"Momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
Forest Gump
The park bench that Forest sits on for much of the movie was located in historic Savannah, GA, at Chippewa Square. The original bench was shipped back to Hollywood. I sat at the same location and pondered a box of chocolates/ life. What a great movie! What a great city!
Ger and I just returned from 8 fabulous days in the "lowlands." Pat Conroy is one of our favorite authors. (Prince of Tides, The Great Santini, The Lords of Discipline, Beach Music) His novels, set in this region, instilled a strong desire to someday feel the texture of the South Carolina Coast.
Despite Hurricane Wilma, the time was now.
Highlights of this trip include:
-Touring Savannah's storied historical district, enjoying the restored colonial homes and the city's original 24 green-leafed 1-acre squares.
-Staying at decadent 5 Star resorts (thanks to Clint)
-Visiting Fort Pulaski National Monument on marshy Cockspur Island . It was built with 25 million bricks. Union forces defeated the fort's Confederate defenders during the Civil War.
-Mouth watering low country cuisine-Shrimp & grits to kill for!
-Hanging out at well manicured Hilton Head Island resort area
-Exploring colonial Charleston, enjoying it's European charm, historic architecture and friendly residents
-Touring the storied Citadel in Charleston (Lords of Discipline) Scoring a Citadel climbing shirt and doormat for the front door at the gift shop.(El Lobo loves souvenirs!)
-Taking a boat to Fort Sumter National Monument where the first shots of the civil war were fired in 1861
-Strolling on Myrtle Beach
-Touring the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. Pinckney was a principal framer of the U.S. Constitution.
-Wildlife sightings-particularly the gators and a beautiful red fox romping and jumping gracefully in a meadow in the woods.
10/15/2005
My Backpages
"Ah but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now"
Byrds-1967 (written by Bob Dylan)
Hola,
Do you remember your first bike?
Of course you doI
Mine was a Schwinn that my parents paid a whopping $29.95 at Odens Cyclery on fourth street near downtown Reno.
Everyone in the neighborhood came out to see the shiny new bikes that my parents had surprised my brother and I with.
"We thought we were millionaires this afternoon and went out and bought the kids bikes"
I loved riding my new bike with playing cards flapping in the spokes. I often times cruised the neighborhood with a frog in my pocket that I caught in the Ore Ditch.
I wore Keds sneakers (you know "Keds, Kids, Keds" or perhaps you don't) and rode through empty lots often times getting a flat tire. A sagebrush sticker would be the culprit.
My bike also served as my "office" as I used it to deliver the Nevada State Journal Newspaper early in the morning. My paperboy job netted enough money to buy a new Fred Bear re curve bow. So Cool!!
Almost fifty years have now passed. Where'd they go? Fifty years I don't know I sit and I wonder sometimes Where they've gone
I have just received another new bike and took it for a test ride. Instead of Keds, I now wear Shimano specialty shoes with clips that fit in the pedals. The bike came without pedals and I purchased a pair of Crank Brothers Mallet C for five times the amount my parents paid for my first bike.
It is a super lightweight, high performance, engineering marvel equipped with all XTR components. The tires are tubeless. This bike is the equivalent of a Lexus with all options.
We live modestly and do not drive fancy cars. At first I was a bit uncomfortable having such a fancy bike. It retails for over $5000. Can you believe it? A bicycle for $5000!
I paid considerably less for it (at cost) thanks to my boss, Brian at Arizona Outback Adventures. But still......on my guide and REI salary it seemed like I was being extravagant.
Byrds-1967 (written by Bob Dylan)
Hola,
Do you remember your first bike?
Of course you doI
Mine was a Schwinn that my parents paid a whopping $29.95 at Odens Cyclery on fourth street near downtown Reno.
Everyone in the neighborhood came out to see the shiny new bikes that my parents had surprised my brother and I with.
"We thought we were millionaires this afternoon and went out and bought the kids bikes"
I loved riding my new bike with playing cards flapping in the spokes. I often times cruised the neighborhood with a frog in my pocket that I caught in the Ore Ditch.
I wore Keds sneakers (you know "Keds, Kids, Keds" or perhaps you don't) and rode through empty lots often times getting a flat tire. A sagebrush sticker would be the culprit.
My bike also served as my "office" as I used it to deliver the Nevada State Journal Newspaper early in the morning. My paperboy job netted enough money to buy a new Fred Bear re curve bow. So Cool!!
Almost fifty years have now passed. Where'd they go? Fifty years I don't know I sit and I wonder sometimes Where they've gone
I have just received another new bike and took it for a test ride. Instead of Keds, I now wear Shimano specialty shoes with clips that fit in the pedals. The bike came without pedals and I purchased a pair of Crank Brothers Mallet C for five times the amount my parents paid for my first bike.
It is a super lightweight, high performance, engineering marvel equipped with all XTR components. The tires are tubeless. This bike is the equivalent of a Lexus with all options.
We live modestly and do not drive fancy cars. At first I was a bit uncomfortable having such a fancy bike. It retails for over $5000. Can you believe it? A bicycle for $5000!
I paid considerably less for it (at cost) thanks to my boss, Brian at Arizona Outback Adventures. But still......on my guide and REI salary it seemed like I was being extravagant.
T-Shirts Cutoffs and A Pair Of Thongs
“T-shirts Cutoffs and a Pair of Thongs”
Reflections –July 2005
David Walechinsky wrote a book “Whatever Happened to the Class of 65?” It was published in 1975 and documented various classmate lives since graduation. He followed up with “The Class of 65, Midterm Report” published in 1985.
What really happened to the Reno and Wooster Classes of 65, the vanguard of the baby boom generation?
-Who has life been kind to?
-Where has each classmate’s life journey taken them?
-What successes and disappointments have occurred?
-Who left Reno right after high school?
-Who stayed in the comfort of Reno for all these years?
-Who stayed for a period and then left looking for adventure?
-Who left and came back?
-Who has lived life on their own terms?
-Who is no longer with us?
-How do we measure success?
It seems to me that success is relative to the individual. It also appears to be about where an individual started and how far that individual has progressed.
I guess that we will find the answer to some of these questions here at this reunion.
We entered high school over 42 years ago having spent our Freshman year as BD Bees, Vaughn Eagles, Central Panthers and Traner Vikings. A few came from the cow counties and California. Half the Billinghurst kids went on to be Wooster Colts and half to be Reno Huskies. We listened to songs on our transistor radios like “Poetry in Motion” and “The Image of a Girl”; full of romance, they put a voice to our imaginations, our dreams.
We all seemed to know everyone in both schools. Manogue was the only other high school in Reno at that time.
Our classes were perhaps not the best and brightest, but we went to high school during the best of times. Many of us lived the lives of the characters in the movie “American Graffiti.” We all knew a Kurt, Toad or John Milner. “I get around” characterized our fun activities. All the boys dragged downtown Virginia Street in pursuit of the blonde in the T-bird. I don’t remember anyone catching her. We would cruise downtown, to the Cow Palace, drive-in and then through the Frostop and then back again, all on 25 cents a gallon.
Many of us belonged to “Y Clubs”. The “clubs’ included, Barons, Cossacks, Gents, Pharaohs, Royals, Rogues, Seroyas and others.
One club was unceremoniously kicked out of the Y and letters were written to the parents identifying savage activities such as keggars at Pyramid Lake. All charges were false, of course.
Why were these the best of times?
I think that part of the answer was in the music. The potent combination of the Beatles and the British Invasion, Motown, Folk Rock, Junk Rock, Surf Music and the Beach Boys made these times more than special.
It may also have been the California culture spillover.
The Summer Jim Burgett dances up at the South shore of Lake Tahoe were fantastic! Tahoe was our Surf City. California Girls! Two girls for every boy!
The Beach Boys certainly had an impact on our young lives. All of their music had a positive thread. The evening after JFK went down on the expressway in Dallas and Camelot was destroyed by an assassin’s bullet, Brian Wilson wrote “The warmth of the sun”
Their music was what we related to-The car, the beach, the girlfriend, the boyfriend.
We had a few surfers in our classes.
However, it wasn’t all good times.
JFK was assassinated in our Jr. Year. Reno had a basketball game that night. The team from Oroville was en route on a bus, unaware of the tragedy. The game was played and Willie Molini, Reno’s student body president, lead us in silent prayer.
Our Senior year, the Wooster student body was shocked when the undefeated basketball team was ambushed in the Zone tournament by the Fallon Green Wave who put on a surprise stall for the entire game and knocked the mighty Colts from the tourney.
These were also confused times. Vietnam was escalating; the Civil rights movement was taking shape. There was burning and anger in Watts.
Symbolic of the confusion in 65 “The Eve of Destruction”, a protest song by Barry Maguire hit number one on the charts and was followed by six months later with another number one hit-“The Ballad of the Green Berets” by SSGT Barry Sadler.
