Trey's ankle

In early versions of The Narrows Escape, Trey's ankle played a bigger role in the pre-hike narrative. However, when I decided to cut down the reunion portion of the book to get to the hike faster, I cut out most of the drama surrounding whether or not Trey would be allowed to go. I've already published a couple of those clips, but this clip is where the decision is actually made. It takes place the night before the hike. What I like about it is that it shows his parents' teaching style. Here it is:

As his family headed back to their camper for the evening, Trey said, “Well, I guess I better check my pack to make sure I have everything.” He held his breath, hoping that his parents would acquiesce without an argument.

“I don’t think you should go,” Dad announced, dousing Trey’s hopes.

“But I’m fine!” Trey exclaimed, walking around to prove his point. Although he succeeded in walking ten yards or so without a limp, his ankle groaned in response. It was getting better all the time, but it still had a long way to go before it was 100% again. He gritted his teeth and faked a smile. “See?”

“I can see that you’re a pretty good actor,” replied Dad.

“It really doesn’t hurt that much anymore,” Trey persisted. “I mean, sure, I can feel it a little, but I’ll be fine. I promise!”

“Why do you want to go so bad?” asked Mom.

“To be with my cousins,” Trey answered immediately. “It’ll be fun, and I may never get the chance again.”

“Remember what I said about not doing something dumb just to fit in?” Dad asked. “Well, hiking down a rocky river with a sprained ankle falls into that category.”

“But this is different!” Trey argued. “This is a family thing! Aren’t you the one who’s always talking about ‘Family First’? So how can you say this is something dumb?”

“The hike’s not dumb,” Dad clarified. “Hiking it on a sprained ankle is.”

“It’s not fair!” Trey fumed. “You promised I could go if I could walk without limping!”

“I didn’t promise any such thing,” Dad countered. “I said we’d talk about it. And we’re talking about it.”

“What’s the use of talking about it if your mind’s already made up?” asked Trey.

Dad sighed. He had a large frown on his face. “I didn’t say you couldn’t go,” he explained. “I said I didn’t think you should go.”

“So it’s my decision?” Trey asked warily.

Dad looked at Mom. She shrugged and he looked back at Trey. He took a deep breath and let it out. “I guess you’re old enough to make your own decision …”

“All right!” exclaimed Trey.

“…But before you do,” continued Dad, “I want you to thoroughly consider the consequences of your decision, and I want you to pray about it.”

“Okay!” Trey agreed. But even as he said it, he was already thinking about how much fun they were going to have.

Quicksand

One of the most difficult parts of our flashflood experience was dealing with the aftermath. As the flood passed through the canyon, it left debris in piles along the way. It also dumped loads of silt in areas where the river changed directions. As we were navigating our way downstream, I was in the lead, since I had been down the canyon before. At one point, we were on an elevated bench, and needed to get back down to the river since the bench was going to end. As I turned to head down the slope, I noted that the sand looked extremely wet. As soon as I stepped on it, my foot immediately began to sink. I took another step forward to keep my balance, and that foot sunk too. Within seconds, I was up to my waist in soupy mud, and continued to sink. I couldn't move my legs to extricate myself, so I immediately lay back onto my pack, hoping to distribute my weight more evenly. I don't know how far I would have sunk, but I didn't want to find out either. My dad rushed forward and grabbed my arm, while becoming partially submerged in the muck himself. My cousin Troy held out his walking stick, which I grabbed, and used to maneuver myself so that I was facing the group. With the help of my dad and cousins, I was able to climb out. As soon as it appeared that I was safe, Uncle Merlin snapped a picture:

Me, my dad, and Greg



After I got out, my uncle took another picture. This time you can see how deep I was in the sand.

It was a terrifying experience to say the least, and obviously became part of the novel. Yet for some reason, most readers assume it is one of the fictitious parts of the adventure. However, here's proof of its validity.

Castle Dark

I was going through a box of old papers when I ran across a fun pad I created when I was about ten. It had simple puzzles, crosswords, mazes, and a serial DTB adventure. The idea was to publish a monthly fun pad for my subscribers. I don't know if I sold any copies, though my mom may have purchased one for the 10 cent purchase price. In any case, I didn't make any future editions. I read through the first episode of the DTB adventure, and got a good laugh at my writing skills. I don't know if it was my first ever attempt to write a DTB cousin adventure, but here it is in its entirety - spelling mistakes and all:

