tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2453542475810588272024-03-05T21:32:50.570-08:00The DTB Cousinstodorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-58648807439263785812019-02-18T18:08:00.002-08:002019-02-18T18:08:12.914-08:00Man rescued from quicksand in Zion NPI ran across an article about a man rescued from quicksand in Zion National Park. Although he wasn't hiking in the Narrows, he was hiking a similar hike known as the Subway. Although some readers think that experience in the book was fictional, it was actually based on my own foray into quicksand in the aftermath of the flood. Here is <b><a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/46493894/utah-rescuer-describes-efforts-to-help-man-trapped-in-quicksand-at-zion-national-park">the link</a></b>.todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-64675137817246265512017-08-04T09:03:00.000-07:002017-08-04T09:11:01.712-07:00Recent Flash Flood in the NarrowsI just saw a news article on a recent flash flood in the Narrows. Luckily, it was mainly water or the results could have turned out much different, but a group of hikers formed a human chain to help everyone get out. Here is a link to the article with the accompanying video: https://www.ksl.com/?sid=45282380&nid=148&title=man-recalls-narrows-flash-flood-caught-on-videotodorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-49829716887603734522015-12-27T06:59:00.000-08:002015-12-27T06:59:41.347-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 9<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
The mystery comes to another "happily ever after" style ending, with the thieves safely in jail, the stolen loot returned (of course the police were able to track down all the victims of the pickpockets and return their stolen goods to them), and the DTB Cousins receiving a bonus for their efforts - tickets to Scotland where they would become involved in the Loch Ness Monster Mystery. Although we had the foresight to set up the next adventure, it never got written. After writing four books, without any of them getting published, I guess we kind of got a little discouraged. We started a few other partial stories, but this was our last complete one until <i>The Narrows Escape.</i> I hope you've enjoyed reading the story:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Chapter
IX - The End of Another Mystery</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
The
DTB Cousins made their way over to the old mansion with <i>Cheif</i>
Harper. On the way, Troy asked, "Where do we look for the
money?"</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
Brad was thinking of the same thing.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"Don't worry," said Darin. "When I was tied up they
said something like having money hidden somewhere in that main
cavern."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"It
must be all that <i>lute</i>
that was the money they were talking about."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
They opened the trapdoor and went down the steps. They came to the
main cavern and everyone started searching for places where the money
could be hidden.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
Finally, Brad got kind of worn out and leaned against a stalagmite to
rest a little. It triggered part of the rock wall to slide open and
inside was a safe.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<i>Cheif
</i>Harper took out some<i>
equiptment </i>to open safes and in
no time they had the money.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
They
went back to the police station and Chief Harper had his men return
the money to its owners. The chief gave the DTB Cousins three free
tickets to <i>Scottland</i>
for an extra treat for solving the case and then they went home to
tell their moms and dads.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
A
couple of days later they decided that they would use those tunnels
and caves and put their private office down in there. They bought a
lot of nice new<i> equiptment</i>
to go in their office with the treasure money.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
End</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-86858118575845596322015-12-20T19:25:00.002-08:002015-12-21T16:16:44.350-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 8<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not sure why we thought that the treasure should belong to the government. In fact we never figured out a back story - where the treasure came from, how it got there, who buried it and made the map. Actually, we never planned out our stories at all. We just took turns writing whatever popped into our minds as we wrote. The interesting thing is that with three different authors taking turns writing, the story often went off in different directions. It is surprising that they had any cohesiveness at all. Enjoy!</div>
Chapter
VIII - The Explanation</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
The DTB Cousins were back in the police station with the treasure.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"How did you know that there was a treasure down there and how
did you find out how to get down there?" asked Chief Harper in
astonishment.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"Oh," said Brad. "I'll start from the beginning and
tell you the whole story. We went over to the old mansion yesterday
to see if we could find something because you said that if you found
something in there you could keep it. When I was looking in the
attic, I found a treasure map concealed in a secret panel in a chest
along with a few other papers which I think are documents.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"Oh that reminds me. Here are the papers. Anyway I heard a yell
for help so I ran down the stairs to see what had happened. When I
got down, I found Troy there but no sign of Darin except for his
pocket camera which was lying on the floor. It didn't take me very
long to figure out what had happened. Troy and I began looking for
clues. I found a trail of torn notebook paper leading to a closet and
Troy just happened to stumble upon the trapdoor."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"That's
fantastic boys. We have been looking for this treasure for years, but
all our searches were fruitless. Finally we gave up. These papers say
the treasure belongs to the government to spend how they want. I
guess part of it rightly belongs to you fellows," said <i>Cheif</i>
Harper.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"Thanks a lot!" chimed the DTB Cousins.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"I
guess those crooks were <i>lookings </i>for
the treasure also," said <i>Cheif </i>Harper.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"No,"
said Darin. "They didn't even know about the treasure until they
saw the map. They were <i>pickpocketers</i>
who had found a torn <i>peice</i>
of the map that showed the secret entrance. When they investigated
it, they discovered it was the perfect <i>hidout</i>.
