by Ron Kilber rpknet@aztec.asu.edu
June 1993
It had been raining for three days when I arrive mid afternoon at the Fort, a private campground, general store and bar at Devils Tower, Wyoming. This is where I was told to stay because it is the preferred camping spot for climbers.
The owner is friendly, and after confirming that I am a climber, he informes me there is no charge to camp, just as long as I purchase a $3 shower token every day.
"If you want to meet some other climbers, there's about twenty of them upstairs in the bar", he says busily, while attending to a tourist who just pumped $150 of fuel into a motorhome. I get out of his way and decide to go upstairs to check out the climbers.
The only climbers who are not suffering from a severe bout of depression (due to all the bad weather) are two car mechanics from Minneapolis, a couple from Columbia, Missouri, and another couple from Gunnison, Colorado. They all are party animals, and have been drinking beer for three straight days, trying to tough-out the bad weather, which has not only palgued this place, but most of the nations mid-section along the Mississippi River.
They are happy to see a new face, and invite me to drink some of their beer. I think they are so bored that they would give me their racks too, just for sticking around. I hardly ever drink, but not wanting to be unsociable, I accept one bottle of beer.
The big problem, I learn from them, is that the TV downstairs is broke. So what else is there to do, except party?
"What?", I say, "You mean we can't watch the game between the Suns and the Bulls tonight?"
The couple from Gunnison tells me the TV has not worked since they arrived over a week ago.
I do not want to miss this game. If the Suns win this one (again), then there will be one more final championship game. If they lose, the season is over and the Bulls win the championship. I go downstairs to see the owner.
He informs me that the TV in the bar is hooked to the satellite dish antenna on his home adjacient to the bar, and that the TV in the house works fine. He doesn't know if the TV in the bar is broke, or if there is a problem with the coaxial cable between the house and the bar. I ask if he minds if I take a look at the problem.
"Absolutely not, go ahead!", he says. Then he even assigs his 10 and 12 year old kids, Andy and Zack (150 & 200 pounds respectively) to help me with the project.
It is not long before I find a corroded splice in the coaxial cable outside between the house and the bar. All the while I have to field questions from Andy and Zack, like "What's your favorite movie?", "Have you seen T2?", and Who's your favorite actor?". When I say Arnold Swartzenegger just for fun, they bond to me like a dog who has just been fed steak, and I realize I just became their new adopted father.
I send Zack for a screwdriver, and then Andy and I wonder what is taking him so long. The basketball game will be starting in about 20 minutes.
Pretty soon Zack arrives with the screwdriver and a five pound bag of uncooked pepperoni which he is snacking from. He tells Andy and I that he put a pizza in the overn for us.
These are happy kids, but I wonder how happy they would be if their parents decided to ration their food supply.
Miraculously, I get the TV working just as the game introductions begin. Quickly the good news spreads throughout the campground, and now people are rushing to find a seat. I pick the best table in the house--right in front of the big screen TV. Soon, my party animal buddies join me at my table, and before the game actually starts, all the seating in this section of the building is gone.
When the owner arrives, there is standing room only, so we manage to squeeze him at our table amongst us. He says the TV reception is the best since he put the system in 12 years ago.
"It just got worse and worse lately", he said, "maybe from all the rain this year".
And then he whispers in my ear that the beer and the camp showers are on the house, as is the chile too, which he put on the stove while I was fixing the TV.
During half time, I receive several offers from others to climb Devils Tower. Never before have I experienced this much friendship at one time, so I attribute it to an expression of gratitude for having repaired the TV.
Even Andy and Zack want to know when I will watch T2 with them on the big screen. Jokingly, I tell them they have to climb Devils Tower with me first. Zack says, "Ya right".
Most of the fans watching the game are in favor of Chicago. Besides myself, only my buddies from Missouri, Colorado and the owner are on the side of the Suns. While we eat chile and watch the game, there is some pretty good shouting and verbal sparring going on between those of us on the Sun's side, and those on the Bull's side. Some of the Bulls fans are near millitant, but they mellow quite a bit when the owner, in jest, reminds them that it is our side that fixed the TV. This brings a big round of laughter.
When it is apparent near the end of the game that the Suns might actually win this one, the Bull's fans give us the evil eye like they want to take our climbing gear away or something. Then, with only seconds remaing in the game, the trailing Bull's send out their 3 point shooter and accomplish the impossible. Unbelievable to my eyes, they make a 3 point shot and win the game.
What a game.
After the game, we watch the local weather report and learn that the skies have cleared. The possibilities look good for climbing Devils Tower tomorrow. And I and everyone in here will be good and ready.
To be continued...
Copyright 1993, 1996, Ron Kilber, all rights reserved.Ron Kilber rpknet@aztec.asu.edu