Scout Camp 1988

Most of the troop: from the left, Jason Seymour, Jason Domecq, William(Smokey) Morgan, Tim Mortinson, Karson Grewe, and Seth Merrill.

Boy Scouts are the happiest when they have a stick that is ether on fire or pointy. Don't ask why, that's just the way it is.Smokey is standing there wondering where he left his pointy stick, Karson is admiring his pointy stick, while Seth and Jason Domecq are burning the pointy end off so they can start all over again. Jason Seymour is eyeballing his next stick, while Tim is just happy he survived last night!

Karson is twelve, along with a bunch of his Scout friends. One Young man, Jason Seymour was a couple of years older. He was kind of between crowds of young men. We had been preparing for weeks , getting ready for scout camp at Camp Winton.

Camp Winton is located at Bear River Resevoir, off of Highway 88 in Amador County. The camp sits between six and seven thousand feet in elevation. Cold at night, even in August, and the water in the lake is from snow melt. I was an assistant Scout master, but I would be the only leader there for the first few days.

I took my pickup truck to the trail head with Karson, and met the other boys as they were dropped off with all their gear for a week at camp. No roads into camp. We backpacked about three miles with all our gear on our backs. It was hot while hiking, and as soon as we arrived in camp we were met by the camp counselors who directed all of us to the the medical cabin to be evaluated by the camp doctor. From there, we dropped all our gear off at a camp site and headed down to the swim area for the dreaded "swim test". Everyone, including me, had to jump in feet first, going all the way under, then swim two laps around a marked -off area.

Out of the whole troop, we had about three who were in the "skinny kid" group. One who's name I won't mention, "my son" jumped in feet first, came up facing the dock and actually walked back up to the dock on top of the water. I have never seen anyone walk on water before, and we had several in our troop that could do it. How cool is that? By not being a certified swimmer there are a few things that you cannot do. You can't take a small boat out without an adult. You can't take sailboat lessons. Other than that the whole camp is yours.

The whole week is devoted to earning merit badges, and there is no end to the merit badges you can earn. One evening a merit badge counselor asked me if we had any young men who needed the "survival" merit badge. We had two, Karson and Jason Domecq. This was just before our dinner call, and these were two of the "skinny kids". The two of them were whisked off with the counselor, not to be seen again until morning. What they had with them is what they had to survive the night with. That makes for one long night for a twelve year old. "see you guys in a little while" I yelled as they both looked back at me and smiled. I would see them in the morning at breakfast----maybe.

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One of the evenings before dinner call, I took the whole troop to the kitchen and picked up an ice chest with enough stuff to feed us, but we had to prepare it all over a campfire. We loaded all our gear, and the ice chest into a couple of canoes, and one rowboat for me. We all paddled up the far end of the lake and found a flat spot to camp for the night. The whole troop scattered like a bunch ants. I'm thinking to myself, now what? I need to get these boys together somehow. Once the boys had their camp sites set up they all gathered back where the campfire was burning. I had talked with Jason Seymour just before the boys gathered and asked him to "follow my lead" If you want a bunch of boys to listen to you, try keeping it a secret.

We were all wrapping our dinner in tinfoil and baking it in the campfire, when I leaned over to Jason, and whispered, just enough so a couple of the boys could overhear me. "Jason, did you see the wolf tracks down by the waters' edge?" Jason looked at me and whispered back, "What do you think we should do?" I whispered back, "I don't think we would lose more than one" Lets just let the boys camp where they want to. I hate to ruin their scouting experience by telling them to stay by the fire all night.

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I had brought a large plastic tarp in case it had rained. I used it to lay down as a ground tarp so we could use it under our sleeping bags. Before everyone had finished eating, all the little camp sites were abandoned and all the sleeping bags were laying shoulder to shoulder, with no one wanting to be on the outside of the crowd. I took one side, and Jason took the other side.

Standing around the campfire at night you need to keep rotating to re-warm the cold side, kind of like a rotisserie. Everyone had a flashlight and was scanning the treeline. It's amazing how many sets of eyes are watching you when you do that. One young man whose name I won't mention, "my son" was rotating himself keeping warm, just like the rest of us. I hear water running, I look over my shoulder, and guess who is taking a whiz? He looks up at me with those wide open eyes. "I'm not going out there in the dark".

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That night, laying shoulder to shoulder, the boys took turns saying their prayers. I have never heard more fervent praying in my life. It was August and all of us were watching the night ski. The meteor showers that occurred that night were spectacular. It was like having our own fireworks display. One young man, Tim Mortenson, took it upon himself to keep the campfire burning all night! What an amazing young man, to care enough about all the other scouts to stay up all night. I know Jason Seymour and I slept much better with all of us sleeping shoulder to shoulder.