I found this out while I was captured."</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.52in;">
"<i>Heah,</i>
let's go recover their stolen loot," said Brad.</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-35402917659158303512015-12-13T14:37:00.000-08:002015-12-13T14:37:00.180-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 7<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
The DTB Cousins' relationship with the police was patterned after the relationship that the Hardy Boys had with the local police. We were young and naive enough not to realize that real police officers probably wouldn't give much credence to what a few ten-year old boys had to say if they called up the station asking for "backup." Of course, the DTB Cousins didn't just have a connection on the local police force, they were on a first name basis with the police chief himself. Chief Harper appears in most (if not all) of the original DTB mysteries we wrote. He was loosely based on Ron Harper, a friend of my parents who was a real police chief. Of course, he had no idea that he played such a crucial role in these literary masterpieces. Enjoy.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Chapter
VII - Arrested</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"We're
lucky they left the <i>equiptment</i>,"
said Troy.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Yeah, but they took the map," said Brad.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"They are probably looking for that treasure right now,"
said Darin.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Don't think about that," said Brad. "We got to be
thinking of how to escape."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They thought hard. Finally Troy came up with a great idea.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Brad
was tied to a weaker one. He shoved against it as hard as he could.
He tried again and finally the stump of it broke. Brad could walk
around but <i>their </i>was
still a stalagmite tied on his back. He waddled over to the shovel.
Then he rubbed the rope that tied his hands on the sharp tip of the
shovel. Finally the rope snapped.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Then he ran over and untied Troy and Darin.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"I
better radio <i>Cheif</i>
Harper," said Darin. "We'll need some help."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
While
Darin radioed <i>Cheif </i>Harper,
Brad and Troy picked up the equipment. They waited until the police
came. Then the DTB Cousins and the policemen raced down the tunnel.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The crooks heard the footsteps and hid behind some boulders just as
the DTB Cousins and the police burst into the cavern.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Where
are they?" asked <i>Cheif</i>
Harper.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"There they are," yelled Troy.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The robbers jumped up and tore down the back entrance tunnel with the
police hot on their trail.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As the policemen chased the crooks from tunnel to tunnel, the DTB
Cousins started digging up the treasure. The DTB Cousins dug and dug.
Finally, Troy's shovel hit metal.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The DTB Cousins uncovered a valuable chest covered with diamonds and
jewels. Brad opened the chest and they found millions of dollars
worth of coins, gold and silver pieces.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy
stayed and <i>gaurded</i> the
chest while Brad and Darin ran off to tell the police. When they
reached the main corridor, Brad and Darin stared in astonishment as
the crooks raced toward them with daggers in their hands and the
police right behind.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Darin yelled, "We are between them and the stairs and they will
stop at nothing. Duck down."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Right as Darin and Brad ducked, the crooks crashed into their backs
and went flying into the steps. The police came over and
congratulated them and arrested the crooks.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As the crooks were being handcuffed and taken off to jail, Darin and
Brad took Chief Harper over and showed him the valuable treasure that
they found.</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-7014309129853215922015-12-06T14:35:00.003-08:002015-12-06T14:35:34.220-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 6<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
As you can see, I left the spelling and grammar mistakes in the text. Whoever wrote this chapter moved from past tense, to present tense, and back to past. Also, this "chapter" could have easily been fleshed out quite a bit more, adding more suspense. Still, we were only ten, and were probably hurrying so that we could finish the book sooner. What was the rush? I guess we figured that the sooner we finished, the sooner we could publish it and make a lot of money without digging it up in some abandoned mansion frequented by crooks.</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chapter
VI - The Search for Treasure</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
They
woke up early in the morning. They had decided to go over to the
mansion and in the tunnels again to look for the treasure. They ate a
quick breakfast and took some more <i>equiptment </i>with
them this time - like shovels and ropes.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
When they arrived at the mansion, they cautiously made their way to
the closet. They slipped through the trapdoor and down the stairs.
Troy said, "That passage is the one."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
Just
<i>than</i> they hear voices
down the corridor. The DTB Cousins quickly dodge into the passageway
and start sneaking down it.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
Brad, who was in the lead, dislodged a rock by accident. The rock
made a thud and the crooks, who were nearby, came to see what made
the noise.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
The
DTB Cousins scrambled on, but were caught. The DTB Cousins were tied
up to <i>stalagmights</i> in
the main corridor.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
The robbers started to take their equipment when one of them spotted
the map. The crooks took the map but forgot all about the equipment.
They left the corridor.</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-89460293217856102222015-11-29T06:28:00.002-08:002015-11-29T06:28:56.847-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 5<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
I don't remember who's idea it was to have all the DTB Cousins live in the same house, but for some reason we felt that it would be easier to have them all living under the same house. I don't know if it is true of my cousins, but I know that in my mind, I always pictured it to be my house. We never really described it in any of our adventures. In any case, we usually only mentioned our moms and dads. In only one book did we have any siblings. Well, here is chapter five. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Chapter
V - The Discovery</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
The DTB Cousins walked into the house and closed the door. Their moms
were sitting on the couch.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"You have been gone almost the whole day. Where have you been?"
