| OCR Text |
Show I had become concerned with his health as he was often in intense pain. His World War I injury kept plaguing him unmercifly. His days on the river were obviously numbered. And it was becoming more difficult for him to go it alone. So I asked him to join with me on some joint trips during this last river trip year in Glen Canyon, and besides I wanted to boat with him. He agreed to an arrangement. Interestingly, Edward Abbey had. once inquired of Harry about a job as a boatman. Abbey in his letter described himself as "a tolerable camp cook, an excellent dishwasher, a fair First Aider, know a little about geology, biology and Major Powell, and can even play the harmonica. Harry made one stipulation in our agreement, however; we would travel in separate boats - but on camping he would take care of the cooking and mess for the passengers he carried, and I would do the same for mine. A contrast indeed - he on one end of the sand bar and I on the other. He cooked on a gas stove; I cooked over logs. He provided a table and seating; my folks squatted or sat in the sand. He served his people individually in courses at the table; I made mine dip out of the common pot. He cleaned the dishes himself; I had my folks clean their own. But in spite of this awkward arrangement, we continued with our plans. Trips were scheduled on Sept 2 and Sept 12 of 1962. We placed advertisements in Randal Henderson's magazine. Desert Magazine. We had a fair response, and the trips went well. Harry had met attractive Dorothy Donaldson Keyes of Oceanside, California on one of his river trips the previous year. It was one of those "one and only" attractions. A romance developed and they decided to wed and honeymoon in Glen Canyon. k wedding trip his "Farewell Trip to Glen Canyon." Harry called the coming k 13, 1962. Fare $300. He advertised the trip in Desert Magazine. He Sep ct small a with takers and ended few had group. only up of San Bernardino, California and Barbara Monroe and members included Bering Trip Edna Fridley of Brigham City, Utah. And Dock Marston would join if he could find transportation to the wedding site and be out of the canyon soon after the wedding. Harry had told me of his plans. I told him I'd boat down, attend the wedding, and take Dock out. I would also pick up Bill Wells, the flying bishop of Hanksville at Halls Crossing. two-wee- two-wee- 30-O- small Cathedral in the Desert. A thin ray of light entered the grotto, and peace and tranquility prevailed. It was indeed a beautiful cathedral in which to wed. The ceremony began with Bill expressing the right scriptural and prayer words, the right words of council, the best wishes and all of that. Then the words of the ceremony itself. Harry took the ring and slipped it on Dottle's finger. The ring was made of Navajo-silvand turquoise. The marriage was on time - at 10:00 a.m. Bering and Barbara Monroe served as their witnesses. We others stood to the side looking on. We again gave our congratulations and best wishes. Harry correctly reported that it was a real "moving experience." The bride and kids. d groom seemed very happy - like a couple of We then hiked back to their camp. From my pack came Woody's wine, a far cry from Bert's whisky, and we toasted each other. I sauntered about looking for the empty Seagram 7 bottle in order to steal it At least I'd gain a possible lingering whiff. But I couldn't find the damn thing. Dock, I'm sure, already had the treasured artifact stashed away in his er newly-marrie- duffel On schedule, I then took Bill and Nina back up river and walked with them back to the Cessna. I bid them adieu and saw them off. Hiking back to my boat, I was soon on the Dock at the wedding camp and said goodby to the honeymoon d river. I picked up party and headed downstream to Cane Creek. On our trip down, Dock asked me what I was going to do the following year. I told him I'd be taking very few trips from Hite anymore. We talked long about the history of the canyons. Dock had branded himself an expert in these sort of things. After Dock and I landed at Cane Creek on the 10th, after doing some camping and exploring enroute, Dock was able to get to the airport at Page as scheduled to meet his airlines connections. red-eye- POSTSCRIPT As a postscript to that eventful trip: I continued taking boating trips in Glen Canyon and winter hiking trips in Escalante Canyon. I moved my family to the small town of Escalante to be nearer the canyons. I did set up a base camp in the lower Escalante. Harry boated on the reservoir with his newly acquired jet boat, taking my guests to Rainbow Bridge and return to the base camp. He and Dottie had moved to Teasdale, Utah. Harry was in and out of hospitals. Dottie was there with him all the way - and it was as Harry had said following their wedding, "Dorothy is the most wonderful wife any man can Harry had also told me there would be a special surprise at the wedding Bert Loper's whisky would be brought out which had been laying under the seat of his Dodge Power have." Wagon for years. The Flying Bishop continued flying for us. One muBt know the story to appreciate its full significance. Back in 1949, Harry made The sly fox. Dock Marston, continued collecting historic accounts of the canyons and a momentous river journey through Grand Canyon with Bert Loper and other noted river we corresponded for years. But I never saw the Seagram artifact again. people. During that trip Bert was swept from his boat and became lost to the river. On And the