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Show THE ZEPHYR MARCH 1 99 1 Dear Jim: enjoyed reading your article about the arch hunters, but Im not sure they would same. It's true that the arch hunters are a few sandwiches shy of a picnic, but they the say take their arch hunting very seriously. It Is safe to say that each of these men has the majority of the park mapped out In their heads, canyon by canyon, fin by fin, and arch by I arch. Incidentally, there was confusion about the ages of sons of arch hunter Travers. to set the record straight.. Joe, (AKA Jay) Is the oldest at 37; David, our Colorado me Allow Is 27; then there Is me (Roy), I am the youngest at 22. My attachment to college has affiliate, kept me away from the Canyon Country for more than five years, but I would like to share one of my favorite arch hunting stories from the past It was May 1982, and I was a young man of 14. I had Just finished eighth grade, so my dad wanted me to Join him on one of his late spring trips to Arches. I was old enough to know about arch hunters and their strange ways. I had also Identified four quotes that hunters to Join them: arch hunters use to convince non-ar- ch "Its not very far from the parking lot "Its a really neat arch! "Watch for rattlesnakes;" and my personal favorite, "Its Just over that next rise. This one Is usually repeated rise after rise, mile after mile. went on the trip with a positive outlook, even though my arm was In a cast from an accident weeks before. One sunny, gnat-fillday during this trip, Ed McCarrick and my dad decided that we would take a morning hike through the Devils Garden In search of a really neat arch. I packed a quart of water, an orange, and a package of twinkles, and soon we were on our way. We moved swiftly through the beaten path to find this really neat arch In fact, I think It would have been somewhere past Double-O-Wa- y, way past Double-quicker to begin the hike from the Montana border. Lunch came and the orange and twinkles went down like a steak dinner. Being a relatively Inexperienced arch hunter, I also drank about 34 of my water. Ed and my dad spent their lunch discussing arch locations, arch sizes, and something about a guy who had fallen off a cliff somewhere In the park. Shortly after lunch we resumed the hike and a conversation began that went something like this: PACE31 took. The entire circus was repeated the next day, Immediately prior to striking camp and heading home. Im sure that, following that Incident, she figured that problems could get worse on subsequent trips, and she rarely returned. I might add that she was correct to a certain extent, as similar scenarios have been repeated on occasion. Im sure that by now you have been property chastised for the order In which the Travers boys were presented In the article. I was not concerned, since my name was at the top of the order where It belongs. I actually found It to be somewhat amusing, and attached little Importance to the rest of the order. Finally, I must take credit for the photograph of Doug, Ruben, Ed and Dale which appeared In the arch hunters article. I think It was taken some years ago In A- -1 Campsite on a trip when I was traveling alone and agreed to meet Dad for some "light hiking. The photo was taken later In the trip, but the hiking was done before the rest of the group arrived. I think the group consisted of my Dad, Dale and two park rangers (one of whom has since become an accomplished publisher) on a "light hike Into the Eagle Park area. Following that, I can safely say that, In order to fully appreciate what these guys do for But be careful, enjoyment, one must spend a day with them In the Arches ry because It may only take a single day In the to start a pursuit Ive seen It happen first hand. Hats off to the group and what they do. (Incidentally, I hope I did not need a permit when I took the photo.) back-count- ry. back-count- life-lo- ng Jay Dear Jim: I ed O. where Is this arch, anyway? think Its Just over that next rise. Doug: Ed: "Well, Doug, I think Its east of here. Doug: Tm not too sure about that, EcL Roy: "Are there any sources of water out here? Ed: Doug, I think were too far west, but Its not much further. Doug: "You may be right, EcL If s probably Just over that rise to the Roy: "Is it true you can get water from a cactus? Doug: "If s a really neat arch. Watch for rattlesnakes, Roy. Roy: "So 1 east Well, It was something like that We finally found the arch, and It was fairly neat It to to make back the managed parking lot on borrowed water and twinkle energy. We returned to the campground to grill some real steaks and look back on our day. All In all, It wasnt so bad, but there Is probably something to be learned from this story: Beware of Arch Hunters and their famous quotes..... I Roy Travers San Antonio, Texas Dear Jim: about arch hunters was very enjoyable and Indeed brought a rush of past memories from 26 years of visiting the area. From an Initial trip to the park which Involved a whirlwind tour with only a long distance view of some arches, to the years of hiking and detailed exploring, It was sure a lot of fun. For most of the family It was always an annual event to look forward to, but for one It became something more. Somewhere along the way, Doug became the arch hunting fanatic you described In your article, and the rest, as they say, Is history. I would like to make Just a few brief comments regarding parts of the article. Your article First, regarding your comments about MaryMotherMedge, It Is really no wonder she Is always hesitant to return to the Park. I'm sure that there are many reasons to account for this, but first Impressions are lasting ones and one stands out clearly. One trip very not early on Involved a hike to Landscape Arch with a bunch of kids who really were It Interested In hiking any further than the water fountain. Following the hellish ordeal, was discovered that Dads film did not advance In the camera, and the events of the day were not recorded. No one but Dad seemed to care much about the misfortune, but Dad Is all It HALLELUJAH! Poplar Place Pab & Eatery GRAND - RE-OPENI- NG MARCH 23, 1991 - "BACK BY POPLAR DEMAND" e 1st north 259-601- 8 Thank you for your kind words regarding my "wise approach to the desert country and arch hunting In particular. However, lest your readers think that my acquaintance with Arches National Park Is limited to couch potato viewing of "miles of video tape, I would like you to know that my first visit was In July 1966, when Arches was still a national monument We arrived late in the afternoon with six children In a Volkswagen bus and, believe It or not had our choice of campsites. Doug was making every effort to make my first camping experience worth repeating, so he and the older boys set up our Immense blue tent ld and prepared the dinner, while I tried to keep Rod from hurling himself off the highest rock. Just as we finally had eight paper plates heaped with sizzling hot dogs and other a wind came rushing Into our campsite, scattered food and plates, deposited treats, picnic sand In screaming daughters hair, and dislodged the tent from some of Its moorings. Despite this unhappy Introduction to camping, only one of our daughters has refused to return. However, her husband Is an Arches addict and their son, Christopher, Is In training. In the almost twenty-fiv- e years since my first visit, I have returned many times and have camped In a snowstorm, In a severe rainstorm that drenched my sleeping baG, and on my thirty-fif- th wedding anniversary. My most recent visit was last spring when we were to the first Travers grandson, Bryan, set foot on the sllckrock. observe present I Recently suggested that we make some room In our video tape cabinet by editing and combining some of the repetitious "miles of video tape that Doug has collected on his al trips to Arches. He was aghast How could I think they were repetitious? ? ? I guess you are right Jim. I really dont understand. three-year-o- semi-annu- Your friend, Mary Travers Never In the short history of this newspaper has one story (The Arch Hunters --January 91) generated so many letters. In this case, all the letters came from one family - the Travers Family In San Antonio, Texas. If, when youve read these letters, you still hunger for Travers tales, look for second oldest son Davids story, "The Marching Men, In the April Zephyr. |