We lost four from our classes to Viet Nam-Bob Andrews, Loren Berger, Jamie Clark and Bob Minetto.
I think about them every Veterans Day and have found their names on the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington DC. They will not be forgotten.
After high school we went in lots of different directions. Many of us went off to college. If high school was American Graffiti, perhaps college was Animal House.
We even had our own Bluto. Although not on the three year plan in high school, conspicuously absent from the classroom, he is now a prominent physician and land baron in Eastern Nevada.
Louie, Louie-me gotta go
Sooooooooooo-forty years later:
The little old lady from Pasadena is now the little old lady from North Galena. She is the terror of Oddie Boulevard.
Go Granny Go Granny Go Granny go!
We have all lived lots of different lives. The kids are grown, many of us have grandchildren. We are back to young people going off to war. Some of us are still deciding what we want to do.
The Rolling Stones are still touring, Dick Dale is still playing his surf guitar and Paul McCartney will be 64 next year. At 15 when he wrote “When I’m 64” did he think a half century later he would be receiving “A birthday greeting and a bottle of wine?”
But regardless of the disparate paths taken all we have to do is put on Surf City and we are right back in the endless summer of 1965 in T-shirts, cutoffs, and a pair of thongs.
Surfers Rule!
El Lobo H. Grande
Reflections –July 2005
David Walechinsky wrote a book “Whatever Happened to the Class of 65?” It was published in 1975 and documented various classmate lives since graduation. He followed up with “The Class of 65, Midterm Report” published in 1985.
What really happened to the Reno and Wooster Classes of 65, the vanguard of the baby boom generation?
-Who has life been kind to?
-Where has each classmate’s life journey taken them?
-What successes and disappointments have occurred?
-Who left Reno right after high school?
-Who stayed in the comfort of Reno for all these years?
-Who stayed for a period and then left looking for adventure?
-Who left and came back?
-Who has lived life on their own terms?
-Who is no longer with us?
-How do we measure success?
It seems to me that success is relative to the individual. It also appears to be about where an individual started and how far that individual has progressed.
I guess that we will find the answer to some of these questions here at this reunion.
We entered high school over 42 years ago having spent our Freshman year as BD Bees, Vaughn Eagles, Central Panthers and Traner Vikings. A few came from the cow counties and California. Half the Billinghurst kids went on to be Wooster Colts and half to be Reno Huskies. We listened to songs on our transistor radios like “Poetry in Motion” and “The Image of a Girl”; full of romance, they put a voice to our imaginations, our dreams.
We all seemed to know everyone in both schools. Manogue was the only other high school in Reno at that time.
Our classes were perhaps not the best and brightest, but we went to high school during the best of times. Many of us lived the lives of the characters in the movie “American Graffiti.” We all knew a Kurt, Toad or John Milner. “I get around” characterized our fun activities. All the boys dragged downtown Virginia Street in pursuit of the blonde in the T-bird. I don’t remember anyone catching her. We would cruise downtown, to the Cow Palace, drive-in and then through the Frostop and then back again, all on 25 cents a gallon.
Many of us belonged to “Y Clubs”. The “clubs’ included, Barons, Cossacks, Gents, Pharaohs, Royals, Rogues, Seroyas and others.
One club was unceremoniously kicked out of the Y and letters were written to the parents identifying savage activities such as keggars at Pyramid Lake. All charges were false, of course.
Why were these the best of times?
I think that part of the answer was in the music. The potent combination of the Beatles and the British Invasion, Motown, Folk Rock, Junk Rock, Surf Music and the Beach Boys made these times more than special.
It may also have been the California culture spillover.
The Summer Jim Burgett dances up at the South shore of Lake Tahoe were fantastic! Tahoe was our Surf City. California Girls! Two girls for every boy!
The Beach Boys certainly had an impact on our young lives. All of their music had a positive thread. The evening after JFK went down on the expressway in Dallas and Camelot was destroyed by an assassin’s bullet, Brian Wilson wrote “The warmth of the sun”
Their music was what we related to-The car, the beach, the girlfriend, the boyfriend.
We had a few surfers in our classes.
However, it wasn’t all good times.
JFK was assassinated in our Jr. Year. Reno had a basketball game that night. The team from Oroville was en route on a bus, unaware of the tragedy. The game was played and Willie Molini, Reno’s student body president, lead us in silent prayer.
Our Senior year, the Wooster student body was shocked when the undefeated basketball team was ambushed in the Zone tournament by the Fallon Green Wave who put on a surprise stall for the entire game and knocked the mighty Colts from the tourney.
These were also confused times. Vietnam was escalating; the Civil rights movement was taking shape. There was burning and anger in Watts.
Symbolic of the confusion in 65 “The Eve of Destruction”, a protest song by Barry Maguire hit number one on the charts and was followed by six months later with another number one hit-“The Ballad of the Green Berets” by SSGT Barry Sadler.
We lost four from our classes to Viet Nam-Bob Andrews, Loren Berger, Jamie Clark and Bob Minetto.
I think about them every Veterans Day and have found their names on the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington DC. They will not be forgotten.
After high school we went in lots of different directions. Many of us went off to college. If high school was American Graffiti, perhaps college was Animal House.
We even had our own Bluto. Although not on the three year plan in high school, conspicuously absent from the classroom, he is now a prominent physician and land baron in Eastern Nevada.
Louie, Louie-me gotta go
Sooooooooooo-forty years later:
The little old lady from Pasadena is now the little old lady from North Galena. She is the terror of Oddie Boulevard.
Go Granny Go Granny Go Granny go!
We have all lived lots of different lives. The kids are grown, many of us have grandchildren. We are back to young people going off to war. Some of us are still deciding what we want to do.
The Rolling Stones are still touring, Dick Dale is still playing his surf guitar and Paul McCartney will be 64 next year. At 15 when he wrote “When I’m 64” did he think a half century later he would be receiving “A birthday greeting and a bottle of wine?”
But regardless of the disparate paths taken all we have to do is put on Surf City and we are right back in the endless summer of 1965 in T-shirts, cutoffs, and a pair of thongs.
Surfers Rule!
El Lobo H. Grande
10/14/2005
Grandview to Kaibab
Friday evening the magnificent 7 , met at the Cameron trading post, 56miles east of the GC, on the little Colorado. The group was a mix of fit andexperienced trail hikers, balanced by what turned out to be unfitgreenhorns.Two were last minute substitutes for injured regulars and weresupposed to be in shape and experienced. Two others are graduates of theGrand Canyon field institute expert clas that consists of taking ardous crosscountry canyon trips, ascending major ridges and hiking lengthy waterlessstretches. Their experience came in real handy - the last 20 miles of thistrip yielded little water.We had a great dinner at the trading post; most of the group consumed thefamous navajo tacos. Spent the evening at the Cameron trading post lodgewhich is a great alternative to staying at one of the lodges on the southrim. The Cameron lodge is a bit cheaper and a whole lot nicer.We arrived at the Grandview trailhead at 9:00 A.M. and shuttled a couple ofcars to the Kaibab trailhead. Started hiking about 10:00. The descent wassteep and took quite a bit of time by the inexperienced guys. Three of usreached our Grapevine destination around 3:00. When the others hadn't arrivedby 5:00, I went back looking for them and found them at a spring a couple ofmiles back. Todd, whom is highly excitable was freaking out about not gettingout alive and had the rest of the group spooked, with the exception of Jameswhom was trying to calm the others. Todd was shouting "Ive bitten off morethan I can chew and I am not going to get out alive"The greenhorns were spent and had let their minds get the best of them. Bythis time it was dark. The next day's destination was now 14 miles for them,and they wanted to go back and out over Grandview. I was able to calm Todddown and get them to rationally access their status. After the fear hadsubsided I finally was able to coax them into trying to get a good night'ssleep and getting up extra early for their start on the ole Tonto. Jamesdecided to go with me over to Grapevine in the dark. I felt pretty good andcarried his pack so that he could save his energy.The next A.M. the group showed up in good spirits at 7:00 A.M. and startedhiking with 2 gallons of water each, which was necessary. We broke camp at9:00 and caught them at 1:00 at Lonetree spring which had a little water.They had made great progress, but were really tired. We went on to ourdestination- Creamation and got there around 3:00, and to our delight, therest of the group arrived about an hour later. Spirits were high, now thatthey had the confidence that they could complete the trip. That eveningeveryone was jovial and I read Todd poetry by Gary Snyder to keep himtranquil. Todd is really a great guy; very funny, he just gets real excitedand has big mood swings. I had given him many demerits on this trip and Ibelieve that may have triggered his discontent. He was supposed to bring thebeer and refreshments for the finish and forgot, so he immediately startedout with 5 demerits!The guys started at 7:00 and we left at 8:00 to finish the tonto link andhead up the Kaibab. The Kaibab was steep but does not have the rough rocklike the Grandview , so I thought it was relatively easy going out. Uponexiting, I decided that there was enough time to cop a shower at the lodge,in one of the shared bathrooms. It felt great; however; upon completion Iopened the bathroom door and looked into the eyes of 4 oriental ladiespatiently waiting for me to finish with their bathroom. I bowed and left.Everyone knows that nothing embarasses me.I went back to the trailhead and Todd had arrived so I gave him a chance toredeem himself by bringing him to the store for refreshments. He ended up inthe plus column after buying tons of chips, candy and beer.The rest of the group got out fine and we met at EL CH------ in Flag fordinner and margaritas.Overall it was a pretty good trip. The weather was perfect-high 70s day witha slight breeze and high 40s at night.This stretch of the tonto is often not well defined and was difficult tofollow at times. There are several feral variations of the trail. You had toreally pay attention and look for the cairns and the distant trail,particularly when entering the many washes. This 18 mile section of theTonto sort of tortures you. You are tempted to take shortcuts up and overrather than over and around the meandering basturd. There were three greatviews of the river, but most of it is just hot desert hiking.Todd and the boys must attend GC institute for introductory wildernessstudies and psycological workshops prior to being allowed back in theCanyon.Overall rating B- only because, after all it still is, the Grand Canyon.