they asked.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"Oh, we've just been at the old mansion looking around,"
replied the DTB Cousins.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
The DTB Cousins couldn't tell their moms everything that happened
because their moms might not want them to go back again. They would
be worried about them getting hurt.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"Why don't you sit down and eat. We have some dinner for you,"
said Brad's mom.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
After
a dinner of steak, potatoes and <i>jello,</i>
the DTB Cousins went to their room. They studied the map and
discovered there was a part of it ripped off. Then Darin said, "It's
ripped off because the crooks have the other part! That's why they
knew where the trapdoor was, and that's how they got down in the
tunnels."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
"But that part of the map doesn't do them any good," said
Brad, "because we have the part that has a buried treasure
marked on it."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
It
was getting late so they got on their pajamas
and went to sleep.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.51in;">
<br /></div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-24831593434941845702015-11-22T13:42:00.004-08:002015-11-22T13:42:53.148-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 4<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
This appears to be one of the chapters I wrote. I'm not exactly sure how I envisioned the execution of my heroic action, but I vaguely recall something similar happening in a Scooby-Doo cartoon. I wouldn't be surprised if we got lots of our inspiration from the TV shows we used to watch as kids - Scooby Doo, the Dukes of Hazzard, the Six Million Dollar Man, etc. Enjoy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chapter IV - The Rescue</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy and
Brad quietly crawled over to Darin. Troy started <i>untiing</i> Darin
quickly while Brad told him to run and follow them. When the last
rope was untied, they made a break for it.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The two
crooks turned around and saw them. They started after the DTB Cousins
to get them.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Darin
was running behind Troy and Brad. One of the crooks got a hold of
Darin's arm and wouldn't let go. Darin struggled to get free from his
grasp. Finally, in his last attempt, he elbowed the crook in the
<i>stumach</i> and stomped on his
foot. He got free and ran around a curve in the tunnel.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The second crook was on their tail now. Troy had hid around the curve
and as the crook ran around it, he stuck out his foot. The crook bit
the dust and Troy took off fast again. He caught up with Brad and
Darin.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
In a little while, they got to the stairway. They zoomed up the
stairs skipping every other one. They were going so fast that in no
time they were at the top in the closet of the old mansion. They
looked down the stairway and saw the crooks going up them faster than
they had ever seen. The DTB Cousins could tell they were mad.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Brad quickly picked up a rope and tied it to a rock jutting out of
the tunnel. As the crooks neared the top, Brad jumped through the
trap door and swung down, each foot smacking the crooks in the face.
He jerked to a stop and they watched the crooks tumbling down the
stairs head first. Then they ran out of the mansion and headed for
home.</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-66340961547453323822015-11-15T14:24:00.005-08:002015-11-15T14:24:56.920-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 3<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
Here is chapter three from one of our old DTB books. You will notice that we used our real names rather than the fictional ones I used for <i>The Narrows Escape</i>. Also, since we wrote the original draft on a small 3" by 5" notepad, in large handwriting, it seemed as if each chapter was several pages long, rather than what turned out to be 1/2 page chapters (single-spaced). Enjoy!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chapter III - The
Underground Tunnels</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy and
Brad went down deeper and deeper. Then Troy moaned, "How much
farther is the end? If there is an end."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"There
has to be an end," said Brad. Then Brad saw the floor.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"We're
at the end now, Troy," said Brad.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They
both looked around. There were tunnels leading every which way. Then
Brad thought that it looked familiar, but he couldn't think where he
had seen something like it. He thought hard. Then he said to Troy. "I
remember now; the map I found had the same tunnels marked on it."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"What
map?" said Troy.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Oh,
I forgot to tell you, I found a map when I was searching the attic."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Let
me look at it Brad," said Troy.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Oh,
there were some other papers with it too. They are in DTB folder."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They
both studied the map with their flashlights.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Here
is a likely chamber where they might have hid Darin," said Brad,
pointing to a place on the map.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy and
Brad followed the passage till they came to the chamber.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Nothing,"
said Troy as they peeked inside. "How about that one?" he
said, pointing to the map.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
When
they came to the end, Brad said, "Another dead end."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Then
Brad said, "Hey, look. There are footprints on this dirt floor
leading into that passage."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy and
Brad <i>sneeked</i> down the passageway. Pretty soon they heard
voices. They got to the end of the passage and looked into the
chamber.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
On one
side of the room were two crooks talking with their backs toward Troy
and Brad. On the other side of the room was Darin tied up.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
To be continued...</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-3780623285504906482015-11-08T06:20:00.001-08:002015-11-08T06:25:24.681-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 2<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here is the second chapter of one of the DTB Cousin books my cousins and I wrote as kids. We wrote at least four of these type of books, taking turns writing about a chapter each before passing it on to the next cousin. You can sometimes tell who is writing based on who has the biggest part in the story in that section:</div>
<br />
Chapter II - Looking for
Darin</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Brad was
searching for clues on the floor when he spotted a piece of torn
notebook paper. There was some more following it. He called Troy over
and they followed the <i>the</i> torn pieces of paper. The paper led
to a closet.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy
pressed his ear against the door and motioned that he didn't hear
anything. Brad took a mini billy club out of his pocket and Troy
swung open the door.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Brad
looked inside but saw nothing. Then Troy went in the closet and
looked if there were any more clues or anything. He didn't find
anything, but as he was getting out of the closet, his foot snagged
part of the rug and pulled it aside.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Hey,
look!" said Brad. "You've uncovered a trapdoor."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy was
very pleased with himself.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Brad
went over and opened it. There was a big long staircase that went
down and down. He couldn't see the bottom.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy
went over and looked. Then Brad said, "Come on, we're going down
there and rescue Darin."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They
both pulled out their pocket size mini flashlights and started down.<br />
<br />
To be continued...</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-33643709368073988502015-11-01T14:44:00.001-08:002015-11-08T06:20:47.667-08:00The Case of Buried Treasure Chapter 1As I was going through some of my things, I came across one of the four mysteries my cousins and I wrote as youth. We were about ten at the time, so the story is pretty simplistic and not very realistic. Still, it was fun for me to type it up. It is only nine chapters long, so I decided to post it here chapter by chapter. I put it into paragraph form and fixed some punctuation for clarity purposes, but I left the misspellings intact. Here is chapter one:<br />
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The DTB Cousins</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Case of Buried
Treasure</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chapter I - The Search in
the Old Mansion</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The DTB
Cousins decided to go to the old mansion on Euclid Ave. When they
arrived Troy said, "Let's make a thorough search of this
mansion. Remember Chief Harper made an announcement that whoever
found anything in this house may keep it."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Let's
split up to search this place," said Darin.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Okay,"
said Brad.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy
said, "I get this floor, Darin can have the second floor, and
Brad can have the attic up at the top."</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The DTB
Cousins split up and began to search. Brad, who was searching the
attic saw a chest. He opened the chest and looked inside. He felt the
sides and felt four lines in the shape of a rectangle. Brad pulled
out his pocket knife and pried open the compartment. He pulled a slip
of paper out of the compartment and discovered it was a treasure map.
