Bajer R.I.P.

Bajer and Debby at an unnamed gathering

On July 18, our much loved Bajer, aka Charles Winslow, passed away after attending his final gathering on planet Earth in Georgia.

Bajer dedicated his entire life to this crazy roller coaster we call the rainbow gathering. He was a mountain man of the kind that are fast becoming extinct in this country if they aren't extinct with his passing. He lived in the woods for a large part of his life. He was a man of few words, "harrumph" being a frequent expression. 

I first met Bajer at the Alabama Gathering in 1993 at a wedding where he was the groom.  I had been to a few regionals before then, but this was my first July 4th gathering and the love he and his bride shared was real. Bajer was a man who believed in love, wanting love. In fact the last time we really hung out was in Vermont, 2016 and he asked me, like he had for years, if I was seeing someone. If I wasn't, he was interested.  Always polite about it, but always looking for love somewhere with someone.

In Colorado 2006 during one of many discussions of how to write an unsigned operating plan that the Forest Service would accept, Bajer stalked by in full exasperation mode and said something to the effect, tell them we will gather, pray for peace and then we'll clean it up.  We don't need more than that. Then he stormed off throwing his hand up in the air.

Enjoy these photos shared by many.

Bajer and a very young John Buffalo

Bajer with headband. Patty in upper right, white tank top.

Chuck Windsong (RIP) on left and Bajer on right.