     Once upon a time, there was witch who lived in California. She lived in a castle called Castle Dark. Lots of people said it is haunted. The castle still stands in California but nobody will go in it. Everybody says it is either haunted or falling a part. They President says he will give a hundred dollars to the person or people who go inside. The DTB cousins of Upland California take the job. They packed equipment and started off. The DTB cousins are detectives and have solved other cases so they were not afraid. As they walked up the dusty path they thought about the adventures that would soon take place. Soon they reached Castle Dark. They went inside single file. Darin first, Troy second, and last but not least Brad. As they walked Darin steped on a button like thing on the ground and a skeleton pops out of a secret opening. The DTB cousins walk on. Soon they come to a door. They opened the door and saw a misty room with cobwebs all over. The DTB cousins got on their hands and knees and crawled across the floor. In the middle of the room was an opening in the floor. The DTB cousins decided to go inside and explore. One at a time the dropped down into the dark pit. They turned on their flashlights and found themselves in a large tunnel ful of boxes and bags. They heard someone walking toward them. Quickly the DTB cousins turned off their flashlights and hid behind some boxes. The lights went on and they saw a man carring a box. He put it down, turned off the light, and left without noticing the boys. The DTB cousins came out of hiding and decided to see what was in the boxes. They turned on their flashlights and looked in a box. It was ful of bags of money marked Bank of America. They opened another box and found money bags marked 1 National Bank. Darin said, "Two banks can't be working here together." Troy said, "It might be a band of crooks." Brad said, "I agree with Troy." The DTB cousins decided to investigate further, then inform the police. They turned off their flashlights and quietly and slowly slipped through the bundles. As they went on they saw a dim outline of a figure walking down the hallway. Soon they came to a lighted part and hid behind boxes. They saw the bank thief Dangerous Dan himself. That's when the DTB cousins knew Dangerous Dan's men were working there. The DTB cousins decided to go tell the police. As they retraced their steps they soon came to the opening in the floor above. Brad got on Troy's shoulders and pulled himself up. Just when Troy was going to get out one of Dangerous Dan's men came. He had his gun raised and said Don't move!
To be continued...

Doing research in the Narrows

After I had written a completed manuscript of The Narrows Escape, I decided that I needed to go back and do some research. After all, it would be embarrassing to print the book and have readers write to tell me that my details of the canyon were inaccurate. Therefore, on 7/9/04, my brother Greg, brother-in-law Mike, cousin Troy, and I hiked the Narrows again. We had planned on doing the whole hike. Unfortunately, we had promised our wives that we wouldn't hike it if there was a flash flood warning in effect. The rating was moderate - the same as it had been on the day we had encountered the original flood. So even though there wasn't a single cloud in the sky, we modified our plans. We hiked up from the bottom, and at the first sign of clouds, we hiked back out. I wasn't able to do as much research as I'd hoped, but at least I refreshed my mind of several details that I'd forgotten. As soon as I got back, I did another revision of my book. I also took several pictures. Here are the pictures I took of that trip:

Greg & Mike jumping off a boulder into a deep pool in the Narrows.

 Greg swimming across a pool, trying to keep his phone dry.

 A view of the cliff wall near the end of the Narrows.

 A view of the river along the Riverside Walk.

 A scenic view of the cliff walls inside the Narrows.

Mike, Troy, and I under an overhang inside the Narrows.

The Los Angeles Dodgers

     In honor of the Dodgers advancing to the NLCS, I decided to share some DTB related baseball trivia. Which character in the Narrows Escape is a Dodger fan? Although the word "Dodgers" appears only once in the final version of the Narrows Escape, if is part of the character profile for one of the DTB Cousins. If you guessed Brady, you are correct. Also, one of my blog entries ("Odd Man Out," dated 11/11/12) includes a deleted scene in which Devin and Brady debate which southern California baseball team is better - the Angels or the Dodgers.
     The truth is, I am a big fan of both teams. Both of my parents were huge Dodger fans - particularly after they moved to L.A. As a young boy, my family occasionally received free Dodger tickets from a family friend. The seats were awesome, about 8 rows up from the field near first base. When my parents purchased the tickets themselves, the seats were located in the nosebleed section; but the games were just as fun. I grew up following the iconic infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey. I remember watching the classic October rivalries between the Dodgers and the New York Yankees in the World Series; particularly 1981, when Fernandomania peaked and the "Good Reggie" (Reggie Smith) finally defeated the "Bad Reggie" (Reggie Jackson) with the help of Dusty Baker, Rick Monday, Mike Scioscia, Bob Welch, Jerry Reuss, and Burt Hooton. Garvey was my favorite, and my interest waned a bit after he left for the Padres.
     In 1986, my family got caught up in Wally World - a new mania surrounding the Angels' star rookie Wally Joyner. The Angels were closer, and the seats were cheaper ($3.00 for the outfield bleachers), so we attended about a dozen games that year as the California Angels won the AL West. My baseball card collection swelled during the late 80's as I earnestly followed both teams. The Dodgers quickly regained my attention during their Cinderella season of 1988 - with Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson leading them to another World Series title. Gibson's home run, and the Angels' 2002 World Series title, are two of my all-time favorite sports memories.
     Sometimes people ask me how I can be a fan of both the Angels and the Dodgers. Easy. The Dodgers are my National League team, the Angels are my American League team. Every season I root for both of them to meet in the World Series. Even with the onset of inter-league play in the late 90's, I've continued to root for both teams. Naturally, I've passed on that interest to the characters in my book. However, I decided to make it a kind of rivalry, with Brady following the Dodgers, and Devin following the Angels, with Trey not really paying attention to either team. It was never a major theme, and was thus cut prior to the final draft, but it remains an integral part of the character bios for each of the three DTB cousins.

The Climax

     When I first wrote The Narrows Escape, the climax was the flash flood - because that was where it happened in real life. Unfortunately, in a work of fiction, that doesn't work. Although there was plenty of action in the second half of the book, there needed to be a climax near the end. This picture from my uncle's slide show helped inspire the climactic ending:

     The picture was staged by three of my cousins (Troy, Barry, and Trevor) while at the grotto following the flood, and is one of my favorite pictures from the hike.
     Another picture that I drew on for that scene was the picture of the goose egg my dad received:

     It was miraculously the only injury we suffered during the ordeal, and I transferred the injury to Brady as he made his mad dash to the finish line over the slippery moss-covered boulders in an attempt to escape the wave.
     The next picture is one I took this last summer, visiting the Narrows with my daughter, brother-in-law, and nephew. I staged the triumphant leap to the tree at the end of the trail, the one that Uncle Randy clung to in his effort to escape the tidal wave. Here it is:

  Until next time.