These young men are in their mid thirties now and still remember that week at camp. Some are even in my Ward.

Sand Mountain

About 1985 we found a deal on a used ,three -wheeler A.T.V. Garian was eight, Karson was ten. It only took a few minutes to show both kids how to make it go. A couple of little mishaps later and were all experts. At the time we lived on South Shingle Road on just under two acres. Plenty of room to ride around, for awhile anyway.

Karson really enjoyed giving mom a ride. What kid wouldn't like this?

Garian was just a little timid at first. She only dumped the bike once off the little bridge that crossed the creek in the back yard. One rear wheel didn't make it to the bridge, and over it went. We were right there with her. Yes, she was wearing a helmet.

One of the guys I worked with, Rich Samples, had also bought a three wheeler, somewhat bigger than ours, and he had a close friend that we all called "Uncle Wally". Well, Uncle Wally was into the sand toys way before it got popular. He had a huge one -ton, four-door truck that pulled a three axle trailer that had a workshop in the front with welding stuff, an air compressor, and all kind of tools. He also had a full -sized sand rail and several other sand toys on board.

It wasn't too long before we had the Sand Mountain trip all planed. I had our truck set up with a camper, Rich borrowed his father in-laws class C motor home, and Uncle Wally had the huge big rig with everything else we would need. We all had C.B.'s so we could talk back and forth. Uncle Wally made room for Rich's and our three -wheelers in his trailer.

The day came and all three rigs headed up Highway 50 for Nevada. Uncle Wally leading, Rich behind him, and us in our 1965 Chevy pickup with a camper.

Somewhere about halfway through the American River Canyon on the narrow two lane road, Uncle Wally came on the C.B. and announced, "I'm losing power" and he came to a stop blocking Highway 50 eastbound. I asked what might be happening, I'm a mechanic. He said something about having a problem with a dirty fuel tank and a plugged fuel line. I poked the nose of my old pickup out from behind Rich's motor home. It was clear right then, I got on the C.B. and told Uncle Wally, "I'm coming around, I have a tow chain" . Uncle Wally said something about "no way can you pull this rig with that old pickup"

I backed up to Wallys' truck and hooked the chain to his front end and hooked the other end to my rear hitch. Wally was sitting in his rig to switch tanks and re-start while I was making the hook-up. Highway 50 was backing up real good by now. I got on the C.B. and told Wally to get in neutral, release his brakes and keep the chain tight. As both rigs started moving up the hill, Wally got on the C.B. and asked " just what in the H--- do you have in that old pickup?" I told him I had changed it to 3/4 ton, put in 5:64 rear end gears and also a three hundred horse motor. All he replied with was "Well, no wonder" About two miles ahead I found a wide spot where all three of us could pull in and fix Wallys' problem. He was a little impressed with the old Chevy pickup pulling his rig up the hill, and even shifting as we went. The rest of the trip went with any mishap.

If you look real close, there is a spot in the middle of the mountain about a third of the way up. That's Garian, "going for it" again.

Sand Mountain back in those days was different than what is going on these days. We just about had the whole place to ourselves. We even shot skeet while we were there. Garian took her turn trying to ride the three -wheeler to the top of the mountain. With her weight, she could go higher that anyone else could, but didn't quite understand the concept of turning around and going back down. So we would have to climb the mountain and rescue her just about every time she decided to "go for it" This is why we have children while were young. So we can chase the kids around. Karson being two years older did a little better about going up and down on the same trip.

If you go to Sand Mountain now, you will meet with the B.L.M. people, buy a pass, fight the crowds finding a place to park your rig, and now they frown if you ask about skeet shooting. The back trail to the Nevada weapons proving grounds is now also blocked off. It's still a fun place to go, but not as much fun as it was when the kids were little, and you could turn them loose, and see them any time you look up.

The cars

Yes, we also owned a PINTO Wagon. A baby playpen would just fit in the back. We would put the kids in the back in the playpen and say, "hang on" kids. If they tried to stand up, I would just wiggle the steering wheel or shift quick. Down they would go. I think C.P.S. might have something to say about that today. Still no car seat requirement then. I can remember walking around the in the back seat when I was growing up too. Wahoo, the Grewe kids are in the Pinto!

I am losing track of a few of our vehicles. We had a blue VW Bug when I picked up Gwen and a brand new baby we named Karson from Kaiser Hospital. No car seats back then. Gwen was just holding the baby. As I drove alongside an eighteen wheeler, we looked up under the truck, and down at our new little son. A bigger vehicle was needed. We sold the VW and bought the I.H. Scout 2. Karson was born October 19, 1975. Garian would follow October 17, 1977.

