This photo is of me as I was hiking in Spring of 2009. I always roll up an bandana or hankerchief and put it around my forehead. I believe that Willie Nelson copied me. That is my story and I'm sticking to it. At least his appears to be clean. Mine is always sweaty but it keeps the sweat out of my eyes and off of my glasses.I have included a few stories of experiences by Dean Reynolds. I guess it is only proper that I include some of my stories. My wife, Dori always says I should write some of the things I have seen, heard or done. But to do this I would have to tell the truth and sometimes I don't like to admit that I have made a miscalculation or mistake. I will call this experience:

Between a Rock and a Hard Spot

It was in the early 1970s and we, Doris, Guy, Denise and myself were living in the ritzy side of Eureka, Utah called Fitchville. Fitchville was named after the Fitch family that owned Chief Consolidated Mining Company. The family and some employees of mine lived in homes built and owned by Fitch Family when Chief Con was in its hay day. Fitchville had fallen on hard times after the Chief Con mine had shutdown. The we, commoners, were allowed to rent the formerly exclusive homes. We had rented a smaller home on the lower end of Fitchville. It had 2 bedrooms upstairs and a full basement complete with a coal fire furnace. Had hard wood floors thru out the up stairs and a fire place. That fire place and my stupidity just about burned the place down, but that is another story for another time and place. It was here that I learned all I wanted to know about stoking a coal furnace. Winters were cold and the snow deep and roads would drift in at night. Adrian Underwood, handman for Chief Con would plow the roads with a cat and you could see over the snowbanks at times. We used between 4 and 7 tons of coal a winter depending how cold and long it was. The Charles Jelden family, mill superientent for Burgin mine, rented the Fitch Mansion and for comparison they used 28 tons of coal, one winter to try and stay warm. If I am rambling it is on purpose to give a little background. We was in Eureka as I was employed as Mine Geologist at Burgin mine in Dividend, Utah. The Burgin was an underground mine which mined lead, zinc, silver, cadimum and manganese. In Fitchville also lived Paul and Bernie Mogensen, Chief Geologist, Sam and Darlene Smith, Mine Geologist of Trixie mine, Tim Hannifin, Mine Super-Burgin and Trixie mines, Kirt, the Higway patrolmen, and Ted and family, accountant for Burgin. The Burgin and Trixie mines were owned by Kennecott Copper Corp. (KCC).
Sam Smith and I live right across the street from each other in Fitchville. At that time I had a 1965 Chev pickup, 2 wheel drive. I did not have a 4 wheel drive which came later. I had taken the truck down to Mack's Service Station to have it serviced. They mentioned that they had problems getting grease into to U-joint in the driveline and had to pull the U-joint apart to get grease in it.
Sam and I decided to go rabbit hunting on a saturday evening. We drove from Eureka to Delta, Utah and then west along US 6 which eventually ends up in Ely, Nevada. We turned of on to the old highway which was a gravel road and goes thru Marjum canyon in the House mountain range. We would drive along and when we started see rabbits in the headlights we would turn on the spotlight and shoot them. I had made up a special spotlight which was a 1,000,000 watt aircraft landing light. It was superior to the run of the mill spotlight staight of the store shelf. We had proceeded out of Marjum canyon and out into the playa valley on the west side of the House range. Decided to go across the valley toward Cowboy pass. We were going along driving and murdering rabbits when we found them. All of a sudden heard a chunk and truck stopped. Climbed out and looked underneath to see what had happened. Found a broken U-joint and drive line on the ground.
Now we have a problem. It is 1:30 am and we are about 20 miles north of Higway 6and that was about 45 miles to Delta. A long way to say the least. So we are stranded and what to do. This was the day before cell phones but would have not mattered as there is not cell service in that area. Looked at the U-joint and a cup on one end of the joint had broken. Apparently it had not been put back together right when it was lubed. Got out the tool box that I always carried along with the 2spare tires, baling wire, Handyman jack and other misc things. Have a good U-joint but cup is broken. What to do? As was sitting on the ground looking in toolbox with the spotlight under the star studded sky and scratching my head. Saw a socket and idea came to my mind. Took the 9/16 socket and slipped over the end of the u-joint and with out the needle bearings it fit. Besides the needle bearing had been lost when cup broke. Crawled under the truck and found some grease that had come out from the grease fitting and filled the socket with grease. Put the socket over the end of u-joint and up in place and tighten the u-bolt. Bingo, we have a u-joint. Now will it work. Got in and fired up the 292c.i., 6 banger engine and decided to put the Craftsman socket to the test. Slowly let out the cluth and we were moving. So far, so good and swung out onto the dry playa lake bed and made a wide U turn. After all there was a couple of miles of bare area so no need to cut it short. Did not want to test the u-joint too quick and hard. Headed south along the Painter Springs road which lead to Highway 6. By this time we had decided that the jack rabbits were safe as we were more interested in getting out to the highway with out using shanks mare mode of travel.
After some time reached the junction of Painter Springs road and Higway 6 and turned east toward Delta. As highway was paved picked up a little speed as had been driving slowly on the dirt road. Found that could go about 35 mph and then the driveline would start to vibrate so would slow down and poke along. Forty fives at 35 mph takes a while but it sure beats walking. After all at that time of day there no traffic, in fact I don't believe we saw another vehicle all the way to Delta. Got in Delta about 5:30 am and it was Sunday morning. Figured that a parts store would not be open today. Well u-joint had held for about 65 miles, maybe it would make it the 33 miles to Eureka. Left Delta and headed north and all was going well until bam.....u-joint came unglued and driveline hit the road. Pulled over to see what happened. Our socket from Swear and Send Back (Sears and Robuck) had broken. Problem....don't have another 9/16 socket. So, take the next bigger as 1/2 was too small, the 5/8. Look around for some more grease and get a little from the front king pins. Put socket in u-bolt and tightened it up. Fired truck up and put it to the test. Worked pretty well, in fact did not have the vibration at 35 mph and could get up to the speed limit. Drove on to Eureka and glad to be home not having to hitchhike or walk.
Monday morning decided that since temporary u-joint had worked and besides did not have another vehicle as Dori had taken the Plymouth, to drive to Payson and get new u-joint. Arrived in Payson and they did not have one. Drove north to Provo, about 25 miles and bought another u-joint. Then drove back to Eureka. So all told we had driven almost 200 miles on a "fix up, make do or do without" u-joint. But I decided to not press my luck further and put in the new u-joint. I didn't even take the broken socket back to Sear to have it replaced. Figured I got my money out of it and bought another one.