South Canyon
The latest adventure trip into the Grand Canyon proved to be the mostdifficult physical and mental challenge that I have negotiated. This wasthetoughest fourteen miles traveled by El Lobo. His paws are still very sore.I WILL ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY STAY OUT OF THE CANYON IN THE SUMMER!!!!!!!After doing rim to rim in July a number of years ago I should have knownbetter!!The temperature at the bottom was 108. We arrived in an extremelydehydratedstate and immediately dropped Into the Colarado.The water was an icy 48.Thebeach was like being in a furnace as the winds served up scorching air thatbounced off the hot walls of the canyon.Our destination was South Canyon, --Vasces Paradise at mile 32 of theColorado.Vasces Paradise is a gushing round waterfall surrounded by vines that comesout the middle of a layer in the Canyon wall. The water is over 1000 yearsold.We took a back road in the Vermillion Cliffs area called Buffaloe ranch for24miles to the trailhead?????My partner, Steve Yahner whom got the backcountry permit has been downthere3 other times, and twice his expedition partners took a ride out withRiverrunners to Phantom ranch because they were dehydrated and could not getbackout. Steve is a graduate of the Grand Canyon Institute's most difficultprogram and is a wild animal. He has difficulty finding anyone crazyenoughto go with him on his challenging expeditions. I went with him not knowingthat this particular route required expert outdoor skills and unlimitedstamina. El Lobo was again seduced by the Canyon.The descent is 2725', with the first 2000 going straight down. No traverseshere. We had to rope our packs 6 times. The next 6+ miles was boulderhoppingand scrambling down drainage. We ended up rimlocked twice and had to doubleback. On the way down I lost one water bottle and shredded my Mountainsmithinternal frame pack. I also had my watch ripped off and lost. The internalframe was not a good choice for this type of trip as it stayed flush on myback and my shirt was totally drenched. I also overpacked for this trip andcursed myself for the needless extra 5 to 8 lbs that put me carrying closeto50lbs. To really make things tough on myself I wore newly resoled bootsthatleft less foot space and infected two toes, constantly jamming them goingdown.After 6 miles, With only a 1/2 mile to go the drainage is obstructed bythreegiant boulders 20' to 25' not allowing passage unless you can climb overthem.A flash flood placed these little gems in our path. We did not attempt tonegotiate them and went back up and over to get to the river. This was anexrta 2 mile climb up and down and almost did us in.On day two we both spent the day resting and rehydrating, trying to putbackas much liquid as possible. We also ate as much salty stuff as we could putdown. At least the water from the river was nice and cold. The Colorado wasabeautiful pure green. It does not go brown with Silt until the littleColoradopours into it with its residue. We also scouted out Boulders 1 & 2 andaftermuch deliberation, decided to risk going out that way the followingmorning.In the afternoon some river runners stopped and invited us to dinner withthemif we would share our beach. They offered us a cold beer and I wanted itsooooo bad but could not put anything into my system that would cause anyfurther dehydration.We did enjoy a nice dinner and conversation with the river people.That evening while gazing at the stars I fought off thoughts that I mightnever see Gerry and Lucy again.The next day we started at first light and climbed over the first boulder.Steve would go first and then we would rope up and hoist the packs, then Iwould go. These little climbs required rockclimbing skills that I simply donot have but it is amazing what you can do and what small holes you canfinda finger grip to lift yourself over when you have to. Boulder 1 wentwithoutincident but Boulder two was completed at the expense of a severelystrainedYahner back. Steve pulled it out while hoisting one of the packs. The lastBoulder was a nice surprise as it was inverse and put us in the position ofpossibly being trapped as going back would be extremely difficult and loseusprecious time that would be spent in the midday sun. Steve got over and Iwasleft with no choice but to use every bit of strength left and pull and liftmyself over. All the time invested working with weights and improving myupperbody strength provided me with my finest ROI. Steve gave me a hardy embraceand I felt like beating my fists on my chest but didn't waste theenergy.Guything.His leadership and coaching really helped.When we finally finished the drainage and looked up at our ascent it lookedimpossible. It was now 100 out. Giving the choice of getting out orfrydyingmade it easier to psyche myself up and take care of business. We knockedoffthe climb in thirds. I have never sucked so much deep air as I did in thathour and a half. Every few yards would require a short rest trying to catchmybreath. All things must pass and we completed the last segment ratherroutinely.After a long rocky ride back to Marble Canyon we stopped there andshoweredand slowly drank a half Gallon of cold Dr. Pepper. Enjoyed a great lunchatthe Marble Canyon lodge----- Burger, fries, and Chocolate Shake. Reallyfeltgood about this one. It made the Boucher loop pale in comparison.EL LOBO WILL GO BACK IN THE FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nankoweep Termination
"As long as there are canyons, man will be drawn to them"AnonymousLeaving work on Friday afternoon was quite challenging and stressful,howeverwe were able to make it to Marble Canyon Lodge around 7:30P.M. in time foranice trout dinner and a good nights rest.In the morning we got an early start to the connecting trailhead which wasa35 mile backroad drive. This approach to the Nankoweep trail is longer andmore difficult than the approach from forrest road 610, off the North RimParkway.The approach trail at the North Rim is shorter, and not as steep, butHighway67 from Jacob's lake was closed. This route is highly recommended over theone we took, if the road is open.Our route took us through the beautiful Saddle Mountain Wilderness. Weendedup taking the wrong trail a mile in. We took the Saddle Mountain trailwhichdoes not show on the trails illustrated Topo. It does show on the forrestservice map. This trail is a more distinct trail at an intersection with alight trail going into a drainage being the correct connecting trail thatweshould have followed. We spent much unnecessary energy on elevation gainandsome distance prior to determining that this trail was continuing NorthEastand we needed to go South.Lesson learned-Take off your packs and check out both trails prior to goingforward!Back on track, losing an hour, we ascended another 1200 feet to the top ofthe saddle where the Nankoweep trail begins. Lost about an hours time.Note: The other trail was the Saddle Mountain trail that goes 6 miles outandapparently offers incredible views of Marble Canyon.The Nankoweep trail is billed as the "scariest" (Arizona Highways) and thetoughest Canyon hike in most hiking books. It has the greatest elevationloss from rim to river in the Canyon.We cached water at Marion point ridge approximately 6 miles in and thenheaded for Tilted Mesa ridge. This is a beautiful trail, and certainly doeshave exposure, is difficult and demanding like many canyon hikes, butoverallto this point I felt the danger and difficulty was overrated. You do needtowalk carefully as the trail often has a very narrow passage withconsiderable exposure along the edge of the steep cliffs.We arrived at tilted Mesa -about 9 miles at 2:00. The next leg to Nankoweepcreek, our original destination is a steep 2000 foot drop in 3 and a halfmiles.It was at this point that my hiking partner Steve announced that he was alldone having fun. He had made the decision that he did not want to negotiatethe next phase and there was no changing his mind. Perhaps due to the factthat one of the masters of the Canyon had done this hike five times prior,itwas simply not worth it for him.Steve wanted to go back to Marion point? and hike out the next morning andgoback. This would cut our trip from 4 days to two. I really had no choicebuttry to make the best of it and go along with his decision. This wasdifficult, but El Lobo handled it.Soooooo we hiked back to Marion's Point and set up camp after logging 12miles with heavy packs and probably 3000 feet of elevation gain/loss.The campsite was nice with great views on a ridge, but really windy.We both had purchased new Walrus one person tents in lieu of using bivysacks and they worked out great!! We both really like them. Highlyrecommended-light and roomy!The next morning we rose early and was back to the car by 9 and at MarbleCanyon Lodge for the traditional shower at 11:00. El Lobo enjoyed a16 oz.budlight while Steve got his usual burger and fries.Made it back to Phoenix at 4:30, in time to have a few glasses of vino withClint & Jakes Mom, Gerry, whom already had been into a little winewhileenjoying a Mother's day luncheon with Clint.Even though not not getting to Nankoweep Creek was extremely disapointing,Irate the hike an 8 because it still is the Grand Canyon!!!This will give me the opportunity to get there another time via the otherconnecting trail, and to see a different part of the Saddle Mountain
10/11/2005
Nankoweep GC Hot sun hot feet hot tempers
"I asked for a mission, and for my sins, they gave me one" - Apocalypse Now
On Friday morning we looked down into the depths of the
Nankoweep basin. Record temperatures were forecast. The inner canyon would be a virtual oven. (100 degree +) We knew that we would be tested but had no idea that the conditions and events would threaten to drive a wedge between five very good friends.
