Thoughts at 4:30 in the morning

I woke up this morning at 4:30, for whatever reason, and never fell back to sleep before my alarm went off at 5:15. The odd thing was that when I woke up my thoughts brought back an experience I had 21 years ago involving John McCain. Why I had this sudden remembrance at this odd hour, I don't know. Here is my experience as best as I can remember.

The summer after I graduated from High School I worked on the Bar-10 Ranch on the Arizona strip. The Bar-10 is a working cattle ranch but a tourist destination of sorts. It is located 8 miles north of the rim of the Grand Canyon and is in a unique position to cater to Colorado River runners, those who are just ending their trips and those who are just starting their trips. There is the Whitmore International airport which is nothing more than a dirt airstrip, but is international because people from all over the world have flown in to and out of it. The ranch also has two helicopter pads which are used to transport Colorado river runners out of and into the Grand Canyon. The lodge has the ability to sleep up to 75 people comfortably, showers, a trading post, and other necessary amenities to make life comfortable.

The Arizona strip is a narrow strip of land in the north west corner of the state of Arizona. It is bordered on the south by the Colorado River, on the North by Utah, and its western border is Nevada. It is approximately 200 miles going east to west, and 80 to 100 miles going north to south. If you have ever been to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Colorado City or Fredonia, Arizona, you have been to the Arizona strip. The area is as remote a wilderness as you will find in the U.S., and once you get off of the paved roads, and there are very few, it is easy to get lost. The ride from the Bar-10 to St. George lasted nearly 2 hours for the 80 mile journey, and the entire drive was a dusty, bumpy dirt road until you got to the Arizona/Utah border. If you were lucky and knew the dirt road well enough your top speed was 45 mph, and if you were an idiot you could get up to 60 mph (I never drove faster than 45 mph, seriously, wink, wink).

My responsibility on the Bar-10 was to assist Colorado River runners getting on and off of the helicopter as they ended their trip or just beginning. On the south rim side of the Colorado River, and directly south of the ranch, there is a small beach on the river which provided the perfect location for landing a helicopter. In order to get to the helicopter from the boat landing area, river runners would have to hike up the sandy beach for about 200 feet where they would get into the helicopter for the 10 minute ride back to the ranch. The ride into the canyon was thrilling experience as the helicopter drops nearly 1,000 feet to the helicopter pad below. Equally as thrilling was the helicopter ride out as you ascend the 1,000 feet over the sheer canyon walls. Once at the ranch the river runner could have a shower and get a bite to eat prior to departing on a 6 or 7 person Cessna airplane ride back to civilization.

It was on this beach in the summer of 1987 that I met the then first term senator from Arizona, John McCain. He had just completed the 180 mile journey from Lee's Ferry, through the Grand Canyon, lasting 5 to 7 days depending on the rafting company (some rafting companies take as long as 14 days to make the same trip). If my memory serves my right, he made the trip with a Senator Rudman of Texas and other close friends and family. It would have probably been during August, but I don't remember the exact month. What I do remember is an unshaven, silver haired, and exhausted man. He wore a green canvas, wide brimmed hat with a neck rope to keep the hat from falling off his head during the roughest rapids. He would have experienced the thrill of riding at least four large rapids all rated a "10", along with many other rapids rated a "7" or higher.

It was my fortune to be able to work on the river that day rather than at the lodge. My boss at the time, Tony Heaton, asked that we not talk to him. I rebelled and and shook his hand, said "hi" to him and asked him about his trip. He was very nice and cordial and answered my question with an exuberant, "it was great." That was the extent of my experience with him. Once the helicopter arrived to return the Senator to the ranch and his plane ride to civilization, one of the other ranch hands, Garth Bundy, herded the Senator and his family into the helicopter. I handled his baggage placing it in the storage area at the rear of the helicopter.

I don't know why I woke up this morning with this memory because I had forgotten all about it. What I remember was a man who was very personable, he was not aloof or demanding, and was very respectful. If I had known then what I know now, that he would later be on the cusp of becoming the leader of the free world, I may have spent more time getting to know the man. I must admit that at the time I was a bit intimidated by him and it took every bit of courage I had just to say "hi" and ask about his trip. John McCain, I believe, will do just fine as President of the United States. He has the experience and the intangibles to do the job well.