Brad pulled out the other papers in the compartment. Brad put the
papers in his DTB folder. Then he began to search the closet.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Meanwhile,
Darin, who was searching the second floor, went to a bedroom first.
He was inside and headed straight for the bed. Darin got on his hands
and knees and looked under the bed.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
A man
came up from behind. The man grabbed Darin and dragged him across the
floor. Darin tried to get free, but couldn't. Darin then yelled for
help.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy had
gone to the living room and was searching the fireplace mantle when
he heard Darin's yell for help. Troy quickly ran up the stairs.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Troy saw
Darin's pocket camera on the floor by the bed. "This must be
where the fight was," thought Troy.</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
By the
time Brad had joined him, Troy picked up the camera and they both
began to search for clues in the bedroom.<br />
<br />
To be continued...</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-8310257489217579942015-09-20T19:39:00.004-07:002015-09-20T19:39:58.095-07:00Keyhole Canyon Flash Flood With the recent tragedy that occurred to the hikers in Keyhole Canyon this last week, I'd like to take this opportunity to express that my hopes and prayers are with the family members of the deceased: Linda & Steve Arthur, Robin Brum, Gary Favela, Mark MacKenzie, Muku Reynolds, and Don Teichner. I'd also like to remind everyone that the dangers associated with flash floods are real. These were experienced hikers. They had trained for this. Unfortunately, sometimes no amount of training can prepare you for what Mother Nature throws at you. Water is one of the strongest forces on the planet. It carved the Grand Canyon and millions of other geological wonders around the world. If you are trapped inside a tiny canyon when a flash flood comes through, you are toast. The only thing you can do is make sure you aren't inside such a canyon if there is any chance of a rain storm. I've attempted to hike the Narrows again on a few occasions following our adventure; but each time the weather forecast has prompted me to alter my plans. Life is fragile. It can be snuffed out quicker than a candle. Live life, but don't take dangerous risks. It just isn't worth it.todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-74371678576374845612015-06-29T06:29:00.004-07:002015-06-29T06:29:59.165-07:002015 Family ReunionI just got back from the 2015 Allred Family Reunion in Pine Valley, Utah. We had a great time getting reacquainted and meeting the new members of the family. Some of the activities included: horseshoes, Frisbee golf, candy guessing game, an obstacle course, campfire programs, potluck dinners, arts and crafts, a family hike, a short excursion to the sand dunes (it was triple digits so we didn't stick around long), swimming in the river, a devotional, and family trivia games. It was fun watching the new generation having fun with their cousins just like we did when we were young. I'm already looking forward to the next one.todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-23294062457758266942015-05-10T17:12:00.001-07:002015-05-10T17:12:07.823-07:00Happy Mothers' Day Last year I paid tribute to the DTB Cousins' fathers. This year I'd like to honor their moms: Aunt Doris, Aunt Sandy, and Aunt Jen. Because they didn't go on the hike, their roles in the story are somewhat minor. However, the three women who the characters are based on are three of the most stalwart women I know: Dottie, Sally, and Janie. I have seen each one of them (as well as my other aunts) camping out in the middle of nowhere, taking care of their families under rustic conditions (such as pit toilets), and enjoying it - not just once, but every other year for my entire life. It didn't matter if they were expecting a baby, or taking care of multiple toddlers in diapers; they were there building memories with their families. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. They continue to do hard things, are are awesome examples of motherhood to their children and grandchildren.<div>
I especially want to take this opportunity to thank the two most important women in my life - my mother and wife. It has been three years now since I published The Narrows Escape. They have been, and continue to be, my biggest fans. They have read several versions of my books through the years and always offer words of encouragement as well as valuable insights. I appreciate their support and enthusiasm for my writing projects, and want them to know how much I love them. Thank you!</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-25310515952657229442015-04-12T12:11:00.000-07:002015-04-12T12:11:10.271-07:00The Path Less TroddenI love to travel. I also enjoy quiet solitude - exploring the unknown. I often choose to vacation in areas that are less crowded. It is one of the reasons I've always been drawn to Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken." It is also why I've enjoyed hikes such as the Virgin Narrows.<br />
Recently, I've decided to start a new blog dedicated to travel tips and ideas. It is a way I can share some of my other adventures without writing a full length book about them. The blog is called The Path Less Trodden and can be found at <a href="http://travelthepathlesstrodden.blogspot.com/">travelthepathlesstrodden.blogspot.com</a> for those interested in viewing it. The first spotlight is a short hike that leads to a shipwreck on the California coast. My family just discovered it last week. It is definitely found on the Path Less Trodden. The DTB Cousins would have loved exploring it.<br />
<br />
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<br />todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-47447691550252401472015-03-15T13:49:00.000-07:002015-03-15T13:49:02.215-07:00Pi Day3/14/15 - 3.1415 - Pi - pie<br />