Virgin Narrows

Now I know that all of you have been waiting to see pictures of the Narrows themselves. Here are some of the pictures Uncle Merlin took 21 years ago following the flash flood that inspired my novel:

 

 

The "Narrows" typically refers to the 3.6 mile section of the canyon between the end of the Riverside Walk Trail and Big Springs. In this section, the Virgin River runs wall to wall (often only 20-30 feet apart), with vertical sandstone cliffs (up to 2,000 feet tall) on either side. Although the First Narrows are more narrow in sections, the height to width ratio of the "Narrows" makes them absolutely spectacular. The hike was ranked #5 in National Geographic's rankings of America's 100 Best Adventures.

 

 Unfortunately some of the most spectacular photos from that trip turned out too dark. However, I have been back, and will show more pictures of the Narrows in future posts. Until next time.

Big Springs

Just before the entrance to the Narrows is Big Springs. It is more than halfway through the hike, and the best place to refill empty water canteens. Here is a picture of the springs:

 

In the book, The Narrows Escape, the Allreds fill up their bottles before hitting the Narrows. In the scene, Devin steps in a patch of stinging nettle while climbing on the rocks around the springs. That was inspired by a patch of stinging nettle we encountered while climbing around the springs:

 

Big Springs is also the spot where a momentous decision is made - Devin and Arthur head back upstream to search for Shane, while the rest continue on down the Narrows. In any case, Big Springs is one of the many beautiful spots along the Virgin Narrows.

 

More pictures to come.

The Grotto

One of the most unique spots on the Virgin Narrows hike is the cave known as the Grotto. It also plays a major role in the book The Narrows Escape. The Grotto is campsite #8 for backpackers wishing to spend the night in the canyon rather than trying to complete the entire 16-mile hike in a single day. It is one of 12 campsites in the canyon, all located between the First Narrows and the main Narrows. Naturally, a backcountry camping permit is required to stay at the Grotto, or any of the other campsites in the Narrows. Here is a picture of our group at the Grotto:

Unfortunately, because of the flood, we were unable to reach this spot before nightfall. Instead, we slept at this campsite:

I honestly don't know which campsite this is, or if it is even a real campsite. I just know that it was nice to find somewhere reasonably dry to sleep.
In the story, The Narrows Escape, the Allreds end up sleeping at four different locations. Shane ends up sleeping at the Grotto, Arthur sleeps with the rangers and Bob somewhere between the waterfall and the Grotto (in the vicinity of campsites 2-4), Marvin and Trey stay at the bench they climbed to escape the flash flood (before the First Narrows), and the rest of the group camps shortly after the First Narrows (in the vicinity of campsite 1). How did I keep track of everyone and where they were at? I used a map with the major landmarks I downloaded from the internet with approximate distances and times:
 http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/upload/Narrows%20campsite%20map.pdf

This map was indispensable in mapping out the various scenes and chapters in the book. In any case, I have three of the four groups converge at the area of the Grotto before two of the groups continue on together. What happens to the third group? I guess you'll have to read the book...but I'll give you a clue. It has something to do with the Grotto.

More pictures next time.

The First Narrows

The Virgin Narrows hike in Zion National Park actually has two sections known as the "Narrows." The first section is above the waterfall, and the second section is near the end of the hike. Here is the picture of the slot canyon known as the First Narrows:

This slot canyon is a lot more remote than the main Narrows, which are located at the end of the Riverside Walk Trail. In order to reach the First Narrows, you need to obtain a permit from one of the Visitors Centers within the park. As a result, relatively few hikers of the Narrows ever get to see this canyon - which is actually more narrow than the main Narrows. Here is a picture of the most narrow spot:

Although we couldn't find any spot where we could touch both walls at the same time, we could easily reach the far side with the use of a walking stick. If you look at the walls, you can see the level of the water as it passed through. Here is another shot:

As you can tell, if we had been inside this canyon at the time the flood reached us, we probably would have died. There is absolutely nowhere to go.

More pictures next time!

The Waterfall

The waterfall is one of the most unique parts of the Narrows trail. Since the “trail” just above the falls is primarily the river, some hikers might think it is the end of the line. Others might think you have to jump twenty feet down to the pool below. Of course, there is no telling how deep it is or if there are any dangerous rocks or logs just below the surface. This is a picture of my brother Greg peering over the falls to the water below:

There is, however, another possibility. A small trail to the left (if you are heading downriver) of the falls takes you down the small cliff to the river below. It has been many years since I've hiked to the waterfall, so conditions may have changed over the years; but the trail isn't immediately obvious to a first time hiker. Thus, Uncle Darrell has a little fun ribbing his son and nephews about how to proceed. Since it would be dangerous to jump into the pool, he instructs them to take the trail down. If I remember correctly, the trail seems to be a type of secret passage - at least that is how Brady views it. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it. But, here is a picture of the falls looking back upstream:

This view makes it look taller than it is, but the waterfall is about 20 feet tall. Still it is quite formidable.

More pictures to come.