Canyoneers
Zo (Rim 8840')
Dingo
Jacobo
Juan da Chacal
El Lobo Grande (River 2800')
The Nankoweep trail was constructed by Major John Wesley Powell, geologist Charles Doolittle Walcott, and others during 1882 so Walcott could study the Grand Canyon series of rock layers.
The one armed Major was one tough hombre.
The "trail" is perhaps the most difficult and demanding in the Grand Canyon.
Nankoweep has the greatest elevation loss from rim- to- river (6400') and often has a very narrow tread with considerable exposure, that corkscrews along the edge of plunging cliffs. It is hard for me to believe that Utah horse thieves took their horses down the Nankoweep and linked a route with the Tanner Trail.
"Take it to the limit one more time" Eagles 4/76
What is the motivation for such a death March into the inferno?
Juan loves the canyon and has precious little time to explore it. Zo loves the party and beer after the torture. Dingo loves to explore. Jacobo simply and innocently just wanted to see the North Rim of the Canyon.
Mine was unfinished business. The last time down the Nankoweep my trekking partner (donde esta steeeeeeve) arbitrarily decided that we were finished just below the Redwall. It was time to get this one done. Check!
We dropped down the south side of the Saddle Mountain saddle through the Esplanade Sandstone and contoured the Supai Sandstone for about three miles before descending through the Redwall on the West side of Tilted Mesa.
The stretch along the Supai Sandstone is dangerously exposed in two sections and takes inventive forks in two other stretches. We negotiated them with great care. No margin for error. At about five miles we found a slow
dripping seep. We put empty water bottles under the drips. They should be full when we returned.
Below the Redwall we descended steeply through the landslide, Limestone and Galeros formation. There is no shade in this stretch. We eventually got to the bed of Nankoweep Creek. The Creek was flowing mud brown and our hearts sank. We had little water and filtering would be a timely process. However,
we found a spring of clear water flowing from the Muav Limestone, and a nice campsite under some cottonwoods.
"And I was thinking to myself This could be Heaven or this could be Hell" Eagles-Hotel California
"I am tempted to write "my canyon" so possessive can that make one feel. But the canyon is not mine, nor any ones."
Edward Abbey
"You cannot see the Grand Canyon in one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it you have to toil from month to month through its labyrinths." John Wesley Powell
We broke camp early the next morning to try to beat some of the heat.
Our plan was to stop at the seep and make a decision to camp there or continue out in one day. We all knew that we would elect to get out that day.
Cervezas were waiting at the trail head.
Along the way we met a strange group of four. Their leader asked a lot of questions that apparently he already knew all the answers to. Adios asshole.
The rest of the return trip was very hot and arduous. Everyone's feet were killing them.
At the trail head we collapsed into our camp chairs ready for a well deserved rest and refreshments when a strange guy with the tightest shirt in the world jumped out of a small Subaru and started rambling about his misfortune and needed a jump to start the car. He was part of the group we met on the trail but he had turned back after a mile and had spent the night in the car. His group was not due out for three days. He had no water?
We gave him water and unsuccessfully tried to start his friend's car whom was the leader of the group. His dialogue was inconsistent and he did not make much sense. Juan was very uncomfortable with him. He wanted a ride back to the Cliff Dwellers Motel with us. We could not just leave him there so we agreed to take him. I told him to bring his gear because there probably would not be any rooms available at any of the three lodges. He ignored my request and I told the guys that he would want to be staying with us. He did not have a plan. Dingo was sure that they would make some type of accommodation for him. I was sure that he would be asking to stay with us. We were already overcrowded and this guy was a total flake.
The Buffalo Ranch back road is 30 miles long and our hitchhiker's (Jim) dialogue did nothing to make us more comfortable with him. He talked about picking up 20 year old girls on the trail? He said he was a professional guitarist that had not worked for 10 years.
Back at the Ranch
Sure enough -no rooms and he did not want to call a tow truck. Can I stay with you guys? What could we do? Our party time was now full of tension.
El Lobo was livid, Everyone was on a short fuse. Hard words were exchanged. This group that had gotten along together for so many years and outings were now at each others throats. Jake and I had never gotten into it before. Him and Lorenzo (the dynamic tag team) both chewed me out. One delivered a lecture blow on "someday you may need help" and the other delivered a "you are being a total asshole" blow.
They are lucky that El Lobo kept a cool head and did not knock them to the ground and bite their ears off. (like in a boy named Sue song)
Hey somebody had to be the bad guy and put up some parameters for "Uncle Jim" Jim needed to take ownership of this problem and not pass it on to us. Some of the boys did not see it quite that way. They have very big hearts-to their credit.
One option was to drive back to Phoenix thoroughly pissed off at each other
.
We ended up coming together and making due with the strange and difficult situation. At best case this guy would now want a ride to Phoenix or money. Worst case he was "the axe killer" and would do us all in.
We survived the evening and the next morning our unwanted guest
announced that he wanted to go back to the car and work on it?
We drew the line here-you are on your own on that one. He found someone that would take him back there for a fee but of course he did not have enough money.
The last we talked, he had a room reserved for the next two nights and called a friend in Tucson that was going to come up and get him back to the trail head. Adios Jim. Give my best to the trip leader.
Juan got us home by noon. Thanks for driving Juan.
Men and Thing behaving Badly
The entire pack for MMMMMMMing Jesse, Thursday's beer waitress with the bodacious tatas, and using her as inspiration through all the hard parts of this death march.
Juan the Rico Republican for being an overall management problem.
-For talking, talking on his car phone on the way to Vermillion Cliffs and trying to pedal bad software products to his clients.
-For being too eager to get to the trail head, driving way too fast on the back road and getting a tire blow out. This delayed our descent to a much hotter time of the day.
-For being way too cheerful for the brutal conditions while the rest of the group was miserable.
-For F*#king with a rattlesnake and irresponsibly placing his pack so that it nearly rolled off a cliff. This incident almost reinstated the practice of El Lobo issuing demerits.
-For cheerfully talking way too long listening to the argumentive, asshole trip leader of a party of four met on the trail, while the rest of us were in the sun and then turning into a bleeding heart Democrat and giving them water without checking to see how much water the rest of our group had.
-For hanging around in his underwear at camp and being so excited about being there that he sprung a woody. (in the manner that a dog does)
Everybody run!
For taking advantage of being out in nature to show his hippie side by wearing his Grateful Dead tie-dye shirt and breaking out the patchouli oil to cover up the stink that his donker powder missed.
-For espousing his management philosophy on the long ride home. How long have you been managing Juan? Two years? How many people report to you?
Six? Save it for your corporate leisure suit colleagues!
Juan&Dingo on Friday for stopping at a shady spot that could only accommodate 2.
Juan&Lobo on Saturday for stopping at shady spots that could only accommodate 2.
Asshole hikers for replacing our water bottles at a seep with their own.
Jacobo for announcing at the end of the first day that he's no longer interested in going on the Tahoe Rim Trail trip.
Dingo for breaking out the infamous Red Dirt shirt for the millionth time. I hope his will states that's the shirt he wants to be buried in.
El Lobo for farting while Dingo was enjoying a Cliff Bar. Dingo for wining -"Wah, can't you see that I am trying to eat!"
Jim, the stranded backpacker, whose situation threatened to drive a wedge between the Jake-Lobo familial bond and Zo-Lobo climber (my life is in your hands) bond. Why blame each other when there's an easy scapegoat available!?
The androgynous Thing, a waitress at Lee's Ferry Lodge for being the Thing and giving El Lobo Grande the new moniker of "Pops" and calling Juan "Mr. Tie-Dye.
Doesn't she(?) know that El Lobo is a world famous guide en su cabeza? By the way, the beer selection and onion rings are excellent.
ZO & Jake (tag team) for separately jumping on El Lobo for fuming about giving Jim-in-need a ride to the lodge and because he correctly surmised that Jim-in-need would end up having to share accommodations with the group. All poor El Lobo Grande/World Famous Guide/Trip Leader/Pops wanted to do was look out for the best interests of the group.
