1996: Grand Canyon — The Epilogue First
May 8, 2008
NOTE: I am taking some time off this week. So to keep the posts coming I’m recounting the story of an assignment that took us rafting the Grand Canyon in 1996.
Let’s begin…
After six days spent running rapids on the raging Colorado River, its waters engorged by a historic man-made flood, we were finally on our way home. I had fifty rolls of film to develop and my reporter (who I will call Prince in this series) had his article to write. It was time to get back to the real world.
We had been completely isolated from the world for a week. Within the high walls of the Grand Canyon we had no news or contact of any kind. No phones, no radio, no television. Kicking off the drive home, we pulled into a brand-new gas station that, when we passed through a week ago, hadn’t even opened yet.
We had no idea what had gone on in the world. And as newsmen we had so many questions. Who won the NCAA basketball tournament? Were the Montana Freemen still holed up surrounded by the FBI? Was Christopher Reeve walking?
Listening to the radio newscast was the strangest thing. It was like we had warped into the future…
“Rescue teams have located the remains of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 32 other Americans after their plane crashed in Bosnia.”
and…
“The man suspected of being the Unabomber remains in custody.”
We were in another world.
I bought a copy of the Arizona Republic and we caught up on the events of the week. But not until reading the wacky tabloid “The Sun” did I realize just how much had happened while we were gone. In huge bold and italic letters, the headline read:
Ten More Commandments Found!
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