Waiting out the flood

Just like in the book, we stopped and at lunch on a small bank by the river:

Notice, if the flood would have struck at this point, we would not have been on high enough ground to avoid injury. We would have had to run over to the bank where Trevor eventually took refuge and would have probably lost most of our luggage. Here is a picture of the bank where Trevor waited out the flood by himself:

The lunch spot is back around the bend to the left. Right after lunch, we started out again, but Trevor had a feeling to go back. He wasn't sure why, but when he did so, he spotted the flood coming and shouted ahead to us to evacuate. He climbed one bank, and the rest of us scampered up the other. My dad was the last, and we dragged him up the bank with only seconds to spare. After the first 20 minutes or so, some of us began exploring our little "island." Barry and Troy found some broken shale slabs and took turns pretending to be Moses with the 10 commandments:

Then somebody discovered that the cliff wall was honeycombed with miniature caves. We spent much of the rest of the time exploring these holes:

Naturally, this natural phenomenon became part of the story. Shane, stranded over on the other bank, tried to see what the others were doing. As he got close to the edge of his embankment, trying to see better, the dirt started crumbling and... fiction takes over. Up until this point in the hike, most of the events are fairly accurate. From this point on, most of the events are fictitious - but not all. Stay tuned for more pictures.

Video footage of a flash flood

My uncle recently forwarded me a link to a You Tube video that is footage of an actual flash flood. I watched several others too, but I wanted to share this one for several reasons: 1) You can clearly see how the initial part of the flood is filled with lumber and debris - just like the flash flood we experienced in the Narrows; 2) The narrator does a good job explaining the process; and 3) It shows a huge boulder being rolled by the flood waters. On the other hand, keep in mind that the flash flood in the Narrows was funneled through a narrower canyon, so the water was higher, and was pushed through with more force since it couldn't spread out. We couldn't even see the boulders, only hear them bouncing along the bottom of the river bed. Also, the one we escaped dragged full grown trees along with it.

Here is the link:

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/_yCnQuILmsM?feature=player_embedded

The Barrel

Does this picture look familiar?

 

After writing the first several drafts of The Narrows Escape, I had the opportunity to watch my Uncle Merlin's slide show from the trip. While doing so, I took copious notes of everything he captured on film. This picture inspired one of the key plot twists in The Narrows Escape - together with the following picture:

 

Originally, the injured hiker found at the bottom of the waterfall was found with his wife. After adding the whole mystery plot line, I changed the scene with the injured hiker, particularly the dialogue between him and the rangers. If you go back and reread the dialogue in retrospect (after having read the ending), keeping these pictures in mind, it changes the whole nature of the conversation. Whenever I talk to someone who has recently read the book for the first time, I question them on when they figured out certain elements of the mystery. Thus far, no one seems to have picked up on the subtle hints contained in this particular dialogue. Of course, I wasn't expecting anyone to in the first place. Still, it was necessary to tie the whole story together.



The Virgin Narrows Hike

The Virgin Narrows hike is one of the most unique hikes I've ever done. One reason for this is that for the most part, the Virgin River is the trail. Here are some pictures of the hike itself:

This picture shows a typical river crossing early in the hike. The trail often crosses from one side of the river to the other whenever a shoulder ends. At first many hikers try to avoid getting wet. It quickly becomes inevitable.

Many sections of the hike look like this - where the only trail is the river cutting through the cliffs on either side. The river is filled with many rocks and boulders that create additional challenges - especially when the river is murky and you can't see the bottom. Many underwater rocks become covered with moss, which make them particularly slippery when you walk on them.

 Often, it is easier to just hike in the river rather than climb the embankments. My uncle climbed one such embankment to get a picture of the rest of us as we trudged through the river.

Occasionally, obstacles like this fallen tree will cross the trail. Then you have to decide whether to go over, around, or under the obstacle. This particular tree was at the front of the flood about an hour after we crossed under it.

More pictures later.

The beginning of the hike

If you go on the Virgin Narrows hike from top to bottom, the starting point is Chamberlain's Ranch (outside of Zion National Park boundaries). You can either be dropped off, and have someone meet you at the bottom; or you can leave your car there, and come back for it in another vehicle. Here is a picture of the drop off point:

The cute girls are my cousins Kami and Lori (Darin's sister) who didn't go on the hike. From there, you follow an old jeep trail, crossing the Virgin River occasionally as you descend into the canyon. Near the beginning of the hike, you might see cows grazing in adjoining fields, and other occasional evidences of humans such as this abandoned tractor:



The tractor was half hidden by the brush, but inspired the addition of the car that Trey notices as he and Uncle Marvin are hiking back to Chamberlains' Ranch. A little farther on we found this cabin:

Without giving too much away, the cabin obviously inspired Brady's theory of the hideout used by the robbers. It also comes into play again as Trey and Uncle Marvin are hiking out of the canyon.

More pictures later...

The flood

If you have never experienced a flash flood, the picture in your mind, probably doesn't match reality. I always assumed that it would look like the cover of my book, The Narrows Escape. Yet in reality, you can't really see the water, only wood - though I imagine that would depend on where the flood was located. When the graphic designer designed my cover, I tried to explain this, but she explained that no one would know what it was if she did it that way. In any case, the picture I painted with words (in the book) is as accurate as I could get of what the flood looked like coming down the river. Naturally, we didn't stop to take a picture, but my uncle took some once everyone was on high ground:

 The Virgin River in Zion National Park looked like this for about an hour. Once most of the lumber was washed out, the river consisted of churning mud with the occasional log, bush, or tree:

After about three hours, the water level lowered significantly, but remained higher than normal for the remainder of the day. Here is a picture of Trevor, stranded on his island, showing how high the flood was at its highest peak:



More pictures to come in a future post!