Lobo/Jake/Dingo/John for volunteering poor Zo to be the sacrificial lamb to share the room with 2 single beds with Jim-in-need in case he turned out to be a mass murderer.
The pack for doing a death march in two days that normally takes four or five.
Entire group for being cantankerous after the hike and finishing every comment directed at someone with "you f*#$"
Jacobo for complaining to the secretaries at his office on Monday morning about how brutal the hike was.
On Friday morning we looked down into the depths of the
Nankoweep basin. Record temperatures were forecast. The inner canyon would be a virtual oven. (100 degree +) We knew that we would be tested but had no idea that the conditions and events would threaten to drive a wedge between five very good friends.
Canyoneers
Zo (Rim 8840')
Dingo
Jacobo
Juan da Chacal
El Lobo Grande (River 2800')
The Nankoweep trail was constructed by Major John Wesley Powell, geologist Charles Doolittle Walcott, and others during 1882 so Walcott could study the Grand Canyon series of rock layers.
The one armed Major was one tough hombre.
The "trail" is perhaps the most difficult and demanding in the Grand Canyon.
Nankoweep has the greatest elevation loss from rim- to- river (6400') and often has a very narrow tread with considerable exposure, that corkscrews along the edge of plunging cliffs. It is hard for me to believe that Utah horse thieves took their horses down the Nankoweep and linked a route with the Tanner Trail.
"Take it to the limit one more time" Eagles 4/76
What is the motivation for such a death March into the inferno?
Juan loves the canyon and has precious little time to explore it. Zo loves the party and beer after the torture. Dingo loves to explore. Jacobo simply and innocently just wanted to see the North Rim of the Canyon.
Mine was unfinished business. The last time down the Nankoweep my trekking partner (donde esta steeeeeeve) arbitrarily decided that we were finished just below the Redwall. It was time to get this one done. Check!
We dropped down the south side of the Saddle Mountain saddle through the Esplanade Sandstone and contoured the Supai Sandstone for about three miles before descending through the Redwall on the West side of Tilted Mesa.
The stretch along the Supai Sandstone is dangerously exposed in two sections and takes inventive forks in two other stretches. We negotiated them with great care. No margin for error. At about five miles we found a slow
dripping seep. We put empty water bottles under the drips. They should be full when we returned.
Below the Redwall we descended steeply through the landslide, Limestone and Galeros formation. There is no shade in this stretch. We eventually got to the bed of Nankoweep Creek. The Creek was flowing mud brown and our hearts sank. We had little water and filtering would be a timely process. However,
we found a spring of clear water flowing from the Muav Limestone, and a nice campsite under some cottonwoods.
"And I was thinking to myself This could be Heaven or this could be Hell" Eagles-Hotel California
"I am tempted to write "my canyon" so possessive can that make one feel. But the canyon is not mine, nor any ones."
Edward Abbey
"You cannot see the Grand Canyon in one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it you have to toil from month to month through its labyrinths." John Wesley Powell
We broke camp early the next morning to try to beat some of the heat.
Our plan was to stop at the seep and make a decision to camp there or continue out in one day. We all knew that we would elect to get out that day.
Cervezas were waiting at the trail head.
Along the way we met a strange group of four. Their leader asked a lot of questions that apparently he already knew all the answers to. Adios asshole.
The rest of the return trip was very hot and arduous. Everyone's feet were killing them.
At the trail head we collapsed into our camp chairs ready for a well deserved rest and refreshments when a strange guy with the tightest shirt in the world jumped out of a small Subaru and started rambling about his misfortune and needed a jump to start the car. He was part of the group we met on the trail but he had turned back after a mile and had spent the night in the car. His group was not due out for three days. He had no water?
We gave him water and unsuccessfully tried to start his friend's car whom was the leader of the group. His dialogue was inconsistent and he did not make much sense. Juan was very uncomfortable with him. He wanted a ride back to the Cliff Dwellers Motel with us. We could not just leave him there so we agreed to take him. I told him to bring his gear because there probably would not be any rooms available at any of the three lodges. He ignored my request and I told the guys that he would want to be staying with us. He did not have a plan. Dingo was sure that they would make some type of accommodation for him. I was sure that he would be asking to stay with us. We were already overcrowded and this guy was a total flake.
The Buffalo Ranch back road is 30 miles long and our hitchhiker's (Jim) dialogue did nothing to make us more comfortable with him. He talked about picking up 20 year old girls on the trail? He said he was a professional guitarist that had not worked for 10 years.
Back at the Ranch
Sure enough -no rooms and he did not want to call a tow truck. Can I stay with you guys? What could we do? Our party time was now full of tension.
El Lobo was livid, Everyone was on a short fuse. Hard words were exchanged. This group that had gotten along together for so many years and outings were now at each others throats. Jake and I had never gotten into it before. Him and Lorenzo (the dynamic tag team) both chewed me out. One delivered a lecture blow on "someday you may need help" and the other delivered a "you are being a total asshole" blow.
They are lucky that El Lobo kept a cool head and did not knock them to the ground and bite their ears off. (like in a boy named Sue song)
Hey somebody had to be the bad guy and put up some parameters for "Uncle Jim" Jim needed to take ownership of this problem and not pass it on to us. Some of the boys did not see it quite that way. They have very big hearts-to their credit.
One option was to drive back to Phoenix thoroughly pissed off at each other
.
We ended up coming together and making due with the strange and difficult situation. At best case this guy would now want a ride to Phoenix or money. Worst case he was "the axe killer" and would do us all in.
We survived the evening and the next morning our unwanted guest
announced that he wanted to go back to the car and work on it?
We drew the line here-you are on your own on that one. He found someone that would take him back there for a fee but of course he did not have enough money.
The last we talked, he had a room reserved for the next two nights and called a friend in Tucson that was going to come up and get him back to the trail head. Adios Jim. Give my best to the trip leader.
Juan got us home by noon. Thanks for driving Juan.
Men and Thing behaving Badly
The entire pack for MMMMMMMing Jesse, Thursday's beer waitress with the bodacious tatas, and using her as inspiration through all the hard parts of this death march.
Juan the Rico Republican for being an overall management problem.
-For talking, talking on his car phone on the way to Vermillion Cliffs and trying to pedal bad software products to his clients.
-For being too eager to get to the trail head, driving way too fast on the back road and getting a tire blow out. This delayed our descent to a much hotter time of the day.
-For being way too cheerful for the brutal conditions while the rest of the group was miserable.
-For F*#king with a rattlesnake and irresponsibly placing his pack so that it nearly rolled off a cliff. This incident almost reinstated the practice of El Lobo issuing demerits.
-For cheerfully talking way too long listening to the argumentive, asshole trip leader of a party of four met on the trail, while the rest of us were in the sun and then turning into a bleeding heart Democrat and giving them water without checking to see how much water the rest of our group had.
-For hanging around in his underwear at camp and being so excited about being there that he sprung a woody. (in the manner that a dog does)
Everybody run!
For taking advantage of being out in nature to show his hippie side by wearing his Grateful Dead tie-dye shirt and breaking out the patchouli oil to cover up the stink that his donker powder missed.
-For espousing his management philosophy on the long ride home. How long have you been managing Juan? Two years? How many people report to you?
Six? Save it for your corporate leisure suit colleagues!
Juan&Dingo on Friday for stopping at a shady spot that could only accommodate 2.
Juan&Lobo on Saturday for stopping at shady spots that could only accommodate 2.
Asshole hikers for replacing our water bottles at a seep with their own.
Jacobo for announcing at the end of the first day that he's no longer interested in going on the Tahoe Rim Trail trip.
Dingo for breaking out the infamous Red Dirt shirt for the millionth time. I hope his will states that's the shirt he wants to be buried in.
El Lobo for farting while Dingo was enjoying a Cliff Bar. Dingo for wining -"Wah, can't you see that I am trying to eat!"
Jim, the stranded backpacker, whose situation threatened to drive a wedge between the Jake-Lobo familial bond and Zo-Lobo climber (my life is in your hands) bond. Why blame each other when there's an easy scapegoat available!?
The androgynous Thing, a waitress at Lee's Ferry Lodge for being the Thing and giving El Lobo Grande the new moniker of "Pops" and calling Juan "Mr. Tie-Dye.
Doesn't she(?) know that El Lobo is a world famous guide en su cabeza? By the way, the beer selection and onion rings are excellent.
ZO & Jake (tag team) for separately jumping on El Lobo for fuming about giving Jim-in-need a ride to the lodge and because he correctly surmised that Jim-in-need would end up having to share accommodations with the group. All poor El Lobo Grande/World Famous Guide/Trip Leader/Pops wanted to do was look out for the best interests of the group.
Lobo/Jake/Dingo/John for volunteering poor Zo to be the sacrificial lamb to share the room with 2 single beds with Jim-in-need in case he turned out to be a mass murderer.
