Spiders and Snakes

[SFleischak at aol.com]

I suppose we all have our tales to tell, but this one is special to me as my 
wife passed away early in life a few years after the incident. In 1981, we 
were on a guided walk up a mountain with a ranger in Yellowstone National 
Park. He advised us that the walk would be strenuous and if any of us had 
health problems, that may be we should rethink the climb. The walk was up an 
old logging road and not really too bad. The ranger repeated the warning and 
when no one dropped out, he finally addressed a particular elderly couple and 
told them that he thought it might be too much for them.

The elderly gentleman accompanied by his rather frail looking wife, informed 
the ranger that they had climbed that mountain every year since 1910 when 
they were on their honeymoon. He also informed him that they had walked up 
the mountain every year except one when they had driven up it backwards. The 
ranger asked him why he drove up it backwards. The gentleman informed him he 
was driving a model T or A Ford (can't remember which) and that the gas tank 
was gravity fed and you couldn't drive up with the gas tank lower than the 
engine. BTW, the elderly man and his wife were the first up and the last down 
the mountain. We spent several days with the couple, enjoying their company 
and stories of times past.

Steve
Central Florida, USA

<< When I think of what it took to travel to some of
 > these locations back in the second and third decades of last century, it
 > truly amazes me.  Driving in cars without air conditioning on unpaved roads
 > - with little in the way of conveniences (no AM/PM handy to refill the 32
 > oz. soda cup).  >>