Narrows Group

I recently received a CD with my Uncle Merlin's pictures from the Narrows hike, so I'll be posting some of them with comments. Unfortunately, the quality of some of the pictures isn't that great due to their age and the conversion process from slides to jpeg documents.

First of all, I'd like to introduce the group who went on the actual hike:

 

before picture

 

 You will notice that there were only 8 hikers instead of the 9 hikers in the book. The reason for this is because I wanted to include a female cousin into the mix, even though none of them went on the actual hike. You may also notice that my cousin Darin (aka Devin) isn't pictured. That is because he was in Australia at the time we were on the hike. However, since it was a DTB Cousin adventure, he needed to be on the hike - so I had him take the place of his brother Barry. That is one reason why I changed the names of almost all of the characters from their real names - to further emphasize the fact that the story is fictitious. Since the setting for the book is 1983, but the hike took place in 1992, we are all older than how we were portrayed in the book. By comparison, my younger brother Greg was 14 at the time of the hike - about the same age at Shane in the book. Since Brady's younger brother would have been too young to go on the hike, his spot was replaced by Uncle Arther - Devin's dad.

 

 Here is the same group at the end of the hike:

after picture

You may notice that the flash flood danger level is now listed as "extreme." Thanks for the warning - but it came a little too late. Luckily, we were all able to make it out on our own two feet - illustrating another deviation the story took from reality.

Stay tuned for more pictures.

 

"Shane and the Bear"

The song "Shane and the Bear" was written by my Uncle Randy Allred and his cousin Rob Burk. The incident that inspired the song occurred around in the late 1970s in a remote area of the White Mountains known as Patty Creek. We were attending a Burk Reunion, that was comprised of members of my Grandma Allred's family, when my Dad's cousin, Shane Kelly, went fishing at the crack of dawn with my Aunt Sharon and my cousin Trevor. While he was fishing, Shane heard some rustling and was startled to see a bear. He ran one way, and the bear ran the other. Shane met up with Trevor and Sharon, and the three of them quickly evacuated the area. When they returned to camp, they became instant celebrities as they shared their story over and over again. The adventure was soon put to verse by Randy and Rob, and the song became a family favorite to be sung around campfires at every family reunion for years to come.
When I was writing my book, The Narrows Escape, about my many cherished memories from past family reunions, the song "Shane and the Bear" was one of the first memories to come to mind. Over the many drafts of the book, the bear scene remained a constant - though the details evolved to fit the changing story. In an effort to limit the number of characters in the book, I assigned Shane's role in the story to Devin's older brother Dane. I later changed Dane's name to Shane since I wanted to use the song in the book without changing the wording used in the original song. I received permission from Randy and Rob to include the song in my book, and named two of the DTB cousins' uncles Randy and Rob to make sure that the intellectual rights to the material was attributed to the correct individuals. All other names in the book have been changed to emphasize the fact that they are fictional.

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day, and say "thank you" for all the lessons you've taught me over the years. In honor of my dad, I decided to post a few deleted clips that remind me of him.

clip 1:

“Just be glad it’s not Uncle Darrell taking the pictures," said Trey.

"Why's that?" Brady’s dad asked indignantly. "I take great pictures!"

"You do," agreed Trey. "It’s just that you take forever. If you were the designated photographer, Brady would still be in that sand trap while you were lining up the shot!"

Brady and everyone else burst into laughter. They had all endured the interminable wait that preceded one of his dad’s pictures, and could easily visualize the scene. His dad just harrumphed, though, and kept wading on.

clip 2:

As Darrell Allred led his Scouts from the chartered buses to the entrance of the camp, he felt a strong sense of excitement well up within his soul. “Okay, everybody … look sharp!” he ordered as they marched. “Head up, shoulders back, stomach in, chest out!”

Darrell was average height and trim; and very proud of the fact that he still fit in the uniform he had purchased when called for his first tour of duty as a Scoutmaster fifteen years before. His brown hair was now sprinkled with gray and was getting thinner each year. Due to the heavy winds projected in the weather forecast, he was wearing his full-brimmed scout hat to make sure his head was properly covered.

He had been involved with the Boy Scouts in one capacity or another for almost thirty-five years; since he himself had joined a troop at the age of eleven. He had attained the rank of Eagle, like his father before him, and had helped inspire three of his younger brothers earn the rank as well. Now, he was doing his part to pass the tradition on to the next generation.

clip 3:

Devin’s family was always the first to arrive at family functions. Uncle Arthur had somehow missed out on the family “late gene” that plagued the rest of the family. And although the other Allreds were also habitually late, Brady’s dad, Darrell, must have gotten a double dose of the gene – his own, plus Uncle Arthur’s portion.

Brady heaved a sigh as his dad ran into the house again to grab "one more thing" that they'd forgotten. At this rate, the party would be over by the time they got there.

I love you Dad!

In loving memory...

Three years ago, on Memorial Day weekend, by grandmother died. In her memory, I wrote a poem entitled, "Our Honey." Honey was the name I called her some forty years ago as a toddler. The name stuck, both within the family and out. As we remember and pay our respects to our loved ones who have passed on, I'd like to take this opportunity to honor one of the greatest influences in my life - our Honey.