The pack for doing a death march in two days that normally takes four or five.
Entire group for being cantankerous after the hike and finishing every comment directed at someone with "you f*#$"
Jacobo for complaining to the secretaries at his office on Monday morning about how brutal the hike was.
9/11/2005
-Reno/Tahoe AreaMen Behaving Badly
"We advise outdoors men to wear noisy little bells on their clothing so that the bears are not startled unexpectedly by a human's presence. We also advise outdoors men to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoors men should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it."
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice
Men Behaving Badly in the Reno/Tahoe Area.
-Zo for apparently mistaking the cinnamon colored black bear on the Tahoe RIM Trail for A Griz , thought that he could out run Lobo, leaving his partner to transform into bear poop. Zo did return and hid behind the wolf. El Lobo being a famous guide, held his ground, made eye contact (but did not stare and threaten) and the 450 lb. magnificent beast bolted up the mountain. (0 to 40 in 3 to 4 seconds) Note: Lorenzo is my climbing partner that I trust my life with.
-Robert Levy while hiking with us on one segment, continuously let loose with the most rancid smelling farts ever launched in this pristine environment. Rob would laugh hysterically after each and every one. Although knocked to his knees, Lorenzo took great pleasure in El Lobo's sensory discomfort. Zo seemed to think that this was some kind of frontier justice?
Rob Levy quote in a little afternoon thunder shower-"Given the current conditions should we not turn around and go back?" C'mon Rob, you wuss, keep hiking!
Wally Corey for subscribing to Playboy Magazine, and passing on dirty old man genes to El Lobo.
Tia Juana Corey (Wally's sister) for snitching on Wally to El Lobo.
Zo for stubbornly refusing to take El Lobo's navigational advice three times, resulting in traveling many extra miles. No Zo, we do not want to go towards Winnemucca!
Zo for wanting to listen to crap and not wanting to hear classic mellow 50's & 60s music on El Lobo's IPOD during the road trip.
Lobo and Zo for flaunting their new Hennessey Hammocks on the trail.
TF Spook and El Lobo at our class reunion for MMMMMMMMMing at some of the old broads that still looked decent,
TF Spook and El Lobo for having a post reunion evaluation and subsequent ranking of the old broads.
Jack Gardner for expressing his right wing conservative views at the class reunion with quips such as "Power to the People"
TFSpook who continues to blame poor El Lobo for "cutting the cheese" and clearing the dance floor at the previous reunion. He even expressed great relief that it did not happen this time. C'mon Spooooook It was Jim Littlewood-not El Lobo!
TFSpook for consistant measured and mature behavior reflecting "A well respected man about town,doing things so conservatively'. A big believer in a balanced life, Spoook apparently believes that this course of action is necessary to achieve balance after behaving so very badly during his HS and College years. (Like the rest of us)
Zo , El Lobo and Ralph for following the legendary advice of Bluto-in Animal House--"Drink heavily" and consuming countless pitchers of Fosters each night.
Roger, (Ralph's roommate) whom was very quiet until he found something (anything) to drink and then became "electric" and would not shut up.
And lastly-all the trucker (good buddy) dudes that stopped at the cat houses on the long stretch of highway between Vegas and Reno.
It is also a good idea to watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoors men should recognize the difference between black bear poop and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop smells like pepper and has little bells in it."
Montana Grizzly Bear Notice
Men Behaving Badly in the Reno/Tahoe Area.
-Zo for apparently mistaking the cinnamon colored black bear on the Tahoe RIM Trail for A Griz , thought that he could out run Lobo, leaving his partner to transform into bear poop. Zo did return and hid behind the wolf. El Lobo being a famous guide, held his ground, made eye contact (but did not stare and threaten) and the 450 lb. magnificent beast bolted up the mountain. (0 to 40 in 3 to 4 seconds) Note: Lorenzo is my climbing partner that I trust my life with.
-Robert Levy while hiking with us on one segment, continuously let loose with the most rancid smelling farts ever launched in this pristine environment. Rob would laugh hysterically after each and every one. Although knocked to his knees, Lorenzo took great pleasure in El Lobo's sensory discomfort. Zo seemed to think that this was some kind of frontier justice?
Rob Levy quote in a little afternoon thunder shower-"Given the current conditions should we not turn around and go back?" C'mon Rob, you wuss, keep hiking!
Wally Corey for subscribing to Playboy Magazine, and passing on dirty old man genes to El Lobo.
Tia Juana Corey (Wally's sister) for snitching on Wally to El Lobo.
Zo for stubbornly refusing to take El Lobo's navigational advice three times, resulting in traveling many extra miles. No Zo, we do not want to go towards Winnemucca!
Zo for wanting to listen to crap and not wanting to hear classic mellow 50's & 60s music on El Lobo's IPOD during the road trip.
Lobo and Zo for flaunting their new Hennessey Hammocks on the trail.
TF Spook and El Lobo at our class reunion for MMMMMMMMMing at some of the old broads that still looked decent,
TF Spook and El Lobo for having a post reunion evaluation and subsequent ranking of the old broads.
Jack Gardner for expressing his right wing conservative views at the class reunion with quips such as "Power to the People"
TFSpook who continues to blame poor El Lobo for "cutting the cheese" and clearing the dance floor at the previous reunion. He even expressed great relief that it did not happen this time. C'mon Spooooook It was Jim Littlewood-not El Lobo!
TFSpook for consistant measured and mature behavior reflecting "A well respected man about town,doing things so conservatively'. A big believer in a balanced life, Spoook apparently believes that this course of action is necessary to achieve balance after behaving so very badly during his HS and College years. (Like the rest of us)
Zo , El Lobo and Ralph for following the legendary advice of Bluto-in Animal House--"Drink heavily" and consuming countless pitchers of Fosters each night.
Roger, (Ralph's roommate) whom was very quiet until he found something (anything) to drink and then became "electric" and would not shut up.
And lastly-all the trucker (good buddy) dudes that stopped at the cat houses on the long stretch of highway between Vegas and Reno.
7/11/2005
“Tall and tan and young and lovelyThe girl from Ipanema goes walkingAnd when she passes, each one she passes goes – ah”
Getz & Gilberto 5/64
Latin Triangle-Rio de Janeiro, Foz Do Igacu, Buenos Aires-12 days
There were several reasons not to go on this trip. Foremost, was Gerry's broken foot. Somehow, we managed to pull it off, and it was fabulous.
We traveled in business class and stayed in nice hotels, but really had the most fun when we got away from all that crap and mingled with the locals whom we found to be open and friendly.
In Brazil we would throw out Spanish to see if it would stick, and often times it did. The Portuguese has similarities to Spanish but also has some major differences. It was fun to learn some Portuguese.
Highlights of this trip include:
-Morning runs on Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches
-Sipping caiprinhas on the beach and watching all the pretty people
-Hanging out at sexy samba and tango clubs
Tango at a street cafe
-Taking in the spectacular views of Rio from the tops of Sugarloaf and Corcovado
CopaCabana
-Soccer madness at Maracana the world's largest stadium
-Hanging out at Garota de Ipanema restaurant where the famous song was
penned (The girl from Ipanema)
Great song!
-Screaming through Igacu Falls on a speed boat
WOW!
-Viewing Blue Morph butterflies, Macaws, and Tucans
-Exploring the colorful La Boca and Recoleta neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Dining on the best beef in the world. Shopping at sidewalk street artist fairs and visiting Cenentario de la Recoleta where Eva Peron rests, along side dozens of generals and doctors. This is clearly the cemetery of choice for Buenos Aires elite.
-Strolling through the splendid museums. Quintella Martin was our favorite.
Rio
Occupying one of the most spectacular settings on the planet, the Rio De Janeiro we saw was a city with the beaches, mountains,skyscrapers and favelas all woven into the landscape.
Favelas are ghettos growing up from individual shantys that crawl up the sides of Rio's mountains. People that live in the favelas are "squatters" that tap into the city's electrical and water systems at no cost.
Far from the favelas was our hotel, strategically located between the storied Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches. Here, are where the beautiful people play. Most everyone really takes care of themselves and is a splendid physical specimen.
Alas-El Lobo' washboard ABS have been smothered by a thin layer of fat. It's time for the soup diet!
We traveled from one spectacular setting to another. Igacu falls was simply awe inspiring. The roar of 275 different massive waterfalls plunging 250’ into the Rio Igacu was deafening. These are the world’s largest waterfalls crashing over the mountains of Parana.
We took a short trip to Paraguay to get a closer look at the Cataratas and Itaipu Dam, the world’s largest hydro electric power plant. I hate Damns!
"Don't cry for me Argentina"
We loved the elegant European buildings of Buenos Aires and the river walk, but our favorite was the atmospheric Cafe Tortini where we experienced tango up close and personal.
