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Robert Eugene (Bob) Beckwith
What a 60th reunion and I missed it phyically, but was with you mentally. Just wish I could have been there in person. Would have been, but things were kind of crazy here in Idhao. The Wapiti fire had grown and wasn't under control. The Beckwith Lodge sits is in pretty good spot, but never sure if the place is safe until its Safe.
While you were at the reunion I was iin Stanley working with a crew of folks I couldn't keep up with. The "free" garage's south, and north walls were completed, the west wall got almost done and the eastt wall "carport" got a ceiling thanks to son Jesse's efforts in getting necessary material. It was an all day event on the 14th that started after breakfast and went until 7:30 or 8:00 that evening. Lots of time and work. And lots got done. Lucky spagetti dinner sauce (made with bison and sausage) was started right after breakfast. What set us up for such a successful work day on the 14th was labor on a Labor Day Weekend. I have attached some into about that:.
The Friday before Labor Day weekend I drove the long way to Stanley. The Wapiti fire had closed highway 21. The well pump had to be fixed. Fixed if the well could be found. The well was buried in road material, somewhere in the driveway. A search didn’t find the well casing. Russell showed up with his metal detector. He had spent the last 48 hours pumping over 100,000 gallons water to save his home from burning. Without sleep fighting the Wapiti fire and he still found the well.
The well was found and Randy, the repair guy, fixed the no pressure well to recommend a pump replacement. The well cap came off and water came out. Our artesian well required pumping to replace the well’s pump. On the following Tuesday Brother-in-Law Rob and I drove from where we were to meet in middle at Fairfield. His good friend had loaned us a pump that would serve our purpose. Fairfield was only a 4 hour round trip drive from where we were. That and fuel. The pump that would work didn’t. To get another try, required another pump. Jeff Nofsinger, Jesse’s friend, had the pump at his place north of Challis, 80 miles downriver.
The days long light was fading. Early evening had set in when the knock at Lodge door happened. The officer seemed to have more stuff on him than body. That didn’t change his message. “Evacuate, get out” was what he said. The Wapiti fire had jumped highway 21 and was heading our way. “How soon?” I asked. His simple reply, “soon”. I grabbed what I thought was mobile and important. The Ford F350 was loaded up and drove out the driveway
Kind of like floating to the Pacific from where I was. The Salmon River and rivers that followed took us all the way to where the Columbia meets the Pacific. Going across the Columbia River bar should have been a major challenge. But the ocean in front of us was calm with water stretching as far as the eye could see. A Right turn it was off to Japan or China, A left turn and Hawaii waited. It was kind of like that, but totally different. If I turned right to Ketchum, Halley, Bellevue there was a waiting roof and bed thanks to Mark and Barb Ackers, our Stanley neighbors. The truck turned right and then turned around and headed for Challis. Jeff had agreed to loan me a needed pump. I followed the river East and then North.
Had to stop at Torries Boat landing. The night had turned dark and a waving flashlight was flagging me over. The three stranded folks were stopped when their car hit a rock in the middle of the Road. I was asked to call a waiting husband at Redfish. There was no cell service. The Satellite phone worked. Sat phones work via Satellites that don’t stay put. A brief call is all that you can count on. I should have told her. The stranded lady called the husband and lost the signal before message was delivered. While waiting for satellites, two Fire Trucks and Andy Gunderson following saved their day. Andy drove the three back upriver to a waiting husband and Redfish refuge for the night.
I drove the F 350 on towards Clayton. The night got darker, and road narrower and crooked. Rocks on the left, Salmon River on the right, and fire smoke had diminished visibility. I came around a dark blind corner to waiting black cows. I dodged to the right, and didn’t hit the cow head on. Wack, Bang and instantly F350 was a Bentley. The Bentley kept going and I kept going to Clayton, less than a mile away. I stopped at Brett Woolley’s Bar for help and damage assessment. The driver’s door wouldn’t open. Crawling out the passenger side got me out. The bartender called the Cowboy across the street who had been hired to help with the cows. A Sheriff’s deputy was called to come and write up the incident report.