Yesterday was Pi Day. It's not an official holiday, but it should be. I can't remember for sure when I first heard about Pi Day, but it must have been from a student who had a really cool math teacher. I only wish my math teachers had thought of it back when I was taking math classes. Pie is without a doubt my favorite dessert - and I love most pies. Among the few that aren't worth the calories are pumpkin pies and lemon meringue. If the DTB Cousins had been lucky enough to celebrate Pi Day at school, I imagine that their favorites would be as follows: Devin - banana cream, Trey - pumpkin, and Brady - strawberry. Of course, any one of them would go for apple pie a la mode any time, any day. I think I'll go check the fridge for leftovers...todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-39305914627844556142015-02-28T08:34:00.001-08:002015-11-08T06:11:17.773-08:00DTB BlogI started this blog about a month after The Narrows Escape was published as a way to promote the book. I figured that the additional exposure would help book sales. I don't know how many hours I've spent writing this blog, but I honestly don't know if anyone has purchased the book as a result of reading it. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it to keep it going since sales have trickled down to about one or two books a year. At first I posted weekly. Later it was bi-weekly. Lately, I've struggled to come up with one blog a month. This month almost passed by without me posting anything. I'm afraid if I let that happen, it would be hard to keep it going. Is it worth it? I'm not sure. There is always some traffic on here, but not much. It would be nice to get some feedback on what type of posts people like, or even what they think of the book.<br />
Here are some facts regarding the blog:<br />
4,594 all-time page views<br />
Most popular posts:<br />
1. "First anniversary" - 1,010 (artificially boosted by spammers); 2. "The Narrows Escape" - 141; 3. "Brad Allred" - 116; 4. "My journal entry from the actual Narrows flash flood" - 105; 5. "DTB Codes" - 53<br />
Most popular month:<br />
1. June 2013 - 918 hits (spammers); T2. November 2013 - 191; T2. August 2014 - 191; 4. November 2012 - 185; 5. July 2012 - 181.<br />
Least popular month:<br />
January 2015 - 18<br />
Traffic sources:<br />
1. google.com - 143; 2. facebook.com - 116; 3. ampirestat.com - 77; 4. blog-zug.com - 75; 5. yandex.ru - 52<br />
Audience:<br />
1. USA - 2,231; 2. Russia - 337; 3. France - 198; 4. Germany - 177; 5. Turkey - 169<br />
Browsers:<br />
1. Internet Explorer - 44%; 2. Firefox - 22%; 3. Chrome - 19%<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-10471800635591995792015-01-25T07:45:00.001-08:002015-01-25T07:45:53.004-08:00The Barrel - Take 2<span style="color: #20124d;">If you've read the book, <i>The Narrows Escape</i>, you'll remember the barrel, and the role it played. It was based on a real 50-gallon drum that we saw during the flood (see pictures on post labeled The Barrel). In these deleted scenes, you can see how the barrel was originally introduced, and the role it played in helping Brady convince the others that he was on to something:</span><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>"Hey,
look at the size of that trunk!" shouted Brady.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> Everybody
inspected the smashed remains of a tree that lay partially submerged
in the shallow water near the left bank. Devin stared in awe at the
battered trunk with just broken shards remaining of what had once
been large branches. He gulped nervously as he realized what similar
forces would do to a human body.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> Down
the bank a few yards was a large pile of debris that had been dumped
by the river where the canyon widened a bit. On top of the debris sat
the 50-gallon drum they had seen. The two rangers headed straight for
it – Ranger Smith jogging and Ranger Sorensen hobbling along
behind.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">What
on earth are you doing?” asked Uncle Darrell as the ranger
inspected the outside of the barrel.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Oh,
uh, I’m just checking to see what kind of barrel it is,” answered
Ranger Smith, looking a little flustered.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Why?”
asked Uncle Randy.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Oh,
uh, well…we can’t leave hazardous materials in the canyon,” he
answered. “They can ruin the environment.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Yeah,
we better carry it out,” agreed Ranger Sorensen. He turned to Brady
and said, “I’m afraid we’re going to have to confiscate it.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">That’s
fine,” answered Brady. “I was just joking about it being mine
anyway.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-size: small;">Then, a couple of chapters later, after the rangers and Arthur had gone ahead:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Brady
breathed a sigh of relief as the panic and adrenaline seeped from his
body. He had made it across the pool and could once again feel the
ground beneath his feet.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Then
he remembered the obstacle he’d encountered. “Hey, Dad, I kicked
something in the water.”</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">It
was probably a rock.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">No,
it was smooth,” insisted Brady. “Like plastic.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">So?”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">I
think it was the barrel the rangers were carrying.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">There’s
no way they’d leave it there after all the trouble they went
through bringing it this far,” argued Uncle Randy.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Unless
they no longer needed it,” Brady reminded him.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">If
this is about them being robbers again…” began his dad.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">You
wanted proof,” Brady reminded him. “If this is the barrel, then
it proves they were lying about wanting to take it out of the
canyon.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>His
dad considered it for a second. “Well, go back and check. We could
use a rest anyway.” He and Uncle Randy laid the stretcher on a
large boulder and his dad checked the man’s vital signs again.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">I
was hoping someone else would check it out,” muttered Brady as he
peered anxiously at the pool they’d crossed.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">I’ll
check it out,” volunteered Amber. She took off her pack and waded
out against the current until she was forced to swim. She had to swim
full bore to make any progress, but about halfway across she stopped.