The Argentines bottle some very nice wine, best with beef. You can have a great steak dinner (much better than Ruth Criss) for under $5 US dollars.
Men & Women Behaving Badly (Blame it on the Bossa Nova)
-Gerry for being seduced by “Emerald Madness” at H. Stearn in Rio. After blowing our travel budget on a killer ring, she regained consciousness and let loose of the matching earrings that she had a death grip on.
El Lobo for getting “T-shirt madness” and going to Hard Rock Cafes in Rio and Buenos Aires to add to his world’s coolest T-shirt collection.
-Gerry for exclaiming “That’s the most action” I've had in two weeks!” after the speed boat ride at Igacu Falls. Hmmmmmmm, I wonder what she meant by that?
Hey Dude! That's my woman!!
Gerry for not responding to the hotel elevator alarm that El Lobo kept ringing when trapped inside a death chamber for an hour just down the hall.
She was icing her foot, annoyed by the incessant ringing of the alarm, but not getting up to check it's source.
El Lobo for perhaps enjoying the "scenery" (Brazilian models)on the beaches a bit too much and being constantly reminded that being a dirty old man is not an attractive trait.
Getz & Gilberto 5/64
Latin Triangle-Rio de Janeiro, Foz Do Igacu, Buenos Aires-12 days
There were several reasons not to go on this trip. Foremost, was Gerry's broken foot. Somehow, we managed to pull it off, and it was fabulous.
We traveled in business class and stayed in nice hotels, but really had the most fun when we got away from all that crap and mingled with the locals whom we found to be open and friendly.
In Brazil we would throw out Spanish to see if it would stick, and often times it did. The Portuguese has similarities to Spanish but also has some major differences. It was fun to learn some Portuguese.
Highlights of this trip include:
-Morning runs on Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches
-Sipping caiprinhas on the beach and watching all the pretty people
-Hanging out at sexy samba and tango clubs
Tango at a street cafe
-Taking in the spectacular views of Rio from the tops of Sugarloaf and Corcovado
CopaCabana
-Soccer madness at Maracana the world's largest stadium
-Hanging out at Garota de Ipanema restaurant where the famous song was
penned (The girl from Ipanema)
Great song!
-Screaming through Igacu Falls on a speed boat
WOW!
-Viewing Blue Morph butterflies, Macaws, and Tucans
-Exploring the colorful La Boca and Recoleta neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Dining on the best beef in the world. Shopping at sidewalk street artist fairs and visiting Cenentario de la Recoleta where Eva Peron rests, along side dozens of generals and doctors. This is clearly the cemetery of choice for Buenos Aires elite.
-Strolling through the splendid museums. Quintella Martin was our favorite.
Rio
Occupying one of the most spectacular settings on the planet, the Rio De Janeiro we saw was a city with the beaches, mountains,skyscrapers and favelas all woven into the landscape.
Favelas are ghettos growing up from individual shantys that crawl up the sides of Rio's mountains. People that live in the favelas are "squatters" that tap into the city's electrical and water systems at no cost.
Far from the favelas was our hotel, strategically located between the storied Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches. Here, are where the beautiful people play. Most everyone really takes care of themselves and is a splendid physical specimen.
Alas-El Lobo' washboard ABS have been smothered by a thin layer of fat. It's time for the soup diet!
We traveled from one spectacular setting to another. Igacu falls was simply awe inspiring. The roar of 275 different massive waterfalls plunging 250’ into the Rio Igacu was deafening. These are the world’s largest waterfalls crashing over the mountains of Parana.
We took a short trip to Paraguay to get a closer look at the Cataratas and Itaipu Dam, the world’s largest hydro electric power plant. I hate Damns!
"Don't cry for me Argentina"
We loved the elegant European buildings of Buenos Aires and the river walk, but our favorite was the atmospheric Cafe Tortini where we experienced tango up close and personal.
The Argentines bottle some very nice wine, best with beef. You can have a great steak dinner (much better than Ruth Criss) for under $5 US dollars.
Men & Women Behaving Badly (Blame it on the Bossa Nova)
-Gerry for being seduced by “Emerald Madness” at H. Stearn in Rio. After blowing our travel budget on a killer ring, she regained consciousness and let loose of the matching earrings that she had a death grip on.
El Lobo for getting “T-shirt madness” and going to Hard Rock Cafes in Rio and Buenos Aires to add to his world’s coolest T-shirt collection.
-Gerry for exclaiming “That’s the most action” I've had in two weeks!” after the speed boat ride at Igacu Falls. Hmmmmmmm, I wonder what she meant by that?
Hey Dude! That's my woman!!
Gerry for not responding to the hotel elevator alarm that El Lobo kept ringing when trapped inside a death chamber for an hour just down the hall.
She was icing her foot, annoyed by the incessant ringing of the alarm, but not getting up to check it's source.
El Lobo for perhaps enjoying the "scenery" (Brazilian models)on the beaches a bit too much and being constantly reminded that being a dirty old man is not an attractive trait.
10/15/2004
Butterfield Stage Route
Just a short note on the Desert Sonoran National Monument. "The boys" and I explored this area on Sunday. It is only a 45 minute drive from Phoenix and offers fantastic
rugged Sonoran desert scenery as well as the historic Butterfield Stage Route. This new National Monument is infrequently visited and would be a great place to camp. The Butterfield was the first overland mail route to operate on a regular basis. The journey apparently was difficult and dangerous . Attacks and looting by the Apache are recorded as common.
We hiked a good portion of the Margie's Peak Trail. It is a seldom used, easy trail.
Afterwards we enjoyed cervezas and played catch at the trailhead.
If you want solitude, primo Sonoran desert and some history close to Phoenix-check it out.
Lobo
rugged Sonoran desert scenery as well as the historic Butterfield Stage Route. This new National Monument is infrequently visited and would be a great place to camp. The Butterfield was the first overland mail route to operate on a regular basis. The journey apparently was difficult and dangerous . Attacks and looting by the Apache are recorded as common.
We hiked a good portion of the Margie's Peak Trail. It is a seldom used, easy trail.
Afterwards we enjoyed cervezas and played catch at the trailhead.
If you want solitude, primo Sonoran desert and some history close to Phoenix-check it out.
Lobo
Fish Creek
Our plans were dynamic for this weekend. Our original plan was to do a couple of side canyons in the Grand Canyon. All changed when we had the opportunity to accompany my friend Mark, an REI employee and river guide, down the mighty Salt River.
Mark suffered a death in the family so we settled for a day trip, boulder hopping, scrambling and climbing upper Fish Creek Canyon in the Superstitions.
Participants were Jackal, Dingo and the Snake.
All behaved badly, but the Jackal demonstrated particularly
bad behavior throughout the course of the day.
We worked around several large pools. Fish Creek had a strong flow due to recent rain. Surrounding the pools were cottonwoods, sycamores, and cattails with a backdrop of high canyon walls and saguaro cactus.
Dingo found on the topo map, about four miles up canyon, several trails leading to various parts of the Supers. We agreed that this had potential for a challenging future trek.
We played catch afterwards and stopped at Tortilla Flats for a couple of cervezas and mixed with the charming biker crowd.
Fish Creek is a scenic narrow canyon, worth exploring. It can be reached by driving highway 88-The Apache Trail for about 25 miles to the bridge over Fish Creek.
Mark suffered a death in the family so we settled for a day trip, boulder hopping, scrambling and climbing upper Fish Creek Canyon in the Superstitions.
Participants were Jackal, Dingo and the Snake.
All behaved badly, but the Jackal demonstrated particularly
bad behavior throughout the course of the day.
We worked around several large pools. Fish Creek had a strong flow due to recent rain. Surrounding the pools were cottonwoods, sycamores, and cattails with a backdrop of high canyon walls and saguaro cactus.
Dingo found on the topo map, about four miles up canyon, several trails leading to various parts of the Supers. We agreed that this had potential for a challenging future trek.
We played catch afterwards and stopped at Tortilla Flats for a couple of cervezas and mixed with the charming biker crowd.
Fish Creek is a scenic narrow canyon, worth exploring. It can be reached by driving highway 88-The Apache Trail for about 25 miles to the bridge over Fish Creek.
JTree-Crack Climbing
"How I Love Being a Free Man"
Me & You & A Dog Named Boo-Lobo- 4/71
Lobo just returned from three fabulous days of climbing at JTree California. (Joshua Tree National Park) This event was hosted by REI and managed by Vertical Hold and Wilderness Outings whom provided guide service and instructors.
Vendors, included Black Diamond, Montrail, Mad Rock, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Five-Ten, Prahna and Petzl.
El Lobo left a happy man, sporting new demo shoes, climbing shirts, chalk bags, and a nut tool/knife.
I needed more gear!!!
Clinics included Crack Climbing, Anchors, and Friction Climbing Techniques.
I was able to get in 12 climbs at Cap Rock and the Atlantis Wall.