wonderful, adventurous, and sometimes caustic Edna Fridley began tripping recovering the boat, Harry found a bottle of Seagrams 7 in it After bringing the whisky out, with me, taking over 40 varied trips on the rivers and into the canyons. (Her husband, he placed it under the seat of his Power Wagon for safe keeping When I once asked him Charles, making one trip in Escalante, continued making it possible for her to come and in when he planned to open it, Harry told me it would be on a very special occasion. Surely, turn helping me to continue my manner of living.) I expected to be invited at that occasion. In the spring of 1972, 1 met with Harry at the Prescott hospital when he was very ill, The wedding party was on the river a week when I put on at Hite on October 6. My extremely thin, and barely able to talk We chatted again briefly of our many shared driver would pick me up at trip's end at Cane Creek. I had two 10 HP motors (one a spare) experiences. Harry died in Prescott, Arizona on March 27, 1972 - his final Farewell Trip. to hurry Dock out of the canyon when with me on my own raft as I needed motor-powe- r I met him. But for the present, I wasn't hurrying I rowed over to the left bank of the Colorado and walked up to Woody Ed gel's cabin in White Canyon. My friend Woody was the legendary operator of a contraption called the Hite Ferry. After we talked for some time he drove me down to my boat. He gave me a bottle of wine to and had a long night-cathe to wedding party for him and sent his best wishes. present Shortly after midnight, I started down river. The stars were bright and the river was Ken Sleight floated lovely, and I rowed and drifted most of the night. On arriving at Red Canyon, I pulled to most looked The cabin stretch to old Bert to the bank and walked up place my legs. Loper's Glen Canyon more times hours off I and the Then the in enjoying daylight spent pushed again moonlight. peaceful than he can remember. the river. He still despises BuRec I arrived at my destination. Hall's Crossing left bank, way after dark on the 7th. I sank 1 intn my sleeping bag and dozed off to wait for light Early next morning October 8, found for Glen Canyon Dam a note from Harry stuck in a stick suggesting that I go meet Bill Wells as he flew in. Hie and is still mad at the late gave me directions to the airstrip and marked the direction to the strip. He had even ffniinhrf the exact paces, several hundred of them, to the strip. He had many such Dock Marston for ldiosyncrades. drinking Bert Loper's So I did as I was directed except for counting the paces. (The note is lost in my archives whisky. Ken is a regular somewhere.) I knew where the airstrip was and Harry knew that I knew it, but he gave me in 1882 by a Mormon contributor to the predse directions anyway. My route was the same route followed another there found on and of mesa the to the mile hiked I the train. arriving top wagon Zephyr. note from Harry that was addressed to Bill welcoming him to Glen Canyon with directions to the river where he would meet me. At about 8:00 a.m., I heard the hum of Bill's newly repaired Cessna. He made a good to join in the landing and with him was Hanksville resident Nina Robison who came News. Deseret for the festivities and to write an article Bill was attired in his proper dark blue suit and polished shoes, hair combed, and all of that - typical of Mormon bishops who perform wedding ceremonies on a river. The three of us walked down to my mud covered raft. I wiped a part of the tubes off for a clean of miles to Harry and Dottle' s a sitting place for them. Then we boated down river couple Creek. The happy party was camp on tire right bank of the river below Hall's were table and mess correctly placed there to meet us. Five tents had been set up. The VEHICLE SHUTTLE SERVICE between them. Dock Marston. He told me d Are you planning a river trip or mountain bike ride in MOAB or the I happily said hello to each guest, and chatted with across I was the time at sleeping CANYONLANDSAREA? SAVE YOUR VACATION TIME. very of the great party they had enjoyed the night before Dock the river. He revealed to me that they had guzzled down Bert Loper's whisky! Let ATOMIC TRANSFER take care of your vehicle shuttle. boasted of drinking his share of the historic beverage. Knowing Dock, I think he drank more than his share. Spend your time on the river or bike traBs NOT on the highway. the of visions I had I was utterly pissed. This revelation took me by great surprise. the sacred bottle being passed around In a toasting gentile fashion, In a civilized way, on Moab's only bonded vehicle shuttle service: left out. somewhat felt I CHRIS KAUHI CARL ANDERSON wedding day not in a guzzling frenzy. . out, to their to togs Coming (801) 259-70Harry and Dottle retired to their tents change coral wedding and s of strand beads, capri a tangerine blouse, long Dottie wore a tangerine-colore- d Check out our Internet site at: shirt with white trim white sweater and shoes. Harry wore tan slacks and a blue pull-ovhttp:www,moalcariyonldnds.cornatomic crtomic.htm bottom. the us too at: crtomicOmoab-canyonlands.coat or at the collar with of our I nine, hiking party My feelings of rejection lessened somewhat, happily joined of this end the at There "The to Little Eden ChapeL" mile of a Canyon up together a quarter grotto resembling a narrow box canyon was a beautiful pool in a beautiful ipi mil inppi, JUJ ; ill1 II.P NINETEEN Si? p, -- six-pers- on 0. ATOMIC TRANSFER red-eye- 62 er e-m- at fern-cover- ed I L l |
