Harold's Famous Trip Out West with his Fraternity Brothers

Dad took a tour out west with a group from his college fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon.  He reported it was the most freedom he had ever felt in his life.  Eight men in two cars, one of which was "loaned" by dad and Uncle Earl's father Joe, an extremely generous gift in its time.  The men were about 20 years old, traveled and camped in many national parks.  Dad commented it wasn't like it is now.  "You could park anywhere alongside the road and set up camp.  We would sit around, shoot the breeze, sit around a fire and enjoy nature."  Many gifts came out of this horizon expanding trip, three I will highlight.  This experience was the foundation for much of my father's future enjoyments with family.  He loved taking us to vistas beyond anything we had yet seen, delighted in standing silently next to one of his children to take in the mountain views.  He was happiest on those mountain tops.  I also have to imagine the navigating, climbing and scouting he did on that first trip helped him with his service in Korea as well, and not just as some tactical/experiential advantage.  There was only one picture in my father's military file.  It was of my father and another man bearing over a map in dim light, studying the mountain terrain.  No matter what happened in Korea, this I know about my dad ... it is sure he stopped to marvel at the beauty he found in the middle of pain.  That was a life skill he not only lived but passed on to others.  And there is one more gift that came out of that freedom tour with his friends,  I know personally that it helped him in his final climb to vistas yet unknown by those of us who have yet to follow. I will write about that in a a separate entry.

I found a sheet of paper with 8 names on it.  I am quite sure it is "the list" of young men with whom he had the time of his life ... a trip he reflected upon with his family in his final days.  It was left out on his desk ... as though he wanted to do something with the list.  Whatever he intended ... I know it was meant to be shared.

Dick Johnson
Wally Bailey
Denley McKenzie
Earl
Harold
Royal McKay
Paul Flurer
Stanley Hoistad

Enjoy the accompanying pictures of Bryce National Park.

A fellow mountain climber,
Gretchen, daughter.