"El Lobo Grandeeee nailed a 10Deeeeeee at JTreeeeeeeeee was chanted around the evening campfire by some of the group while we enjoyed a few adult beverages-OK, it was only me doing the chanting.
My El Lobo moniker was eventually replaced with "Hog" (Hot Old Guy) by a few of the women participating. Hey-I'll take it!!
We camped at Sheep Pass and Mexican dinners were provided by Ed Chadas. Continental Breakfasts were offered in the mornings.
Last night we enjoyed a special showing of "Parallelojams," a climbing movie that Jim Donini co-produced on crack climbing in Indian Creek Utah. Jim is one of the premier crack climbers in the world. He invited me up to Indian Creek to spend a few days with him, and I jumped on the invitation.
This event is rated a 10++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I made many friends and contacts, had a great time and learned a ton!
"You Crack Me Up"
Respectfully Submitted
Me & You & A Dog Named Boo-Lobo- 4/71
Lobo just returned from three fabulous days of climbing at JTree California. (Joshua Tree National Park) This event was hosted by REI and managed by Vertical Hold and Wilderness Outings whom provided guide service and instructors.
Vendors, included Black Diamond, Montrail, Mad Rock, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Five-Ten, Prahna and Petzl.
El Lobo left a happy man, sporting new demo shoes, climbing shirts, chalk bags, and a nut tool/knife.
I needed more gear!!!
Clinics included Crack Climbing, Anchors, and Friction Climbing Techniques.
I was able to get in 12 climbs at Cap Rock and the Atlantis Wall.
"El Lobo Grandeeee nailed a 10Deeeeeee at JTreeeeeeeeee was chanted around the evening campfire by some of the group while we enjoyed a few adult beverages-OK, it was only me doing the chanting.
My El Lobo moniker was eventually replaced with "Hog" (Hot Old Guy) by a few of the women participating. Hey-I'll take it!!
We camped at Sheep Pass and Mexican dinners were provided by Ed Chadas. Continental Breakfasts were offered in the mornings.
Last night we enjoyed a special showing of "Parallelojams," a climbing movie that Jim Donini co-produced on crack climbing in Indian Creek Utah. Jim is one of the premier crack climbers in the world. He invited me up to Indian Creek to spend a few days with him, and I jumped on the invitation.
This event is rated a 10++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I made many friends and contacts, had a great time and learned a ton!
"You Crack Me Up"
Respectfully Submitted
Celebrity Theatre-April 22, 2004
(Best place in the world to see a concert)
Concert #446
Artist or group # 205
Performers
Ron Dante, the lead singer of the studio group The Archies. Ron also was the lead singer of other studio groups -The Cufflinks (Tracy-#9 on the charts in 69) and the Detergents -(Leader of the Laundromat #19 in 64) a parody of the Shangra Las "Leader of the Pack"
Ron also produced all of Barry Manilow's hits.
Andy Kim-wrote "Sugar Sugar" and had a string of hits in the late 60s and early 70s including the million sellers "Baby, I Love You" and "Rock Me Gently"
Billy J. Kramer- Part of the British Invasion, Billy wrote "I Feel Fine" a number 1 hit by the Beatles and was teamed with the Dakotas by Brian Epstein the Beatles manager. They had a number of hits in 64 that were written by Lennon & McCartney including "From a Window" and "Bad to Me" They also had a top ten hit with "Little Children"
Peter Noone-lead singer of Herman's Hermits and a big part of the British Invasion. In 1965 they had more top 10 hits than the Beatles, (7) including number one positions with "Mrs. Brown You've got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am"
Outside, my concert partner Gerry and I were negotiating ticket price with a scalper. We wore him down and scored 3rd row seats for a general admission price.
Inside, we got our cervezas and went shopping at the souvenir stand. Gerry scored a Herman's Hermits World tour T-shirt and El Lobo selected an Archies T-shirt to add to his collection of the coolest T-shirts in the free world.
We took our seats and I scanned the crowd and thought about why each was here on a Thursday night. I decided that many were here for the same reasons we we, to see and hear those that had played an important part of their personal rock & roll history.
Ron Dante opened the show with "Yummy Yummy Yummy, I Got Llove in My Tummy" and the mood was set, the crowd went wild and silly. He finished with "Sugar Sugar" the song of the year in 69. Awful song, you say?
I love it!
(Remember the cartoons on Saturday morning?)
Women threw panties on the stage and were going berserk. They were alive
again!!
Next up, Andy Kim. Andy has the perfect profile as a Las Vegas lounge singer and he was very appreciative to be there. He thought that he would never perform again but his good friend Ron Dante gave him the opportunity and he relished hearing the applause again. He went through his hits and his big 2 ("Rock me Gently and " Baby I Love You) went straight to to the hearts of all the old broads.
Next, Billy J Kramer - belted out his hits with gusto. The cervezas were flowing and it was 1964 again at a State Building Dance in Reno Nevada.
"Bad to Me" sent me over the edge.
"Herman's Hermits" closed and by this time the lifeless boomers were in a frenzy. The Hermits had a high stepping guitar player that
shot out instant energy. Crank it Baby!!
Herman cranked out all his hits including "Silhouettes", "Wonderful World", "Just a Little Bit Better", "A Must to Avoid", "Listen People", "Leaning on the Lamp Post", "There's Kind of a Hush" and "No Milk Today."
The underwear flew on to the stage. Everyone danced in the aisles. And suddenly it was over. The aging boomers went home, it was now 2004.
The Eastern world is exploding. The air is dirty and the job draining.
But, we had experienced a piece of rock & roll history and for three hours were 16 again.
"Ahhhhhhhhh Sugar, Honey Honey"
El Lobo
(Best place in the world to see a concert)
Concert #446
Artist or group # 205
Performers
Ron Dante, the lead singer of the studio group The Archies. Ron also was the lead singer of other studio groups -The Cufflinks (Tracy-#9 on the charts in 69) and the Detergents -(Leader of the Laundromat #19 in 64) a parody of the Shangra Las "Leader of the Pack"
Ron also produced all of Barry Manilow's hits.
Andy Kim-wrote "Sugar Sugar" and had a string of hits in the late 60s and early 70s including the million sellers "Baby, I Love You" and "Rock Me Gently"
Billy J. Kramer- Part of the British Invasion, Billy wrote "I Feel Fine" a number 1 hit by the Beatles and was teamed with the Dakotas by Brian Epstein the Beatles manager. They had a number of hits in 64 that were written by Lennon & McCartney including "From a Window" and "Bad to Me" They also had a top ten hit with "Little Children"
Peter Noone-lead singer of Herman's Hermits and a big part of the British Invasion. In 1965 they had more top 10 hits than the Beatles, (7) including number one positions with "Mrs. Brown You've got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am"
Outside, my concert partner Gerry and I were negotiating ticket price with a scalper. We wore him down and scored 3rd row seats for a general admission price.
Inside, we got our cervezas and went shopping at the souvenir stand. Gerry scored a Herman's Hermits World tour T-shirt and El Lobo selected an Archies T-shirt to add to his collection of the coolest T-shirts in the free world.
We took our seats and I scanned the crowd and thought about why each was here on a Thursday night. I decided that many were here for the same reasons we we, to see and hear those that had played an important part of their personal rock & roll history.
Ron Dante opened the show with "Yummy Yummy Yummy, I Got Llove in My Tummy" and the mood was set, the crowd went wild and silly. He finished with "Sugar Sugar" the song of the year in 69. Awful song, you say?
I love it!
(Remember the cartoons on Saturday morning?)
Women threw panties on the stage and were going berserk. They were alive
again!!
Next up, Andy Kim. Andy has the perfect profile as a Las Vegas lounge singer and he was very appreciative to be there. He thought that he would never perform again but his good friend Ron Dante gave him the opportunity and he relished hearing the applause again. He went through his hits and his big 2 ("Rock me Gently and " Baby I Love You) went straight to to the hearts of all the old broads.
Next, Billy J Kramer - belted out his hits with gusto. The cervezas were flowing and it was 1964 again at a State Building Dance in Reno Nevada.
"Bad to Me" sent me over the edge.
"Herman's Hermits" closed and by this time the lifeless boomers were in a frenzy. The Hermits had a high stepping guitar player that
shot out instant energy. Crank it Baby!!
Herman cranked out all his hits including "Silhouettes", "Wonderful World", "Just a Little Bit Better", "A Must to Avoid", "Listen People", "Leaning on the Lamp Post", "There's Kind of a Hush" and "No Milk Today."
The underwear flew on to the stage. Everyone danced in the aisles. And suddenly it was over. The aging boomers went home, it was now 2004.
The Eastern world is exploding. The air is dirty and the job draining.
But, we had experienced a piece of rock & roll history and for three hours were 16 again.
"Ahhhhhhhhh Sugar, Honey Honey"
El Lobo
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