15- YES...FOUGHT A MOUNTAIN FOREST FIRE In HIGH SCHOOL.....

A) Near the top few experiences ever!  Now I know, especially this year, when reading about the many forest fires around our America!  Three of us volunteered.  Was so so difficult, exhausting and...dangerous!
B) It was in the George Washington National Forest in Augusta County, Va.
C) We were camping overnight at foot of the mountain in a cabin when we smelled smoke drifting
        down to us and took off up the mountain, fearing that the forest fire would take the cabin and
        and others around us.  And found the fire moving straight up the side of the steep mountain with  George Washington National Forest trucks and men...immediately volunteering, working with an experienced firefighter beside us!
D) Each one of us strapped on a heavy tank of potable water and carried two tools, rake and 
       mattock, to dig out and try to stop the rapidly moving line of fire.  All of this being on the 
       steep side of the mountain.  The efforts were grueling, but the two buds, I and GWNF leader
       kept right with it.  Other small groups were to our left and right!
E) When the wind and fire would shift directions, the leader showed us how to drop down on
      forest floor, below the line of smoke, then get back up and attack it again.  We knew that the
      leader was taking care of us and appreciate what we had volunteered to do!
G) After what seemed to be hours upon hours, he yelled for us to take a break...that the line of fire
      had fizzled away just before reaching the summit and heading down the other side of the'
      mountain.  Only then did the three of us took of the heavy water tanks, dropped the tools and
      sank to the steep terrain, totally exhausted.
H) Within a short time, the crew leader had "called" for sandwiches and COLD iced tea to be 
      be brought up the mountain to us!  So, while stretched out on that very steep side of the rugged
      mountain, the FOUR of us quietly and devouringly, around 4:30pm, ate a well-deserved
      meal...no laughing, no talking...too tired.
I) But I'm not finished....  The crew leader asked if we had enough energy to go through the section
     and actually dig out and spray ANY spark or patch of glowing leaves or wood.  He also told us
     that we could leave if we wanted to, after working so hard all day.
J) But we all three volunteered to....stay for more extra duty!  Only then did we discover that he 
     had gotten our names and addresses in order to send in a "pay order" for meritorious duty!  A 
     few weeks later checks arrive.  We, of course, never knew that the "pay" was a part of the plan.
     We had volunteered and FOUGHT the FOREST FIRE because we had honestly felt it was
     our civic duty!!!



       
       

14- HITCHHIKING...THUMBING A Ride During HIGH SCHOOL And COLLEGE DAYS!.....

A) Today....i would NEVER hitchhike!...too many strange ones "out there!"
B) First studied at Bridgewater College waaaaay out in the Shenandoah Valley countryside.  Would, 
         at times, hitchhike from school back home 20 miles down the road.  Never, though, had a 
         problem 'cause i always had a sign:  "COLLEGE STUDENT!"
C) Once, nary a ride came along a country road...and did some "shank's mare" walking.  Looked
        over into a pasture and noticed a little colt just born, and its mom.  Little guy was trying
        and struggling to keep on its wobbly legs, with nudges by the mare!  But the colt DID NOT
        quit and eventually took off all around the pasture, with mother watching closely!  LIFE 
        beginning in a country field...keeping on keeping to succeed in something elementary as...
        "galloping."


D) Seemed to meet and develop girlfriend relationships in Roanoke, Va. while in high school.  
        Would either hitchhike or take a Trailways to the "Star City", not having my own auto
         back then during summers.  Never slowed me down, though.
E)   

13- SUMMER STUDY ADVENTURE WAAAY OUT TO MONTANA!!.....