Our neighbor, Hal Daniels had his dad's (Asa ,an old patient from Dr. Woodwards) 1965 El Camino sitting in his front yard for quite some time. When Karson was working and had saved enough money, he struck a deal with Hal. We drove the car into yard and started the project. Karson and I worked our fingers to the bone getting this car ready for PROM night. Some of the paint was still wet as he drove away from the house.

We replaced most of the front end parts, the transmission, and disassembled and painted the whole car, in the garage.

For any guy, you could call this a labor of love. And for all us guys, this is one you should have kept.

This is the 1976 240D MBZ we bought for Garian. She worked with me replacing the engine after NOT keeping an eye on her fluids. Garian later on traded the MBZ in on the Eagle Talon. One very fast car for a little girl. I took it over later and used it to commute from Shingle Springs to Georgetown. (Growersburg Camp) Very fun commute car on twisty roads.

I'm still missing a few cars that we have owned. I will post them as I find them. Gwen and I bought this pickup from Harrell Motors in Placerville to tow a small trailer, which we bought for $350. from Gale Jacksons' parents, to Oklahoma to visit her mom and relatives. It was June of 1977. Karson was eighteen months old. Garian was due in Oct. With a little boy, a pregnant wife, we stopped in Oklahoma City and had air conditioning put in.

After putting the pickup body on a 1963 3/4 ton chassis I painted the truck and bought a camper from Idle Wheels.We went camping a few times.

I bought this rolling chassis, a 1934 Chevy 5 window. Sold it and a ski boat to buy the sail boat.

We sold our 1977 Scout 2 and bought a 1965 Datsun. Ours was blue. Way too small a truck. Karson sat between us and would kick us into neutral as we were going down the road.

This is Gwen's second Astro Van. We are on our third now. We had sold Gwen's first Astro and bought two MBZ's. A 1976 for Garian, and a 1974 for Gwen. Both diesels.

Gwen had this Chevy Nova when we were married. I replaced a whole bunch of front end parts. Maybe we should have kept this one. this pic was taken at our 1st. house on Meder Rd where Karson and Katrina live now. Shrade's are still the landlord.

Bought this 1997 Dodge Ram Diesel new. It cost more than our first three homes. We have had it for thirteen years so far. Super truck.

My mom bought this VW Bug new and gave it to us in about 1989. We traded it for a ski boat.

We bought this 1976 Jeep Wagoner after we sold our 1965 Chevy pickup. We still needed a pickup.

We bought this 1962 MBZ, the only gas MBZ we owned. It had a sun roof and was fun to drive.

Gwen loved this 1958 MBZ diesel. I taught both the kids how to drive in it. Four speeds on the column and a tiny diesel engine. You really had to know how to drive with this combination. Very good learning platform. It was built so heavy it saved Gwen and Jimmy Mies lives when they were broadsided on Power Inn Rd.

!965 pickup before the paint, but after the up-grade to 3/4 ton.

Karson with the first car he ever drove into the back of our home on Ponderosa road, a 1953 MG TD. He would play in the car, and one day he released the hand brake and it was parked on a slight rise above the back of the house. Crash!!!

We looked in two barns and a field at all the parts to this 1953 MG TD. It took awhile to put it together, find an engine and make it all work.

My Scout 800, Gwens new supper beetle. And Pooh, Gwen's Saint Bernard.

Our Scout 800, Gwen's Fiat Spider, and Pooh.

Bought this 1970 914 new. What a fun car. We drove this on our honeymoon. Traded it in on our Scout 800.

This is my 1965 Corvar Spider. Turbo charged flat six. Really fast but couldn't keep fan belts on it at speed.

I bought this 1968 VW new when I was a fireman in Alameda. I moved to Cameron Park soon after.

I picked up this 1935 Ford four door from a sailor who was shipping out for $25.00. The roof had a leak, so we used tar and gravel to seal it up.

1957 VW. bought this when I got out of the Army.

This was Dad and Eloise's wagon. When they bought a new Ford wagon I bought it from them. I was drafted soon after this and I had my neighbor sell it and my hot rod Olds.

I bought one like this, (didn't take any pictures) for $25.00 at a car lot in Oakland. Put a big motor in it and ran the quarter mile.

I traded my 1950 Chevy for my first Olds. A 1949 four door.

Linda fronted the $125.00 so I could buy this 1950 Chevy. I took the motor out and replaced it with a newer engine that I could build to race with.

Grandpa Condley gave us this 1936 Dodge four door. I learned to drive by going up and down the driveway about a zillion times, then hit the streets at thirteen.