Only her head was above water, but she was anchored in place. “I
found something!” she gasped.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Brady’s
dad and Uncle Randy looked over with interest.</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Is
it the barrel?” asked Brady excitedly.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">It
feels like it, but there’s no lid. It’s full of water inside.”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">It
could be a different one,” suggested Uncle Randy.</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">It’s
just as I suspected!” declared Brady. “As soon as they ditched
us, they opened up the barrel, transferred the money to their pack,
and then sunk the evidence!”</span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>The
others looked at him in surprise. Then his dad slowly shook his head
and declared, “Either you’re the next Sherlock Holmes or the next
Franklin W. Dixon. I’m not sure which.”</b></div>
</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-62261299436035873822014-12-21T08:10:00.000-08:002014-12-21T08:10:15.833-08:00The Allred Christmas party The Allred cousins are all grown up. Most of us are in our 30's or 40's. Yet we are still close. Every other year, we have a big family reunion, like the one described in <i>The Narrows Escape</i>. That may be the only time we get to see almost everyone at once, but luckily we have other opportunities. Last night we had our annual Christmas party for all the Allreds living in Utah. Although there were a couple of the cousins missing, I counted 13 of my cousins there with their families, as well as two sets of aunts and uncles. Tonight, my parents are hosting another Allred Christmas party for all the Allreds living in California. We also get together for the 4th of July, weddings, etc. When I hear others complaining about how much they can't stand their cousins, I just can't relate. I know each one of my cousins and their spouses by name. I know most of their kids by name (although it gets a little harder each year to remember them all). And best of all, I love spending time with all of them. Our family reunions and other family parties have kept us close over the years. They have allowed our kids to get to know each other and become friends.<br />
If you don't feel close to your extended family, I encourage you to find ways to get together and renew those acquaintances. Find a large place to get together, enjoy a potluck dinner together, play some games, or just talk. Make sure that there are plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied so that they are enjoying themselves too - otherwise it might turn out to be a bomb rather than a blast. And don't give up if the first time doesn't turn out as great as you are hoping. Sometimes it takes a few years for those family ties to gel - especially if you haven't seen each other in a while. If you stick with it, the benefits can be fabulous! Over the years, I've seen friends come and go as circumstances have changed; but family - families are forever!todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-3501327676364081902014-11-16T08:19:00.000-08:002014-11-16T08:19:04.250-08:00DTB Fort<h1 class="western">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Some of my favorite memories from the DTB club were building our forts. It seems that we built one at every reunion between the ages of 7 and 15. Not only that, we built forts at other places - including several different spots around my neighborhood. In the first drafts of the Narrows Escape, I had the family reunion take place in the White Mountains of Arizona, totally separated from the hike. When I changed location, I changed the fort too to match the new setting. Of course I pasted the old scene among my deleted scenes files in case I ever wanted to use it again. Here is the original:</span></span></h1>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> After
completely examining their fort, they began exploring the surrounding
area. They hadn’t gotten very far when the rain started falling
again.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not
again!” exclaimed Devin. “Why does the rain always have to ruin
our fun?”</span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Should
we go back?” asked Brady. “Maybe we can work on our book some
more!”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">But
we did that all afternoon!” complained Devin. “I didn’t come
all the way to Arizona to read and write. We can do </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>that</i></span>
at home.”</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">We
can always wait it out inside the fort,” suggested Trey, ducking
back inside their retreat.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Devin
and Brady followed him in. They had to stoop over slightly so as not
to bang their heads on the “roof,” but there were plenty of
branches to sit on. Devin was pleasantly surprised at how well the
roof was doing at keeping the light rain out. There were only a few
spots where the water was seeping through.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Hey,
we’re pretty good builders,” he said proudly.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">You
mean architects,” corrected Trey.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">What’s
the difference?”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Architects
sounds more professional,” said Trey.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Well
I’m just glad we don’t have to go back,” said Devin. “In
fact, we can hang out here instead of in the camper every time it
rains.”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>To
pass the time, they played Tic-tac-toe by using a stick to scratch in
the damp earth. They were running out of dirt when Devin heard a
voice calling out from the other side of the river.
</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> “Shh!
Quiet! Someone’s coming!” hissed Devin.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>The
three boys sat silently, without moving, listening to the drumming of
raindrops against the tree, and the gurgle of water from the nearby
creek. Devin could feel his heartbeat pounding as they waited for the
threat to pass.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Brady!
Devin! Trey?” the voice repeated.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">It’s
my dad,” announced Brady. “I better go find out what he wants.”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Brady
carefully climbed up the wet branches to the lookout post. As he
disappeared from view, Devin heard him call out, “Hey Dad, over
here!”</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Brady
lowered himself back into the clubhouse. Several seconds later, Uncle
Darrell followed – though a bit more cautiously. He was wearing his
familiar red jacket and his favorite cowboy hat. The three boys’
coats were slung over his left arm, dripping wet from the rain.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>Once
inside, Uncle Darrell had to stoop over almost double to keep from
hitting his head. A low branch still knocked the hat off his head
anyway. He carefully placed it on again and gladly accepted Brady’s
invitation to share his branch. Then he passed out the coats.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">This
is a nice set-up you have here,” Uncle Darrell said admiringly, as
he inspected the makeshift roof. There were still only four or five
drips.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Not
bad at all, </i></span>Devin
decided. <span style="font-size: small;"><i>I’ll
bet Steve and Shane couldn’t do any better themselves.</i></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> They
quickly gave Uncle Darrell the “tour” – which they were able to
do without even getting up. They then humbly accepted the praise he
heaped on them for their craftsmanship.