A) Was chosen, one summer, to study "Federal Gov't" at Montana State U./Bozeman. For an added bonus, classes were spent at Big Sky Resort, as our"campus." That's not far from the western entrance to Yellowstone National Park. This educator and explorer had never been that far into our West by car....
B) One night I stopped in Nebraska, with the Indiana Jones idea of spending the night, in my car, in a cornfield. I had this "wild" plan to smell the Nebraskan countryside aka a cornfield! And did!
Early that morning, I awoke to the "putt-putt" sounds of a farm tractor near my car just inside the opened cornfield gate. A farmer was putt-putting away on his tractor, staring at me. I had been taught to always take the initiative when confronted with a problem, and got out and immediately explained, wiping my sleepy eyes, that I was an educator traveling to study in Montana and had wanted, at least once, to spend the night in a cornfield?
He continued to stare out of puzzlement....then laughed and invited me to follow him over to their farmhouse. His wife would prepared me a true Nebraskan COUNTRY breakfast!!! Well, I did....
C) Passed into Kansas and paused for a time in Lawrence, noting that a large university was there...summertime! Along the way, stopped at a small diner for, yes, my very first Bison 'burger...delicious!
D) My plan was to spend the night in Denver. As I approached from Kansas, could see the night lights of Denver up higher from the Plains, along the edge of the lower Rockies. However, Denver was hosting a huge square dance festival, with, it seemed, every gosh darn room taken! Turned north towards Fort Collins, another university town...in the dark.
E) Fort Collins, Colorado is another unviersity town. Spent the night in an old-fashioned downtown hotel. The, next morning early, drove straight north into Wyoming. Laramie was holding a great big RODEO. Yes, had to stop and enjoy and mingle.
F) Next stop...CODY, Wyoming! Stopped for plenty of time to explore the famous Cody museum before heading into Montana.
G) Last destination was Big Sky, where I would begin seminar classes on Monday morning at this resort for the summer studying "Federal Government." Neeeded, first, to go straight through Yellowstone National Park to get there, though. But, didn't realize how huge that very first American National Park was. Saturday night, decided to drive through the Park...late...and not stop until reaching Big Sky.
WHAT AN EXPERIENCE, driving through the night, with all kinds of critters out and about me on that narrow two-lane road through and around the Park loops! Saw Yellowstone Lake by moonlight...moose (what the heck is the plural of moose?)...coyotes...wolves...bison.
H) Made it to that first morning class on time!.....more....

12- OLD-FASHIONED 'COON HUNTING (NO gun!).....

A) My first and only "OLD-FASHIONED 'COON HUNTING" Adventure!...no guns, am NOT that kind of 'hunter'...my choice!
B) On one of my many adventures out and about my native Virginia, photographing, exploring and researching" in nearly every nook and cranny, this "Indiana Jones-kinda guy", met some country folks in Albemarle County, Va. up next to the Blue Ridge Mts. They described how they had, often, ventured up in the moutains, 'coon hunting....and invited me to go with them one evening....did I quickly say, uh, "YES!"
C) Was in a November, and little did I realize and know that THIS adventure would remain in my memory bank until today. And now I know!
D) My new country folk "friends" had invited me for a real country meal, of porkchops, mashed potatoes, a casserole and strawberry shortcake. After a fine meal, they took some time to explain how the 'coon hunt would go, warning me that I was in for some walking that night.
E) Using a farm truck, one of the guys drove what seemed to me straight up the side of one mountain, through the trees, over rocks and down a ravine...really! They were after the "perfect" area for 'coon activity that night. A plump acorn tree in an oak grove was THE destination, and one of the guys knew exactly how to find them in the middle of what looked like a mountain wilderness, in the DARK!...and we did.
F) Did I mention their coon dogs? No! There was Bessie...Jake...Gertie...and Eisenhower. Discovered that each one had a different bark sound for any given activity. The mountain guys taught me, quickly, to pause and listen. They knew what dog was doing what, when and where. Fascinated the living heck out of me....in the DARK roaming all over, up and down and sideways on that mountain!
Was this townie guy going to give up? NO!
8) TREED! That's the term... Finally, WE heard "that sounds"...TREED! And all of us took off down the mountain towards the hounds. Gould have sworn that this was the same spot where we first started at the cars? Flashlights...there was the little furry critter, high up in a tree, with the four coonhounds yelping and jumping around the base of the tree.
"C'mon, hounds...time to call it a...a night! Let's go over to the truck...."
9) "Wait...that's it?" I muttered, trying to stand up from fatique....... "Just thought of something...what was in that casserole, earlier?"
"Uh....'taters, carrots, onions and...and 'coon."