“Our Honey”

It’s hard to express the way I feel, as I contemplate her life,

Her cheery nature, her merry laugh, through good times and through strife.

An example of faith, and expression of hope the embodiment of love,

Honey was a precious, golden gift from our Heavenly Father above.

Like music floating on the breeze, she enriched us with her smile,

Her testimony, her service to others, her benevolence without guile.

Honey taught us how to live, to love, to sing, to work, to play;

She taught us about God’s eternal plan, and showed us how to pray.

I remember her wassail, her love of Rook, the pictures on her wall,

Her nativity sets, her ceramic gifts, her concern for one and all.

I’ll cherish the times she played for us, the organ, piano, and harp,

Her love of music was passed on to us, whether our skills be flat or sharp.

Her family was her greatest love, she was happiest when we were together;

Her lifelong goal, her heart’s desire, was to be together forever.

From Christmas Eves to theater passes, to cruises out to sea,

From time shares to the Polar Express, she united our family.

Her love extended beyond the grave, through genealogy,

She worked in the temple to seal with love our entire family tree.

Now she’s gone to join the ones who have passed to the other side,

They’ve welcomed her with open arms, eyes filled with love and pride.

Now we who still remain on Earth, will miss our beautiful Honey;

But we can see her again, if we endure to the end - a treasure more precious than money.

First anniversary

The Narrows Escape was published one year ago today. I watched the second copy come off the press - which was a pretty cool experience. Of course, the greatest feeling was knowing that I had finally accomplished a lifelong dream. From the moment I started writing the first draft of The Narrows Escape, until the time it got published was just over 11 years. There were many times I felt discouraged, and several others that I thought about giving up, but I didn't. With each rejection letter, I read through my manuscript again, making small changes here, and major one there. Finally, with the help of Kent Minson and many others, I achieved my goal.

Why was I so persistent? One reason was that I didn't want all that work to go to waste. Another was that I like to accomplish what I set out to do. But the force that drove me more than any other can be summed up by the words of the song "I Was Here" by Lady Antebellum:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ladyantebellum/iwashere.html

Although I hope that I am leaving my mark in other aspects of my life as well, my goal as an author is to somehow touch the lives of others for good. If my books can make a positive difference in the life of even one reader, then all the work will be worth it.

Arthur and the Rangers

The mystery element that is prevalent in the second half of The Narrows Escape took the book to the next level. Before it was introduced, the book was a fun adventure, but lacked some of the drama that now exists. Of course, once I added the mystery, I had to remove or change large sections of the text. The following deleted scenes show the relationship between Arthur and the rangers as it was prior to the change:

            “Is it usually this dangerous?” asked Arthur looking back at the dam from the other side. The water was shooting through the small gap, then racing through a narrow trench before plunging into another slow-moving pool. He could easily imagine someone getting stuck in there. On the other hand, the natural water slide looked pretty fun.

"This is one of the trickier sections," admitted Ranger Smith, “but it’s usually not this bad. There’s just too much water flowing through here right now, and a lot of loose debris. It doesn’t make a good combination for hiking.”

"Do you think that other large group is already out?" Ranger Sorensen asked.

"They must be - one way or the other," Ranger Smith predicted gloomily. “It’s too bad our radios won’t work in here or we could get an update on the search.”

Arthur had been so absorbed in his preoccupation with his family and finding Shane that he had almost forgotten about the other group they were supposed to be looking for. The implication of the ranger's remark did nothing to raise his spirits.

But it would do no good to dwell on such things. He tried to dismiss the thoughts and focus his mind on hiking. The sooner they found Shane and the others, the better. Luckily the ground wasn’t very rocky, due to all the silt that had been dumped by the flood. Speed was of the essence.

“What’s that?” asked Ranger Sorensen, pointing toward the base of the cliff to his left. He walked over, reached down, and plucked a soggy boot out of the water. He examined it closely and passed it to his partner. “Were any of the hikers we’ve met so far missing a boot?”

“I don’t think so,” Ranger Smith replied. He handed it to Arthur. “Does it look familiar to you?”

Arthur took it and examined it. It looked fairly new, despite being waterlogged. “It’s not Shane’s, and no one else lost a boot in our group,” he informed them.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” said Ranger Smith. When Arthur looked at him questioningly he added, “It’s too new to have been sitting there for more than a day or two. If it doesn’t belong to someone we’ve already seen, then it must belong to that other group. And you know what that means.”

Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat as the ranger stuck the boot in his backpack. They then pressed on - a little faster than before.

##

The rangers didn’t stop for lunch. Rather, they munched on more granola bars and trail mix. Arthur, of course, did the same. He was just as anxious to keep searching for flood victims as they were – probably more.

"There's a large group ahead," said Ranger Sorensen excitedly. "It looks about the same size as the group we’re looking for too!"

The two rangers jogged forward, and Arthur struggled to keep up. As they got closer, it was evident that several members of the group were limping along the best they could. One hiker was even being carried by another. The rangers hailed them and the group came to a halt.

"Was your group hit by the flood?" Ranger Smith asked without preamble.

Several members of the group nodded their heads, the sorrow on their faces evident. Although he must have known the answer already, Ranger Smith asked the dreaded question: "Is everyone accounted for?"