Sean, the Cowboy, wanted to check out the hit cow and herd what was left down and off the road. And I rode along. He just drove by the mortally wounded cow that Justin Baker owned. We passed a couple of wonders going down the road. Two more vehicles were coming too fast. Sean’s truck blinkers, arm waving, and yelling didn’t slow the oncoming trucks. Wack, Bang. A second cow, owned by Justin’s Dad, Wayne, was hit and stopped the attack pickup. It had to be towed. The cow herding continued, and the cows were gotten off the road to safety. Shawn turned his long pickup trailer around with us in it. We stopped by the wounded cow, and Shawn put it out of its misery. The Sheriff’s deputy showed up and the miracle, I had all the stuff he needed.
I continued the drive from Clayton to Challis in the Bentley. All but steering and headlight worked fine. Turning right was limited and the left headlight pointed off to the left. Kind of like a one-eyed pirate with an eye that look to the left. The left road side was really bright-AAAARGh.
Woke up in Challis had breakfast and daylight to drive to Jeff’s house. He loaned the needed pump and used his backhoe Collision correction machine to pull the fender just enough so driver’s door opened and closed. A backhoe tug or two and the Bentleys bent bumper straightened just enough to allow full turning radius. Thanks Jeff!!!
I wanted to get back to the Lodge to see that it hadn’t burned down and a huge fire truck was in the driveway, the engine was running and no one around. After a quick okay look around, I started the drive back to Eagle, two doors down there were a bunch of fire fighters getting ready to go to work and defend burnable properties. An appreciation for their work grew!!
The Bentley drove me back to Eagle. Caliber Collision says F350 is fixable. Wow, a day and half at home. Then learned I could go back. It was nuts!!! Absolutely crazy. Smoke was thicker than pea soap. Sawtooth views, gone. Hillside and river views gone. I had swapped out the Bentley for the Saturn returned to Stanley when they allowed us back in. Work needed to get done. The garage needed a roof, pump had to be repaired. The fire could cause another evacuation. We went anyway. The “free” Garage got its metal roof put on. Rob painted it brown on the north side, Jesse and Joel tacked down tar paper and screwed new metal on the South Roof. There was time to replace the well’s pump, but Jeff’s pump wasn’t quite right. A third try was required. A drive over the hill to Ketchum rental shop was required. The rented pump was almost too big for the Saturn.
The Lodge’s water pump finally, after three pump tries, got replaced. Thanks to Jesses ability to tape a smaller hose to bigger hose and make it work. Upgraded from 1 horse to 2 horse motor. We had water in the Lodge and for hoses outside. Pretty sure that wouldn’t have been done without Jesse’s help. It was all working by August 31st of Labor Day weekend
On Labor Day eve, Jesse (our son) and Ashley (Jesse's wife) went on an afternoon Deer hunt. When they hadn’t gotten back by 11:30 P.M. I figured Jesse had gotten a deer or elk or were lost somewhere in the night. They drove in about 12:30. It was Labor Day and we had work to do. The 4 X 4 buck he brought home had to be taken care of. They got to have dinner about 1:30. A.M. Labor Day morning.
On Tuesday the third pump had to be returned to the Ketchum rental shop. Before leaving a 360 degree look around was needed. The skies were clear, the sunrise, almost normal and the sights of the Wapiti fire provided no Lodge view. I drove away thinking we must have built in a pretty good spot. And no idea that a pump fix woold require over 1,100 miles of driving. The Wapiti fire on September 3rd had burnt about 116,788 acres or about. 88,475 football fields.
If you would like some pictures, I'm willing to share. I did send this sotry to Rosie and she didn't get it soon enough to share with you all. My fault, because, like always I needed to start sooned. If I can make the 80 B day even I will be bringing Hilltop Honey- Bees next door are still doing their delicious work.
Best to one and all. Just wish I would have been there to enjoy all of your company. And one more thought,
Kay, you mentioned Brian Belchers. We got in touch a year or so ago to talk about a photo Safari with our classmate, Walt Hess, that never came to fruition. Brian immigrated from South Africa, I think early-late??? 70's. He lives in Monte Serano. Hope I have all that right.
Best of the best-keep moving and hope to see you all.
Bob
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