</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>"This
is great!" Uncle Darrell repeated with a wide grin. “Your
fathers and I used to build forts like this all the time in the
orange groves and fields behind our house. We would spend hours and
hours pretending we were Roy Rogers, fending off bandits and
Indians.”</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Roy
Rogers? Who’s that?” asked Devin, wondering if he was related to
Buck Rogers from the twenty-fifth century – one of his favorite TV
shows.</span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">My
dad still has all his old Roy Rogers stuff in a box in our garage,”
Trey explained. “He was some old cowboy.”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">Not
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>that</i></span>
old!” laughed Darrell. “But I almost forgot. I was supposed to
find you to make sure you guys weren’t getting all wet. Aunt Doris
was afraid you were going to catch pneumonia or something, but you’re
all much drier than the rest of us.”</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">So
we can stay?” asked Brady hopefully.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">I
don’t see why not,” Darrell replied. “I’ll just go back and
tell them what a masterful job you guys did.”</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b>“<span style="font-size: small;">All
right!” exclaimed Devin, extending his hand so Brady could slap it.</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>Uncle
Darrell left the way he came, and the three boys remained in their
fort, playing games until the rain stopped. </b></span></div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-23160363986130595512014-10-18T16:24:00.003-07:002014-10-18T16:29:02.929-07:002014 World SeriesNaturally, I'm disappointed about this year's postseason. The Angels were the #1 seed in the AL, finishing with the best record in baseball, only to be swept by the Royals. The Dodgers were the #2 seed in the NL, and have the best pitcher on the planet, as well as the best #2 man. Unfortunately, the Cardinals appear to be Clayton Kershaw's kryptonite, beating him twice in four games to knock them out of the postseason too. Brady (Dodgers) and Devin (Angels) would have been disappointed - but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't have been interested in the World Series. In fact, Brady would have been rooting heavily for the Royals for three reasons: 1) A Dodger fan can't root for the Giants; 2) He played for the Royals in Little League; and 3) He likes rooting for the underdog - and the Royals haven't made the playoffs in almost 30 years. Although Devin would have been tempted to root for the Giants just to spite Brady, both he and Trey would have also rooted for the Royals due to the underdog factor. They appear to be a team of destiny - winning a record 8 straight games to start the postseason. They have also set other records with their late inning heroics. Let's go Royals!todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-30445013096724742332014-09-28T10:21:00.000-07:002014-09-28T10:21:12.571-07:00Congratulations!As the 2014 baseball season ends today, I want to express my congratulations to both the L.A. Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The DTB Cousins would be pleased, since Brady is a Dodgers' fan and Devin is an Angels' fan. Trey enjoys going to ball games to hang out with his cousins, and so since they are the home town teams, he would be pleased too. Since I am a fan of both teams, I will be faithfully watching them both compete for the title. It will get really interesting if both teams make it to the World Series for the first ever LA Freeway Series!todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-17315196232580195052014-08-27T21:25:00.000-07:002014-08-27T21:25:01.559-07:00ALS Ice Bucket Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz-_teBokwtxKGZUr74QN131QiaAhLJy4c34DzhibVcQs5H0Y1BI6qbbgTruREA4FPpGnMGTy_dCw7x8vXvPA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
I was nominated for the challenge by my wife to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket challenge. The challenge has been sweeping the nation, raising funds and awareness for Lou Gehrig's disease. Today I took the challenge and nominated the other DTB Cousins (Darin and Troy) to participate in the challenge as well.todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-18567304412528912062014-08-17T08:24:00.000-07:002014-08-17T08:24:25.174-07:00Arthur at the Riverside Walk Trail<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the earlier drafts of <i>The Narrows Escape</i>, Arthur accompanied the rangers to the end of the trail rather than heading back upstream with Devin to search for Shane. Here is a deleted scene of his arrival at the trail's end:</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"> </span> Arthur looked up, and there it was – the Riverside Walk Trail, the path that led back to the parking lot and civilization. But something was wrong. He had walked down the Riverside Walk several times over the years. On all his previous trips, there had been dozens of people milling about - playing in the river or just enjoying the scenery. Now there wasn’t anyone to be found. He looked up at the rain and quickly realized why.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;">As
he stood there, Arthur was quickly swallowed up with despair. He
hadn’t realized it until now, but he had been fueled on by the hope
that somehow he’d find Shane waiting for him here at trail’s end.
