillmore. A big storm had rolled through a couple days before and made crossing the nearly Sespe impossible. After spending about an hour looking for a place to cross we noticed a couple mules stuck on an island in the middle of the Sespe at Lions camp. Then Tony showed up with his trailer and his surf board. Tony had been hired to rescue the mules from the island. He took his surf board out along with his wetsuit and rode the Sespe to the island and pulled the horses out. I took pictures of the event:<br /><br />http://staplescenter.smugmug.com/Nature/Sespe/Beaver-Camp-upper-Ojai-Spring/01-Beaver-Camp/121900075_uha5F-L-1.jpg<br /><br />http://staplescenter.smugmug.com/Nature/Sespe/Beaver-Camp-upper-Ojai-Spring/02-Beaver-Camp/121900076_MAzAc-L-1.jpg<br /><br />http://staplescenter.smugmug.com/Nature/Sespe/Beaver-Camp-upper-Ojai-Spring/03-Beaver-Camp/121900080_hYdL8-L-1.jpg<br /><br /><br />On the Outfitters tribute page to Tony there is picture of him standing in front of his horse trailer from that day. His surf board attached to the side of the trailer. If you look at the picture you can see myself along with my two friends Zach and Justin standing up inside the trailer with the horses.<br /><br />http://staplescenter.smugmug.com/Nature/Sespe/Beaver-Camp-upper-Ojai-Spring/04-Beaver-Camp/121900082_dyDNf-L-1.jpg<br /><br />I have ran into Tony a few times since 2000. He was always fun to talk too. I'm glad we ran into him on that wet morning back in 2000, I think he saved our lives by his shear knowledge of the area. Had we tried to cross we might not be here now. I will miss him.<br /><br />Frank A. Jonesfjones71https://www.blogger.com/profile/09725577702515814860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-10119402930179669032009-12-17T13:32:20.938-08:002009-12-17T13:32:20.938-08:00Another Christmas without my litte brother I never...Another Christmas without my litte brother I never had. That was what Tony called me. We grew up together & I taught him to ride when we were kids. My family owned the stable down the street from him. He always had a big kind heart & great personality even as a little kid. I miss you so much little brother. See you in the future.....<br />JaniceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-6074811387393948922008-09-12T20:18:00.000-07:002008-09-12T20:18:00.000-07:00Friday morning August 15, 2008, I woke up that mor...Friday morning August 15, 2008, I woke up that morning with Tony so much on my mind, tearful, missing him so much....decided I need to go for a hike. When I was about to get in my car to drive to a trailhead, I saw my neighbor hand feeding a wild raven on the handrail of his porch. I asked if that was his pet bird and he said this was the second morning in a row the bird had appeared and pestered him for a cracker. The raven is the totem bird symbol that Tony and I shared together. It was on one of our first dates together that two ravens were flying around a canyon and as we watched them he said it was a good sign because ravens mate for life. He and his brother had also had a pet raven for 30 years named Egor. I told my neighbor about this story and left to go on my hike. I sat on a big bolder by the riverbottom and I felt as if maybe the raven was a way of Tony letting me know he was still around and I felt his presence all around me. Then I started to cry thinking I must be crazy and talking to Tony in my mind I heard his voice telling me 'yes, of course that was me trying to let you know that I'm here....what is it going to take to get you to know I'm always with you!?' I finally said o.k., I hear you, I get it, I guess I just need more things to happen like that to let me know your here. In my mind he said, 'like what?' I said, 'I don't know'. As I looked up into the clear blue sky here in the middle of August in Ojai I said, 'do something like make it rain.' I felt a smile inside as if he liked that idea and he said 'o.k. and make sure you tell my mom about it'. I left the river bottom with a smile and then thought, 'Oh no, I really am crazy'. I went on about my day and by the afternoon clouds were beginning to gather seemingly out of nowhere. A few rain drops hit my windshield and I thought that was good enough, it hadn't rained in months and that was enough of a sign for me and I told my son about the raven and the 'talk' I had with Tony that morning. We laughed and thought it was a funny coincidence. By around 2am the next morning I was awoken by crashing thunder and lightning and pouring rain. I jumped out of my bed and went outside to pounding rain and rivers of water pouring down the street. The lightning crashed all around so close, the lightning and thunder were almost simultaneous. I laughed and said outloud....'O.K.,I get it, gee, your so subtle, do you have to be so dramatic? you've made your point. In my mind he said, 'do you believe me now?' I said, yes, I will never question you again. <BR/>The next day the weather service said the freak storm was concentrated in the area between Ojai and Oak View (right where I live) and that it was rare to have a storm like that in the middle of August, with over 400 lightning strikes. Was that an amazing coincidence, or am I crazy....in love that is. Your such a wild man Tony.....Your raven ~ JoannAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-83488455736279836072008-01-11T00:42:00.000-08:002008-01-11T00:42:00.000-08:00tony was such an incredible person i cannot believ...tony was such an incredible person i cannot believe it has been 3 years...<BR/>i find myself thinking about him and his impact on my life on a daily basis.<BR/>he was one of those few friends that significantly changed my life.<BR/>we love you tonyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-1155697176736139142006-08-15T19:59:00.000-07:002006-08-15T19:59:00.000-07:00Tony had a hundred or more chumash bowls. His brot...Tony had a hundred or more chumash bowls. His brother Dan ripped off every chumash artifact he could pick up.... How come nobody ever mentions that!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-1151603883837410282006-06-29T10:58:00.000-07:002006-06-29T10:58:00.000-07:00Hi, Silvia ~ Thanks for posting. The original arti...Hi, Silvia ~ Thanks for posting. The original article and images I pointed to in this posting about Tony have since moved. I've relinked to websites that have more images and recollections about Tony. I suggest you get intouch with the arikiart people for copies of the pictures I originally had posted. Aloha, MalcolmMalcolm Gault-Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11227779544145341291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6455297.post-1151599374072388702006-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:002006-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:00Ola! I am a friend of Tony's since 1974. We packe...Ola! I am a friend of Tony's since 1974. We packed into the Sespe in 1976 with Mutah and 2 donkeys Pancho and Sammy. We spent many years together. I was wondering if you could send color copies of the photos & the painting to me, I am very close to Tony's parents & they'd love to have copies.<BR/>Silvia Gutierrez, PO Box 23021 Santa Barbara CA 93121 AdiosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com