A burly man, strong but badly bruised, shook his head and answered, among the sobs of some of his companions, "There are two missing. My brother's girlfriend didn't get out in time, and when he jumped in to save her, the flood swept him away too. I tried to grab them as they went by, but only succeeded in getting pummeled by the logs myself." His voice choked up and he couldn't say anything more.

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Ranger Smith sighed emphatically before continuing. "In any case, we’ve got first aid equipment. Who’s injured?"

Several of the hikers came forward with severe cuts that had been bandaged with strips of T-shirts, sacrificed for the purpose. The first patient, however, was the young teenage hiker who was being carried. His father set him on a large rock and Ranger Smith examined his leg.

"I’m afraid it’s broken," assessed Jason Smith as he carefully examined the heavily bruised limb. "Luckily we have the equipment to stabilize it. Unfortunately, we’ll have to keep carrying him out. There’s no way to get a chopper low enough to lift him out."

When Ranger Sorensen opened his pack, he pulled out the boot they had found. Holding it up he asked, "By the way, did anyone lose a shoe?"

"Actually, that's mine!" the teenager exclaimed. "I lost it in the flood! How did you find it?”

"I found it in the river wedged between some rocks," Ranger Sorensen explained. He handed the boot over to the boy's father since he wasn't going to be able to wear it anyway. He then got started putting a splint on the injured leg.

While the rangers worked, Arthur interrogated the hikers to find out if any of them could give him any clue about his son's whereabouts. His heart ached a little more with each negative response. Given the circumstances, however, maybe no news was good news. All he knew was that his son was lost, and nowhere to be found.

After finishing his interrogation, Arthur waited impatiently for the rangers to finish. Finally, he could bear it no longer. He couldn’t just sit and wait any longer while his son might be lying somewhere along the banks ahead, waiting for someone to rescue him. He had to do something!

After explaining his desire to the rangers, Arthur bid them farewell and headed down the river alone. As soon as the rangers were out of sight, he wondered if he had done the right thing. He wasn't afraid of getting lost - it wasn't hard to follow the river. But his father, a lifelong Scouter, had taught him to never hike alone. If something were to happen, he would be all alone. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

##

It took half an hour for the rangers to bandage all the wounds. When they were finished, the rangers finally stopped to rest. It was only then that Jason Smith realized how weary he was after their arduous hike with little food or rest. If not for the swirling river at his feet, he could easily lie down right there and take a nice, long nap. Luckily, they were getting close to the end.

He hadn't dared mention anything to Arthur, but he was afraid that his son's chances of survival at this point were looking very slim. Still, he wished their former companion luck.

After a few minutes, the rain started coming down harder, and he focused back on the task at hand. Although he was still worn out, it was time to rise and escort the grief-stricken group out of the canyon. If not for the danger that lurked overhead, and the somber mood of the devastated group, he might have actually enjoyed this last, very beautiful stretch which would lead them back to park headquarters. Once there, he could head home for a good meal, a nice hot shower, and some much needed rest.

The "Green Monster"

Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to share a deleted scene regarding the "Green Monster." As you are probably aware, the Green Monster is the name given to the massive left field wall in Fenway Park. It is also the name Brady and his cousins gave to the old, green, canvas tent that Uncle Darrell's family slept in on camping trips. As a kid, I was always a bit jealous of my cousins because their families got to camp out in campers while my family had to sleep in a tent. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was new and easy to put up. But the Green Monster was a relic from the 60's, and had a musty smell that grew stronger by the year. Worse yet, it took about six people to set it up, so my dad always had to recruit the help of cousins who were unlucky enough to be in the vecinity whenever it was time to put up the tent. It wasn't a quick job either. You were usually stuck there for 30 minutes while my dad tried to figure out which poles went where, or borrowed stakes to replace the once that had gotten lost or broken since the last camping trip. Actually, it wouldn't have been so bad if my cousins weren't sleeping in cozy campers while I was shivering in the tent and avoiding rain drips on nights the weather turned bad - which seemed to happen on an annual basis. Here is the clip:

By the time they arrived at the campground Wednesday evening, the sun was already starting to set. While his cousins got to spend the last hour of daylight exploring their new surroundings, Brady was forced to spend it helping his dad put up the “Green Monster” – a name Brady and his siblings had unaffectionately given the old, green canvas tent. It was a relic from the 60s, and had withstood the effects of rain and sun so many times that the faded material gave off a distinct musty odor.

Whenever the kids tried to convince Brady's dad to buy a motor home, or at least a camper, he would always retort that half the fun of camping was roughing it. One of the worst parts of “roughing it” was using the local restroom facilities. While Devin and Trey’s campers had small “restroom” facilities (a port-a-potty in a small compartment), Brady’s family used whatever facilities were available – or even made their own, if necessary.

Fortunately, this campground had outhouses. After a quick stop by the tent to pick up some toiletries, Brady's dad grabbed a flashlight and led the entire family to the pair of outhouses on the edge of the campground. There they took turns using the ghoulish toilets. Not only did they stunk to high heaven, they looked as if they hadn't been cleaned in at least a decade.

“I don’t wanna go in there?” declared Christina, plugging her nose.

“It’s not that bad,” said Mom, trying not to gag on the noxious fumes that flowed out whenever someone opened the door.

“I’ll wait,” Christina persisted.

“For six days?” asked Mom. “You couldn’t last six hours. No, I’m afraid we’re stuck using these.”

“But I’m gonna fall in!” wailed Christina as she walked inside, and peered down through the seat into the waste vault below.