11- The BARN, EARLY ONE MORNING, WAITING For The SCHOOL BUS.....

A) I was 7-years-young, waiting for the school bus in front of an old brick house with a barn in back. There were a few of us, kids, waiting. All of a sudden, adults came running from different directions and towards the old barn in back. In the early morning semi-darkness, I could see them all standing, just peering into the opened barn door. No one ventured inside.
This little boy, as always, was curious about anything and made my way to the barn. Again, the standing men said not a word but stared inside the barn. To this day, I can hear the sound of a rope slowly twisting from inside the barn..... I dared not squeeze through to take a...a look-see.
B) You can complete this true experience..........

10- WORKING AT CIRCUSES and CARNIVALS In HIGH SCHOOL!!....

A) When they would come to my Shenandoah Valley town, a temp job was in store for moi!
B) My grandfather, Carl, my father, Melvin, and all of my Steffey uncles were huge fans of circuses, always visiting each one that came to my town in the Shenandoah Valley! My father, in his 'shop', designed and made miniature circus wagons when I was little.
C) My goal, as a kid, was to one day see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus under the bigtop!...and get a temp job putting it up! And when the impossible did happen, that circus coming to our small town, guess who was there at the crack of dawn?
D) That VERY EARLY Saturday morning three of us chums rode our bikes waaay out in the country to meet the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus by train. The country sidetracks of the C&O was the only spot for many miles to unload onto trucks and then on nearby to a large open farmer's field. We saw the lions, tigers, elephants cars being unloaded into cages. The work elephants did most of the heavy unloading, methodically and under the guidance of their trainers.
This young freshman high schooler, back then, never once thought of whether the animals were treated with respect and dignity. Today, I do think back over those kind of thoughts. During those early years of being thrilled about circuses, I observed a handful of traveling circuses and often slipped around "back" to watch. Now, I do remember "seeing" much more than just unloading an animal or an animal trainer "making" an animal perform a trick before "adoring" circus fans. More about those NOW feelings for another commentary!
E) We all three did get circus jobs. "WOW"...I uttered that exlamation over and over moving around and inside the upraised BIG Top. My jo was to help raise the side show tent nearby. That side show boss, around noon, brought us a genuine circus hot dog with "everything!" for lunch. And I, later, was given two (2) official tickets for the circus show later that early evening. Of course, my girlfriend at the time was invited. Since I had no driving license at the time, her father took us waaaay out in the country to the circus!
F) And what an ADVENTURE the entire looooong day was.... That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!!
G) And those CARNIVAL sideshows...this boy soon learned the reality of the "carny life" by heading out to each on an early morning. They were called 'roustabouts.' Once, a gaggle of us boys opened a large carnival truck that had been sitting on the town fairgrounds. We began to pull out rolled-up tents and poles. From the middle of a sideshow tent? Out rolled a 'carny'...alive.
The neatest part of a carnival was the sideshow, with large paintings on canvas signs advertising the acts. I got to go inside, that evening, and see the performers...often polluted.

H) AND WHY DO I HAVE A BIT of SADNESS, though? At that age, had not discovered the wonderful world of cameras, especially since they weren't sophisticated! DID NOT take any pics of this momenteous period of my adventurous life...NONE! However, had, by then, developed that great "memory bank" system of storing visual details and senses. Can "bring up" detailed memories right away for "seeing" experiences and adventures in order to write about them....

9- CLIMBING an OLD WATER TOWER......

A) The same chums who took a ride on that freight train also looked up, one day, nearby, at that TALL, OLD abandoned water tower and, yes, decided to climb it and touch the 'ball' at its zenth ......
B) This adventure, by the way, required a major ponderable. Was my turn, that morning, to go, uh, first. So, I slowly began the ascent up the narrow metal ladder on the outside of the tank. At times, would pause and look UP, without spying that 'ball' on the very tiptop, hidden around the larger storage water tank.
C) The other chums were on the ground urging me on up further. They were going to come up behind me. About halfway up the very tall and sorta terrifying ascent, this boy decided to stop and begin, backwards, coming back down. One of the other chums then went up...and, after a time, came back down. We all three never said a word then or afterwards, ever.