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I probably was the last person to ride with Patrick Paternie on a new vehicle evaluation.  Patrick passed away on March 10 following a race in his classic Porsche.

Patrick Paternie: Volvo Chili Cook-Off, Scottsdale, March 8, 2010

I spent two days riding in Volvos with Patrick.  He had sought me out to be his co-driver and I looked forward to his commentary and stories.  I knew he was a good driver and would never take risks that so many of the hot-shots on these press previews sometimes take.

Patrick regaled me with stories of how he and his wife Linda towed a big trailer behind a Suburban in Arizona and there just wasn’t enough oomph in the big SUV to keep up with traffic with the trailer following behind.  He talked about how Linda had come to like riding  in his Ford pickup because of all the room in the cab.  He was especially complimentary about a drive with the Aston Martin Rapide in Alaska.  He said the Rapide was much more capable than he would ever have thought.  The folks at Aston Martin admit the car has been “placed at a considerable discount”.  He travelled widely for his passion.  I was jealous.

We talked about heart surgery I had undergone last November.  “How did you know you had a problem,” he asked.  “Sprained ankle,” I replied.  That got me to the doctor’s office and to get a physical my medical insurance provides every year.  Surgery followed a few weeks later.

Patrick never alluded to having a heart problem.  He looked fit and healthy.  He raced.  He finished.  He was 65.  We miss him.