“I’ll hold you,” Mom insisted, closing the door behind them.

For a moment, as he stood there in his shorts and T-shirt shivering in the cold, Brady wondered why he’d spent so much time looking forward to this trip. For some reason, whenever he and his cousins reminisced about the reunions, Brady always forgot the barbaric conditions he often endured. It was probably because his cousins didn’t have to suffer them.

After everyone was through, the family marched back to their tent, where they washed their hands in a large bowl filled with cold water. Then they brushed their teeth, using water from the family’s three-gallon water jug, spitting into the weeds at their feet.

“I’ll be thinking of you sleeping on that nice, hard ground as I’m enjoying the soft cushions in our nice, warm camper,” said Devin when he came over to say goodnight.

“Gee thanks,” muttered Brady as he covetously eyed his cousins’ campers.

After changing into his sweats, Brady climbed into his blue sleeping bag and tried to get comfortable. He had to readjust his half-inch thick foam pad a couple of times to get off a rock or root that had created an uncomfortable lump underneath his right shoulder blade. Eventually, he found a relatively flat plot of earth and drifted off to sleep.

Lake hike

In the early drafts of The Narrows Escape, the family went on a hike around the lake on the Saturday night of the family reunion. The purpose was to show the progress Trey was making walking on his ankle, as well as a little foreshadowing. However, I didn't feel that it moved the story along enough, and added it to my "DTB clips" file. Here is the clip:

After the horseshoe tournaments were over, Uncle Darrell asked if anyone wanted to take a hike around the lake before dinner. At first, several of the other parents – particularly Aunt Doris - declared that they wouldn’t let their kids go anywhere near the lake with bears on the loose. But after Uncle Darrell assured them that the bears were more scared of them than they were of the bears, they finally relented.

Devin was surprised when Trey announced that he was going to go too. “Are you taking your crutches?” Devin asked.

“No, I’m going to try to do it on my own,” Trey informed him. “If I can’t hike without them now, there’s no way I’ll be able to do the Narrows hike.”

“You’re still planning on going?” Brady asked in surprise.

“I’m going to try,” answered Trey. “I’ve been relying too much on my crutches.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for it? It’s going to be a long hike,” Uncle Marvin reminded him.

“I’ve been walking around camp a lot today, and it’s getting better,” Trey assured him.

Uncle Marvin looked doubtful. “Okay, but I’m taking the crutches along just in case.”

As they started out, Devin kept an eye on Trey to see how he did. Like Uncle Marvin, Devin had his doubts; but after the first couple of steps, Trey’s limp became almost invisible. Still, Trey couldn’t completely hide the grimace that would occasionally crease his face.

##

As they hiked, Trey could feel his father's eyes watching him like a hawk. He knew that he had to convince his dad that he was fine if he had any hope of making the Narrows hike. It took some effort, but eventually he was able to walk with only the slightest trace of a limp. He snuck a few peeks at his dad, and was pleased to note that even he seemed satisfied.

As they walked, they kept a sharp eye out for animals. Despite Uncle Darrell’s assertions, Trey was a little edgy about the possibility of running into another bear. Although he was walking fine enough, running would be a completely different story. But the only animals they saw were a couple of squirrels, a butterfly, and several birds.

Unfortunately, Devin and Brady started talking sports again. One of Trey’s main motivations for coming on the hike was to spend some time with his cousins. They had been having all the fun without him. But even now that he was with them, he was feeling left out again.

Luckily, the conversation ended when they arrived at the dam. It wasn’t that big, but several fishermen were fishing from it anyway.

“By the way, did any of you kids catch any fish this morning?” asked Uncle Darrell as he watched the fishermen cast and reel in their lines.

With all the excitement that morning, Trey had almost completely forgotten about the fishing contest. “I did,” he announced.

“Me too!” chimed in Brady.

When no one else answered in the affirmative, Uncle Darrell found out the particulars, and pronounced them the winners of the two awards – Brady for the most fish, and Trey for the biggest.

“Hey, we still have time tonight before the contest ends,” countered Devin.

“You’re not going fishing tonight,” Aunt Jen retorted. “Not after this morning.”

Devin tried to convince her that it would be safe, but to no avail.

“It’s too bad,” said Shane, as they headed back towards camp.

“Why’s that?” asked Devin curiously.

“Cause I would have gotten another award if I’d had another chance to catch some fish,” Shane replied.

“Only in your dreams,” jeered Devin. “I could out-fish you anytime.”

“Then how come you never have?” retorted Shane.

“At least I don’t get scared off by bears!”

“Only because you’ve never seen one,” pointed out Shane. He turned away, and put some distance between himself and the younger boys.

“He’s such a jerk!” Devin hissed, only loud enough for his cousins to hear.

“Sometimes,” agreed Trey.

“No, he’s always this way,” argued Devin. Trey didn’t agree. He’d seen how well Shane treated his sisters, and the younger cousins. He only saw this side of Shane when he was competing with Devin, trying to establish his superiority. When neither he nor Brady replied, Devin added, “Sometimes I wish I didn’t have a brother.”

“You don’t mean that,” said Trey. He’d give almost anything to have a brother.

“Yes I do,” declared Devin.

“You’d feel bad if something happened to him,” said Trey.

“No I wouldn’t,” Devin said firmly.

Nothing Trey could say was going to change Devin’s mind. He just hoped Devin wouldn’t be forced to eat his words some day.