As that hope flickered and died, he sunk onto the steps that led out
of the river and dropped his face into his hands.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 200%;"><i>Now
what do I do?</i></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 200%;"> He </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 32px;">hadn't</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 200%;"> planned beyond this
point, and his mind was too numb to think clearly. For the first time
since setting out to find his son, Arthur wept. His emotions </span><span style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 34.66666793823242px;">couldn't</span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 200%;"> be contained any longer and they streamed forth in a raging torrent.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Finally,
after letting go of his emotions, Arthur’s brain was clear enough
to evaluate his situation. His first thought was to go to the ranger
station to find out if they had any information on Shane. Hopefully
they had found him and were holding him there, waiting for the rest
of his family to arrive. The only problem was, he didn't have access
to a car - and it was too far to walk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 200%;"> He
looked at his watch again. It was a few minutes after 1:00. The women </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">weren't</span><span style="line-height: 200%;"> due for another hour. And being Allreds, they’d probably
be late.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As
he considered his situation, Arthur decided that he had three
options. He could hike up the Riverside Walk Trail and wait for the
women so that they could take him to the ranger station. He could
hike down the river to search for his son some more. Or he could hike
back upstream to reunite with his group and intensify his search.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
he debated each option, a movement downstream caught his eye. There
was someone down there. He was too far away to tell for sure, but it
looked like a pair of rangers. Arthur immediately set out to find out
what he could. On his way, he braced himself for the worst.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">##</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Arthur
froze in his tracks. As the rangers approached, he could tell that
they were carrying something. His worst nightmares were confirmed
when he saw the body bag they were carrying between them. He
immediately looked for a second one, hoping it was the couple he had
heard about, rather than his son. But there was only one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
waited, unable to move, as they approached. His heart beat faster
with each of their steps. Finally they reached him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
"You
shouldn’t be down here," one of the rangers informed him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Arthur
tried to speak, but his tongue stuck in his throat. "My boy was
taken in the flood. Did you find him?" he finally managed. The
last part was so garbled that he wondered if they had understood him
or not.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
"So
you’re the father," the first ranger said, his voice softening
with compassion. “Ranger Smith mentioned you when he radioed for us
to start searching yesterday.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tears
streamed down Arthur's face as his heart burst open. The rangers
carried the body to the riverbank and carefully laid it down.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"We
found him just a few hundred yards downstream," the ranger
explained as he unzipped the bag. "We were on our way back to
our vehicle just now. I hate to do this to you, but we need you to
identify him for us."</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Arthur
didn't want to look, but he knew he had to. As the ranger folded back
the bag, his heart leaped for joy. It wasn't Shane! "It's not
him!" he announced gleefully.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Immediately
he felt guilty for taking joy in someone else's pain. The happy
expression faded from his face as he pictured the hiker's brother and
family. "You didn't find his girlfriend?" he asked.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
rangers looked puzzled, so Arthur explained that he and the rangers
had found the other group.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“<span style="font-size: small;">We
haven’t had any radio contact from them since early this morning –
before you entered the Narrows,” Ranger Forte admitted. “So we
hadn’t heard about the other group. But he’s the only one we’ve
found so far.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
"We're
still searching. We'll find your son," promised the second
ranger.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
some reason, Arthur couldn't take too much comfort in that. He slowly
followed the rangers back to the trailhead, fear once again gripping
his chest. <span style="font-size: small;"><i>What
happened to Shane? Is there any chance he’s still alive?</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When
they reached the trailhead Arthur stopped, unsure of how to proceed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What’s
wrong?” asked Ranger Forte.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“The
rest of my group is still in the canyon,” Arthur explained.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Well,
you should probably wait for them up at the parking lot where it’s
safe,” the ranger urged him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“What
do you mean?” asked Arthur.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
rangers both looked up through the rain at the dark, cloudy sky and
Ranger Forte said, “In all honesty, the conditions are ripe for
another flood. We’re trying to keep everyone out of the area in an
effort to avoid another disaster.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Arthur
felt his fear growing exponentially. His legs began trembling as he
watched the rangers load the body onto a metal framed litter to wheel
it back to the parking lot. <span style="font-size: small;"><i>What
do I do now? </i></span>Arthur
didn’t know. He felt so helpless.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As
they got ready to leave, they heard a shout from the river. Arthur
turned excitedly, hoping to see Shane or his family. Instead, he saw
the group of hikers he and the rangers had found inside the Narrows.
Rangers Smith and Sorensen led the group, Smith bearing the injured
teenager on his back. Arthur and the other rangers waited for the
group to join them.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As
they got closer, the hikers began noticing the body bag. Arthur could
hear their gasps and sobs and see the grief plastered on their faces.
The sight of them seemed to open the faucet to his own emotions. He
could feel their grief as if it were a large blanket draped over his
shoulders. His shoulders drooped further as he realized that the
scene could very easily be repeated with his own family.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Assuming
the group of foreigners had exited the canyon via Chamberlain’s
Ranch, and his own family had continued downstream, that meant that
they were the only ones remaining in the canyon. If there were
another disaster, they would have to face it on their own.</div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
After
helping the teen onto a second litter, they began the relatively easy
hike up the paved Riverside Walk. Although Arthur generally enjoyed
such hikes, he couldn’t find any joy in this one.</div>
todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-245354247581058827.post-333663892171671092014-07-16T09:09:00.002-07:002014-07-16T09:09:58.408-07:00Baseball All-Star gameWith Mike Trout winning the MVP award at this year's MLB All-Star game, it reminded me of an experience I had with my cousin Darin ("Devin") in 1989. My dad scored tickets to the All-Star Workout Day at Anaheim Stadium on 7/10/89. We got to watch all the stars do batting practice and participate in the skills competition from awesome seats right behind home plate. Back then, it wasn't just the HR derby. There was a competition between catchers on the accuracy of throwing out runners at second base. Benito Santiago of the National League won. The next competition was a relay from the outfield to home. The NL team of Andre Dawson, Barry Larkin/Ryne Sandberg, and Mike Scioscia were the winners. Unfortunately Larkin was injured during the competition, which might explain why it was dropped. The NL also won the Home Run Derby, with Ruben Sierra of the Rangers and Eric Davis of the Reds leading the field with 3 HRs each. The format was different from today, with the focus being on the league total rather than the individual winner. Like a true Allred, my dad took lots of pictures which we divided up afterwards. The most prized picture was a sweet shot of Bo Jackson, who ended up winning the MVP award the next day. It was a fun day!todorojohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12350306914750766605noreply@blogger.com0