Here is a story for you

Here is a story or two for you.

This includes Jack Rose, he lives in AZ and I believe he is a lurker
on this list. I told this one several years ago.

I attended CVA my sophomore year, 1978-79, lived in the Kulisek's
boys home and roomed with Doug Gould and Vern Fisher at various
points. Jack Rose and I were pretty good friends.

It was in the spring, when he and I decided to climb Parriot Mesa at
night. I had been up there once before and a night hike seemed like
just the thing to inspire hope and joy in the moment. I have no idea
what night of the week it was, but I suspect it was a school night
since everyone quieted down sooner in the dorm on school nights and
room check was earlier.

We went to bed and "Brother Kulisek" did room check before we got up
and headed out around 10:30PM. I remember there was a moon and I
remember we knew we had to hike all the way up to the base and around
the corner on the South (east?) side before we could use our
flashlights. My memory says we had to pass across the ball bearing
section with the cable hand rail before we could use a light. After
turning the next corner and moving into the back alcove we realized
we had miscalculated on just how much Spring had sprung at that
elevation. The back side was still choked with snow. We pushed on,
making first tracks of the year up around the alcove and across to
the "chimney" where we had to slither up using the old fixed rope
from previous years. Above the chimney I remember climbing up the big
stair step section with snow on each level but also with snow melt
water running off each level and down onto us. I know it was a very
warm night despite the snow. We reached the top and strolled over to
the front side that looked down on the campus where we then sat, legs
dangling over the edge while we each ate a Snickers Bar.

I still love Snickers, just had one today. I know our descent was
uneventful and we never got in trouble over our private excursion. I
suspect we told other fellows the next day so I don't know how the
faculty never found out.

OK, time for one more. I have probably shared this one before also.

Same year, 1979, Spring boys camp-out.

Participants, oh my let me think, Brian and Gordon Lyle, Jack Rose,
Doug and Dodd Gould, Glenn Pritchard, Monty, and at the end of the
story Jon Cooper.

The Kulisek home went camping down the Colorado River in the Kane
Creek drainage. We fellows encouraged this location since there were/
are many mines in the area to explore. The fellows spread out in
various small group camps for the weekend with the goal of search
mines for what ever might be interesting, usually this meant things
that go BANG. Remember this is 1979, the uranium boom had ended in
the region, not that long before and there were still semi active,
semi abandoned mines all over the region.

Brian Lyle and I camped together (I think) and we found blasting
caps, explosive plastique cap covers and little more. Each of the
separate groups of fellows did independent foraging until Sunday when
we were all collected for the ride back to campus. Brian and I were
pretty proud of our finds but disappointed that we had not procured
any blasting fuse or larger explosives. When we were all gathered
together in Kulisek's old Suburban we all began quietly comparing
discoveries in the back of the truck.

Turned out we were traveling in a rolling supply store of mining
explosives and supplies. I think it was Doug Gould who had half
sticks of dynamite stuck vertically in his pants around his middle.
Somebody else had blasting fuse, slow burning, wrapped around like a
belt, and Brian and I were the only ones who had found any caps. We
were in business.

I had learned the basic details of farm blasting from Mr Dicken and
from my Dad. None of us seemed concerned at the time regarding any
danger. After arriving at campus we discovered that somebody had
found some very old sticks of dynamite and we had carried back
several sticks of very crystalized explosives. I believe these items
were removed from the basement of the Kulisek home promptly and I
believe we buried them deep in the dirt, somewhere near Castle Creek.

Fast forward to graduation weekend, June, 1979.

Sunday morning, very early, still dark out, a group of us gathered up
the loot, Jon Cooper was at CVA for graduation and he joined us, and
we hiked up to the "rock garden" to make some noise. We blew up
trees, we blew up rocks, we climbed the "horse trail" and blew up
rocks behind the "saddle". We truly had a good time. I suspect we are
lucky no one got hurt. Good teachers I guess.

Later, "Sister Kulisek" told me, "I heard all you fellows sneak out,
I was concerned you would get into mischief, but when I heard the
loud bangs I knew what you were doing and figured you would be fine."

P. S.

When I came home to California that summer, I loaded a lengthy bit of
fuse and several blasting caps into my airline "checked" luggage and
flew it San Francisco.

And a cheery good night to all. Craig