Show Rial Chews Give Warm Hospitality To Families Flood Those are the kind of peo- peo peo pIe that have saved this country This high praise for theRial the theRial Rial Chew family carne came from the lips of Mrs Joe Lopez Tuesday as she related how a flash flood in in Pats Pat's Hole Can Can- Canyon yon had made her group en- en enforced en forced guests of the Chews It happened Sunday Aug 4 Mr and Mrs Joe Lopez of the Gateway Cafe and Mr Lopez brother and his wife Mr and Mrs Alley Lopez of Denver decided to go explore exploring ing in the Pats Pat's Hole area in their 1982 1962 pickup Before the trip was over it was to take the foursome within one minute of being crushed between huge bould bould- boulders ers roaring down in a flood and being washed into the Green River THEY DROVE to the con con- confluence fluence of the Yampa and Green rivers and enjoyed a picnic laughing and joking as picnickers do One of the men heard a dull roaring noise and observed ved that there must be a big hailstorm higher on the mountain As the noise grew louder they decided to pack up and get out They had pulled only a quarter mile away from the campground when the flash flash- flood spawned by a storm 11 miles away at the head of Pats Pat's Hole Canyon hit They pushed on for a weary two hours making on- on only only ly two miles as they plowed through the mud and flood flood- floodwaters waters running a foot deep over the ramp bridges The T h e churning waters brought down large trees and rolled along boulders as big bigas bigas as trucks Mrs Lopez said THE BRIDGES she ex- ex explained ex are built like stairs and are specially designed so that the flash flood waters and debris can roll over them The flood hit one bridge just one minute before they were due to cross it and if they had been on the bridge they would have been carried feet into the Green River The Lopez families had I called on the Chews on the way into ioto the canyon and when they walked back andI to I the ranch they found that Mr Chew and his sons were already ady on their way into the canyon to rescue the vis vis- visitors Mr Chew has lived in his home there since he was 12 years rears old and when he re- re returned returned turned he commented that he had never seen a flood like that one He thought the vis- vis visitors visitors would be trapped for a week When Mr and Mrs Joe Lopez didn't return to the Gateway Cafe their two sons Jack and Boyd Boren knew something was wrong and they also knew where their parents were They loaded Jacks Jack's power power- wagon with food and hot drinks and headed out to Pats Pat's Hole When they saw the flood damage and the abandoned car they expect expect- expected expected ed to see the worst Another abandoned car with an Ohio license plate also was there therewith therewith with those owners also ap- ap apparently apparently having walked out AT AM Monday August 5 the Boren brothers were reunited with their fam- fam family family ily Mrs Lopez related how Mrs Chew and her daughter Carol got up as soon as the Borens arrived to cook them all a hearty breakfast of hot cakes and bacon The Mrs Lopez from Den Den- x 1 s Us U Ur y r w Troy Gene Brown ver commented I didn't know these kind of people were left in the world Mrs Joe Lopez said that the Chews give hospitality to many tourists who are stran- stran stranded stranded ded in the area and over the years they have hosted people from all over the US If we didn't befriend pea peo- people pie our dad would be upset the youngsters replied SATURDAY WHILE the Chews were attending the big rodeo in Vernal another flash flood struck This time the Chews were temporarily stranded but on the out out- outside side The Park Service current currently ly is making roads into Pats Pat's Hole to get the Chews in easier and the Lopez pick up out Mrs Lopez had this ad- ad advice ad vice for fellow explorers If you go into Pats Pat's Hole HoIe take plenty of food o that you dont don't have to depend on some some- someone one else's hospitality Also watch out for those flash floods They're danger danger- dangerous ous and treacherous and are on top of you almost without warning |